Species Recovery Grants to States (Section 6 Program) | NOAA NMFS PRPO 2020 2006174

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS PRPO 2020 2006174

The Species Recovery Grants to States (Section 6 Program) is a federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce, administered through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), designed to help states carry out conservation and recovery work for marine and anadromous species that are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The core idea behind the program is that many NMFS-managed listed species spend all or part of their lives in state waters, so meaningful recovery depends on close coordination between NMFS and state resource agencies. Through this program, NMFS provides financial assistance so states can build and run practical, on-the-ground conservation programs that directly support ESA recovery goals.

Funding is provided as either grants or cooperative agreements, and it can be used for a broad range of recovery-related activities. Projects may focus on listed endangered or threatened species, but the program also allows support for monitoring and conservation work involving candidate species, species recently delisted, and species proposed for listing under the ESA. In terms of the kinds of work that can be funded, NMFS highlights management-focused efforts (for example, developing or implementing conservation measures), scientific research (such as studies that reduce key uncertainties affecting recovery), and public education and outreach (to improve compliance, awareness, and stakeholder participation in recovery actions). This flexibility is meant to let states tailor proposals to the specific biological needs of species in their waters and to the practical realities of implementing recovery actions.

NMFS also uses this opportunity to encourage proposals that contribute to recovery of certain "Species in the Spotlight" that NMFS identifies as critically endangered and in urgent need of attention. For the FY 2020 competition described here, NMFS specifically encourages proposals that address one or more of the following: the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon, white abalone, the Cook Inlet DPS of beluga whales, the Hawaiian monk seal, the Pacific leatherback sea turtle, and the southern resident DPS of killer whales. Proposals are not limited to these species, but NMFS signals that projects supporting these priority species are particularly encouraged within this competition.

Eligibility is limited to state agencies that have an active ESA Section 6(c) agreement with NMFS, or that will enter into such an agreement within 30 days of the application deadline. In other words, this is not a general open competition for universities, nonprofits, or local governments to apply directly; the primary applicants are state agencies that have the formal partnership mechanism required under Section 6 of the ESA for NMFS-jurisdiction species. One notable restriction is that proposals focused on Pacific salmonids will not be considered under this specific program; NMFS directs that Pacific salmonid projects may be more appropriate for the NMFS Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund instead, which is a separate funding stream.

For the FY 2020 cycle referenced in the announcement, the opportunity is discretionary and listed under CFDA 11.472. The funding opportunity number is NOAA NMFS PRPO 2020 2006174. The solicitation was created on July 30, 2019, with an original closing date of October 31, 2019. Awards were expected to be made to around 10 recipients, with an award ceiling of $250,000 per award. The announcement also emphasizes that applicants should read the full solicitation carefully because some submission or program details changed compared to the previous year, and it lays out how proposals should be submitted and how NMFS will evaluate and select projects for funding.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Species Recovery Grants to States (Section 6 Program)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.472.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 30, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 31, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS PRPO 2020 2006174

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