FY 2015 Habitat Blueprint - Coastal and Marine Habitat Focus Area Grants for Biscayne Bay, FL, Puerto Rico?s Northeast Reserves and Culebra Island, and Kachemak Bay, AK.

FL; Puerto Rico’s Northeast Reserves and Culebra Island, and Kachemak Bay, AK. These objectives vary from region to region, but they all effectively protect and/or restore high-priority habitat for managed fisheries, protected species, and other coastal and marine life; foster resilient coastal communities; advance habitat science; and lead to increased socio-economic benefits. HFA - specific objectives are identified in this federal funding opportunity, and successful proposals will achieve one or several objectives by: 1) addressing a habitat-based issue/concern contributing to the loss or deterioration of coastal resiliency or marine habitats for target managed or protected species (e.g. fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, corals); 2) identifying the project’s outcomes and goal(s) and describing in detail the actions and project(s) to be undertaken to achieve those goals; and 3) describing the measurable impact on the issue/concern, target species, or resource, including proposed evaluation techniques. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will primarily be funded through cooperative agreements. Two-year cooperative agreement awards will be considered, and additional releases of funds may be used to fund selected proposals through FY16 without further competition. Awards are dependent upon FY15-FY16 congressional appropriations. NOAA anticipates approximately $1.2 million may be available over the next two years to maintain selected awards, dependent upon the level of funding made available by Congress. NOAA will not accept proposals with a Federal request of less than $50,000 or more than $500,000 for a two year period. NOAA anticipates typical awards will range from $100,000 to $400,000 over two years. One or two year proposals will be accepted. Funds will be administered by the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation.