FY2020 Marine Debris Prevention

The NOAA Marine Debris Program, authorized in the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1951-1958), provides funding to prevent the introduction of marine debris into the marine and coastal environment. Projects awarded through this grant competition will actively engage and educate a target audience (such as students, teachers, state or local government, industries, or the public) in hands-on programs designed to raise awareness, reduce barriers to marine debris prevention (e.g., lack of access to waste receptacles or alternatives to single-use items), and encourage and support changes in behaviors to ensure long-term prevention of marine debris. Successful proposals through this solicitation will be funded through cooperative agreements. Funding of up to $2,000,000 is expected to be available for Marine Debris Prevention grants in FY2020. Typical awards will range from $50,000 - $150,000. Funding for this purpose comes through the NOAA Marine Debris Program as appropriations to the Office of Response and Restoration, National Ocean Service.

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This year’s competition will have a pre-proposal requirement (hereafter described as Letter of Intent; LOI), which has changed the submission deadlines for this competition. This funding opportunity requires a letter of intent to be submitted before full proposals will be invited. Letters of intent must be received via email to grants.marinedebris@noaa.gov (as an attachment) no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, November 5, 2019. If invited per the instructions in this announcement, full proposals must then be submitted through and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 11:59 p.m. EST, February 7, 2020. As outlined in the Marine Debris Act, eligible applicants are state, local, tribal, and territory governments whose activities affect research or regulation of marine debris and any institution of higher education, nonprofit organization, or commercial (for-profit) organization with expertise in a field related to marine debris. Applications from federal agencies or employees of federal agencies will not be considered. Interested federal agencies may collaborate with eligible applicants but may not receive funds through this competition.All projects must take place within the United States or territories or their respective waterways. Foreign organizations and foreign public entities are not eligible to apply as the primary applicant but can be involved as project partners.NOAA is strongly committed to broadening the participation of veterans, minority-serving institutions, and entities that work in underserved areas. The NOAA MDP encourages proposals from, or involving any of the above types of institutions.Applications that have been submitted to other NOAA grant programs or as part of another NOAA grant may be considered under this solicitation.

Tom Barry tom.barry@noaa.gov 240-533-0425