FY24 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law National Estuarine Research Reserve System Habitat Protection and Restoration Competition

The purpose of this notice is to solicit grant proposals from eligible National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs or Reserves) for coastal habitat restoration; coastal habitat restoration planning, engineering, and design; and coastal land conservation projects that support the goals and intent of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP), and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) (BIL, Public Law 117-58, 135 STAT. 1356 (Nov. 15, 2021).

NOAA anticipates that approximately $13.5 million will be competitively awarded to approved Reserves or eligible Program partners. For habitat restoration engineering, design and planning projects, it is anticipated that awards will range from approximately $200,000-$350,000. For habitat restoration projects, it is anticipated that awards will range from approximately $2 million to $4 million. For land conservation projects, it is anticipated that awards will range from approximately $500,000 to $1.5 million. Applicants may propose projects with a Federal funding request less than or more than these amounts, up to $4 million.

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Any NERRS lead state agencies or universities designated to receive NERRS operations funding through a Memorandum of Understanding with NOAA in coastal states and territories are eligible for funds under this competition. For elected projects, NOAA may make financial assistance awards to the Reserve lead state agency or university, which will be responsible for ensuring that allocated funds are used for the purposes of and in a manner consistent with this program. NOAA may also, with concurrence from the Reserve lead agency or university, make a grant directly to an identified eligible Reserve partner in order to expedite completion of an approved project. For these projects, the Reserve lead agency or university would submit a Letter of Intent and include an identification and brief description of the Reserve partner that would be the final grant recipient. If the Reserve is invited to submit a final application for the proposal, then the Reserve partner would submit the final application through grants.gov. In such cases, the Reserve partner (as the grant award recipient) will be responsible for ensuring that allocated funds are used for the approved purposes of, and in a manner consistent with, this program.Eligible Reserve partners may include regional authorities, non-governmental organizations, institutions of higher education, and state, territorial, tribal, and county/local governments. Non-governmental organizations may serve as the lead applicant for habitat restoration projects or for habitat restoration engineering, design and planning projects. As noted in section III C.3. Public Benefit, all projects must be located on publicly-owned land, or land where a public entity holds a lease or easement that provides for adequate public control of the property. For these projects, the project application should also include a letter of support from the public entity who holds title or a legal interest on the project site.

For administrative or technical questions regarding this announcement, contact the Office for Coastal Management via email at ocm.nerrs.infrastructure@noaa.gov.