NOAA Fisheries is announcing two funding opportunities for habitat restoration and coastal resilience, including one focused on underserved communities. Funding has been made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants
Up to $85 million in funding is available for habitat restoration and coastal resilience through the FY2022 NOAA’s Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity.
This funding will support transformational projects that restore habitat for our nation’s fisheries and protected resources, while also strengthening the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems. It will invest in projects that have the greatest potential to provide holistic benefits, through habitat-based approaches that strengthen both ecosystem and community resilience.
Projects selected through this opportunity will help:
- Restore marine, estuarine, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems
- Rebuild sustainable fisheries and contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species
- Protect the safety and well-being of coastal communities by using natural infrastructure to reduce damage from flooding and storms
- Support the many benefits that healthy habitats provide, such as clean drinking water and industries like boating, fishing, and tourism
NOAA will accept proposals between $1 million and $15 million total over the award period. The application deadline is September 6, 2022.
Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities
Up to $10 million in funding is available for habitat restoration and resilience awards for underserved communities though NOAA’s FY2022 Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Grants for Underserved Communities Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Through this funding, NOAA will engage underserved communities in habitat restoration activities that promote resilient ecosystems and communities. This funding will provide capacity for these communities to more fully participate in developing future transformational habitat projects. This capacity is intended to ensure that communities are integral to the visioning and decision-making for coastal habitat restoration projects that affect them, and that they directly benefit from these projects.
Projects selected through this opportunity may include:
- Capacity building activities, including participation in municipal or regional-scale resilience planning, project planning and feasibility studies, stakeholder engagement, and proposal development for future funding.
- Restoration activities, including demonstration projects, engineering and design, permitting, and on-the-ground implementation.
NOAA will accept proposals between $250,000 to $500,000 total over the award period. The application deadline is September 30, 2022.
Habitat Restoration and NOAA
NOAA invests in habitat restoration across the country to support our nation’s fisheries and protected resources, while also strengthening the resilience of coastal communities and ecosystems. Efforts like restoring coastal wetlands and removing outdated dams can improve coastal resilience—helping communities recover from and adapt to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change.
NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation has a long history conducting habitat restoration efforts with large-scale competitive funding opportunities and expert technical assistance through its Community-based Restoration Program. Since 1996, the program has partnered with more than 2,600 organizations to take on more than 2,200 projects. These efforts have restored more than 93,000 acres of habitat and opened up more than 4,400 miles of streams and rivers to fish migration. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law presents an once-in-a-generation opportunity for NOAA to continue making an impact for fisheries, protected resources, and coastal communities.
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