NOAA National Sea Grant College Program 2018 Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes National Aquaculture Initiative

The overall objectives of the Sea Grant NAI are to: 1) address the needs of the U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture sector by supporting research, technology transfer, and best

practices related to the sustainable aquaculture of ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes fish, shellfish, or algae species (including state- and federally-managed species), 2) increase production of such species in federal waters and the coastal zone of state waters (as defined by the Coastal Zone Management Act to include the Great Lakes), and 3) address major constraints, barriers, or hurdles of domestic aquaculture development that currently limit increased production (this can include research, extension, technology transfer, regulatory/policy and/or legal activities to support production, market access, distribution, etc.).

Sea Grant encourages proposals that: 1) utilize a team approach that fully integrates at least one Sea Grant program and at least one end-user or public-private partnership in the effort, 2) involve Sea Grant Extension personnel and include a technology transfer component, where appropriate,
3) address how project impacts will be applicable to a broader geographic area through regional or topical partnerships, and 4) discuss how, upon completion, the work will have a high likelihood of increasing aquaculture production or address how the work will stimulate or advance nascent aquaculture industry(ies). Proposals should meet the program objectives to the extent practicable.

This Federal Funding Opportunity includes the information needed and the criteria for applications requesting up to $750,000 in total federal funding for a one- to three-year period. Non-federal matching funds of at least a running total of 50% is required for each year of requested funding (e.g., Year 1 = $250,000 requested would require $125,000 match; Year 2 =
$250,000 requested would require $125,000 match; Year 3 = $250,000 requested would require
$125,000 match). Please note that, per law, grant applications from Guam Sea Grant waive the first $200,000 of federal matching requirements; thus no match is required for Federal shares up to $400,000. Match would then be required for balances above $400,000 (e.g., $800,000 requested would require Guam Sea Grant project to provide $200,000 in match).

NOAA anticipates funding projects ranging from lesser amounts up to the maximum amount ($750,000) to ensure a diversity of priorities are addressed with the available funding. Awards are anticipated to start on September 1, 2018. Additional applications from this competition may be selected for funding in subsequent fiscal years based on future appropriated funds.