NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation: Grant for Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal

The principal objective of the Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Funding Opportunity is to provide federal financial and technical assistance to Indian tribes and organizations that represent Indian tribes through formal legal agreements to remove barriers to fish passage for native migratory or sea-run fish. Funding will be used for fish passage that rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries, contributes to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, enhances watershed health, promotes resilient ecosystems and communities, and increases tribal capacity to participate in fish passage barrier removal efforts while improving tribal commercial, recreational, subsistence and cultural practice opportunities. This funding opportunity announcement is authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Public Law 117-58). Applicants should address the following program priorities: 1. Achieving measurable and lasting benefits for migratory fish populations; 2. Enhancing community resilience to extreme weather and climate hazards and providing other cobenefits; 3. Fostering tribally important barrier removal efforts that benefit migratory fish; or 4. Increasing tribal organization fish passage capacity to support tribes in their role as managers and stewards of tribal trust resources for cultural, spiritual, economic, subsistence, and recreational purposes. Proposals submitted under this funding opportunity should describe how the proposed work will: 1. Contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act; 2. Sustain or help rebuild fish stocks and their prey managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; 3. Improve passage to support native fish species of the Great Lakes; 4. Enhance the sustainability of saltwater recreational fisheries; 5. Enhance community resilience to climate hazards by removing or improving aging infrastructure and support other co-benefits; or 6. Support hydroelectric license surrender to remove dams that are no longer economically viable or provide significant public benefits. Proposed activities may include future project development and feasibility studies, engineering and design, permitting, on-the-ground fish passage restoration, pre- and post-removal implementation monitoring, community engagement, and outreach and education. This funding opportunity will also support building tribal capacity to participate in developing current and future fish passage projects. Applicants may apply for funding to support one or more of these activities. Priority will be given to activities with the highest certainty to occur within a 2-3 year award period. Proposals may include multiple locations and should demonstrate how multiple locations collectively contribute to priorities within a watershed or geographic area. Proposals that focus on the removal of barriers will score higher than proposals that install structures that require operations and maintenance. Proposals selected for funding through this funding opportunity will be funded through cooperative agreements. NOAA anticipates that the period of performance for most awards will be for three years. NOAA anticipates typical federal funding for awards will range from $500,000 to $4 million over three years. NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $300,000 or more than $6 million total for the entire award. Funds will be administered by the Community-based Restoration Program within the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation, as directed in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

The principal objective of the Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Funding Opportunity is to provide federal financial and technical assistance to Indian tribes and organizations that represent Indian tribes through formal legal agreements to remove barriers to fish passage for native migratory or sea-run fish. Funding will be used for fish passage that rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries, contributes to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, enhances watershed health, promotes resilient ecosystems and communities, and increases tribal capacity to participate in fish passage barrier removal efforts while improving tribal commercial, recreational, subsistence and cultural practice opportunities. This funding opportunity announcement is authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Public Law 117-58). Applicants should address the following program priorities: 1. Achieving measurable and lasting benefits for migratory fish populations; 2. Enhancing community resilience to extreme weather and climate hazards and providing other cobenefits; 3. Fostering tribally important barrier removal efforts that benefit migratory fish; or 4. Increasing tribal organization fish passage capacity to support tribes in their role as managers and stewards of tribal trust resources for cultural, spiritual, economic, subsistence, and recreational purposes. Proposals submitted under this funding opportunity should describe how the proposed work will: 1. Contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act; 2. Sustain or help rebuild fish stocks and their prey managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; 3. Improve passage to support native fish species of the Great Lakes; 4. Enhance the sustainability of saltwater recreational fisheries; 5. Enhance community resilience to climate hazards by removing or improving aging infrastructure and support other co-benefits; or 6. Support hydroelectric license surrender to remove dams that are no longer economically viable or provide significant public benefits. Proposed activities may include future project development and feasibility studies, engineering and design, permitting, on-the-ground fish passage restoration, pre- and post-removal implementation monitoring, community engagement, and outreach and education. This funding opportunity will also support building tribal capacity to participate in developing current and future fish passage projects. Applicants may apply for funding to support one or more of these activities. Priority will be given to activities with the highest certainty to occur within a 2-3 year award period. Proposals may include multiple locations and should demonstrate how multiple locations collectively contribute to priorities within a watershed or geographic area. Proposals that focus on the removal of barriers will score higher than proposals that install structures that require operations and maintenance. Proposals selected for funding through this funding opportunity will be funded through cooperative agreements. NOAA anticipates that the period of performance for most awards will be for three years. NOAA anticipates typical federal funding for awards will range from $500,000 to $4 million over three years. NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $300,000 or more than $6 million total for the entire award. Funds will be administered by the Community-based Restoration Program within the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation, as directed in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

The principal objective of the Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Funding Opportunity is to provide federal financial and technical assistance to Indian tribes and organizations that represent Indian tribes through formal legal agreements to remove barriers to fish passage for native migratory or sea-run fish. Funding will be used for fish passage that rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries, contributes to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, enhances watershed health, promotes resilient ecosystems and communities, and increases tribal capacity to participate in fish passage barrier removal efforts while improving tribal commercial, recreational, subsistence and cultural practice opportunities. This funding opportunity announcement is authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Public Law 117-58). Applicants should address the following program priorities: 1. Achieving measurable and lasting benefits for migratory fish populations; 2. Enhancing community resilience to extreme weather and climate hazards and providing other cobenefits; 3. Fostering tribally important barrier removal efforts that benefit migratory fish; or 4. Increasing tribal organization fish passage capacity to support tribes in their role as managers and stewards of tribal trust resources for cultural, spiritual, economic, subsistence, and recreational purposes. Proposals submitted under this funding opportunity should describe how the proposed work will: 1. Contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act; 2. Sustain or help rebuild fish stocks and their prey managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act; 3. Improve passage to support native fish species of the Great Lakes; 4. Enhance the sustainability of saltwater recreational fisheries; 5. Enhance community resilience to climate hazards by removing or improving aging infrastructure and support other co-benefits; or 6. Support hydroelectric license surrender to remove dams that are no longer economically viable or provide significant public benefits. Proposed activities may include future project development and feasibility studies, engineering and design, permitting, on-the-ground fish passage restoration, pre- and post-removal implementation monitoring, community engagement, and outreach and education. This funding opportunity will also support building tribal capacity to participate in developing current and future fish passage projects. Applicants may apply for funding to support one or more of these activities. Priority will be given to activities with the highest certainty to occur within a 2-3 year award period. Proposals may include multiple locations and should demonstrate how multiple locations collectively contribute to priorities within a watershed or geographic area. Proposals that focus on the removal of barriers will score higher than proposals that install structures that require operations and maintenance. Proposals selected for funding through this funding opportunity will be funded through cooperative agreements. NOAA anticipates that the period of performance for most awards will be for three years. NOAA anticipates typical federal funding for awards will range from $500,000 to $4 million over three years. NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $300,000 or more than $6 million total for the entire award. Funds will be administered by the Community-based Restoration Program within the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation, as directed in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

Eligible applicants are Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. Section 5304 (e)) and organizations that represent Indian tribes through formal legal agreements (e.g., tribal commissions, tribal consortia, tribal conservation districts, and tribal cooperatives). 23.U.S.C. Section 5304 (e) states that ‘(e)“Indian tribe” or “Indian Tribe” means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.’ Organizations that represent Indian tribes through formal legal agreements are encouraged to provide a clear description and supporting documentation (e.g., letters of support, Memoranda of Understandings) in the application, demonstrating a relationship between the tribe(s) and organization. The documentation is further described in this Announcement in Section IV.B., Content and Form of Application. Documentation should be submitted as part of the grant application. An institution of higher education, non-profit organization, commercial (for profit) organization, U.S. territory, or state or local government, and organizations that identify as Indian tribes but do not meet the definition of “Indian tribe” above, which may include state recognized tribes, can partner with Indian tribes and organizations that represent Indian tribes through formal legal agreements, but are not eligible to submit an application directly. A partnership may involve proposed subawards, contracts, informal collaboration, or other engagement. These partners may apply directly for separate NOAA funding opportunities for restoring fish passage published at www.grants.gov. Applications from federal agencies or employees of federal agencies will not be considered. Federal agencies interested in this program are strongly encouraged to work with applicants who are eligible to apply. Applicants must propose work in areas that benefit United States migratory fish as defined in the Program Objective (Section I.A). Eligible applicants for Great Lakes projects must propose work within the Great Lakes basin within one of the eight U.S. Great Lakes states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota).