FY2025 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - NOAA Fisheries Citizen Science Funding Opportunity | NOAA NMFS FHQ 2025 26515

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2025 26515

The FY2025 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - NOAA Fisheries Citizen Science Funding Opportunity is a NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) discretionary funding program meant to strengthen fisheries science by supporting well-designed citizen science projects. In this context, "citizen science" means members of the public, fishing communities, or organizations voluntarily taking part in one or more parts of the scientific process, such as collecting observations, documenting catches, reporting environmental conditions, helping validate datasets, or contributing local knowledge in a structured way. NOAA frames this work as part of its broader science and technology priorities, and the key goal here is practical: generate credible, usable information that improves federal fisheries stock assessments and supports climate-ready fisheries management.

The solicitation prioritizes projects that produce data or insights that directly supplement and/or inform stock assessments, or that improve understanding of how climate change is affecting fish stocks and fishing communities now and in the future. A major boundary condition is that the fishery species and stocks targeted by the work must be within a federal Fishery Management Plan (FMP). NOAA points applicants to the Fishery Stock Status Updates (specifically stock status tables A-G, updated quarterly) as the reference for the eligible stocks and how they are tracked.

Funding is expected to total about $600,000 across all selected projects for FY2025. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally means NOAA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, coordination on methods, data standards, integration with assessment needs, or dissemination). Individual awards can be as large as $200,000 (award ceiling), so applicants should size proposals with that cap in mind and anticipate that multiple projects may be supported from the overall pool. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 11.472 and falls under the broad activity categories of environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development.

Eligibility is broad and includes individuals; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and state, local, territorial, and federally recognized tribal governments (as well as certain tribal organizations). Foreign public entities and foreign organizations are also named as eligible in the narrative description. Federal agencies and federal instrumentalities are explicitly not eligible to receive funding under this notice. NOAA also highlights an equity and inclusion emphasis, noting a strong commitment to broadening participation from historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, institutions working in underserved areas, and Indigenous communities more broadly.

The application deadline listed is November 4, 2024. NOAA places heavy emphasis on early preparation because required registrations can take six weeks or longer, and late submissions will not be accepted even if delays are caused by registration issues. Applicants must register in multiple federal systems before submitting through Grants.gov: SAM.gov (to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov. NOAA recommends starting with SAM.gov and then completing Grants.gov and eRA Commons registrations in parallel after the UEI is issued. Applicants without reliable internet access are directed to contact the agency points of contact in the NOFO for alternative submission instructions.

In practical terms, competitive projects under this opportunity are likely to be those that clearly connect volunteer-driven data collection or community participation to specific stock assessment or climate-readiness needs, show that the resulting data will be credible and usable (for example, through standardized protocols, training, quality assurance/quality control, and data management plans), and demonstrate a realistic pathway for NOAA and partners to integrate the information into assessment and management processes for FMP-managed stocks.

• The DOC NOAA - ERA Production in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2025 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - NOAA Fisheries Citizen Science Funding Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.472.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-04. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for NOAA NMFS FHQ 2025 26515

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