USA.- This competition is designed to foster the expansion of a sustainable U.S. ocean, coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture sector by addressing one or more of the following priorities:
– Supporting the development of emerging systems or technologies that will advance aquaculture in the U.S., including projects that will help stimulate aquaculture production by nascent industries;
– Developing and implementing actionable methods of communicating accurate, science based messages and information about the benefits and risks of U.S. marine aquaculture to the public; and
– Increasing the resiliency of aquaculture systems to natural hazards and changing conditions.
Depending on appropriations, NOAA Sea Grant expects to have available a total of $7,000,000 to $11,500,000 across fiscal years 2018, 2019 and 2020 as part of a National Aquaculture Initiative (NAI). Successful applications must describe projects that clearly address major constraints, barriers or hurdles limiting aquaculture production in the U.S.
OPPORTUNITY
Considering the priorities for support listed above, Sea Grant encourages proposals that:
– 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;
– Involve Sea Grant Extension personnel and include a technology transfer component, where appropriate;
– Address how project impacts will be applicable to a broader geographic area through regional or topical partnerships; and
– 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).
Eligibility
Eligible investigators who work within the state of California and who wish to propose a project that aligns with the stated priorities for support are welcome to submit a proposal to California Sea Grant (CASG). So long as the submitted proposal conforms to proposal and budget guidelines (see below), it will be submitted to the National Sea Grant Office by CASG.
The following entities are eligible and encouraged to participate in this funding opportunity, in conjunction with a Sea Grant program: any individual; any public or private corporation, partnership, or other association or entity (including any Sea Grant College, Sea Grant Institute or other institution); or any State, political subdivision of a State, Tribal government or agency or officer thereof. Federal agencies and their personnel are not permitted to receive federal funding under this competition; however, federal scientists and other employees can serve as uncompensated partners or co-Principal Investigators.
Prospective applicants (PIs) are encouraged to contact California Sea Grant (CASG) Director, Jim Eckman (jeckman@ucsd.edu, 858-534-4440), early in the process of forming research ideas and drafting a proposal to discuss the applicability of the proposal idea to the NAI. Prospective applicants who have interests in engaging CASG Extension personnel should contact the CASG Extension Director, Lisa Schiavinato (lschiavinato@ucsd.edu, 858-822-2708), as early in the application process as possible. Inclusion of CASG Extension personnel in a proposal/project cannot be guaranteed.
IMPORTANT DATES
March 2, 2018:
Applicants must submit a proposal using eSeaGrant, California Sea Grant’s online proposal submission system, by 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on March 2, 2018. Late submissions are not possible via eSeaGrant and will not be accepted .
March 30, 2018:
Applications are due from Sea Grant Programs to Grants.gov no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on March 30, 2018.
BUDGET
California Sea Grant must submit proposals with a budget request of no more than $750,000 per project. The anticipated start date for projects is September 1, 2018. Projects are expected to last between 1-3 years. Proposals submitted to California Sea Grant cannot exceed a total request of $750,000 less $14,000 for each non-University of California institution or business that will be receiving funds. Thus, for example, if a project were to require funds to be awarded to two non-UC institutions, the maximum allowable budget request would be $750,000 – $28,000 = $722,000. This reduction is imposed to cover mandatory costs of establishing awards at those institutions or businesses.
A unique aspect of the Sea Grant Program is the matching funds requirement. Non-federal matching funds of at least 50% is required for each year of requested funding (e.g., Year 1 = $200,000 requested would require $100,000 match; Year 2 = $200,000 requested would require $100,000 match; Year 3 = $200,000 requested would require $100,000 match). Proposers must include sufficient non-federal match in their proposal to be eligible. Examples of allowable items for matching Sea Grant federal funds include existing salaries and benefits of investigators and others paid from non-federal sources, costs of using expendable supplies and equipment already in inventory, costs of boat time supplied by non-federal sources, industry participation, and donated supplies, service, space, or equipment. However, your institution remains the final approver for all match included in the proposal.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please see the full announcement (NOAA-OAR-SG-2018-2005489) for full proposal content requirements: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html
Applications must be submitted via the eSeaGrant online system: http://eseagrant2.ucsd.edu/
More about eSeaGrant can be found here: https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/grants-and-funding/eseagrant-instructions
So long as the submitted proposal conforms to proposal and budget guidelines, it will be submitted to the National Sea Grant Office by CASG. CASG reserves the right to decline to submit proposals that violate size limits, address areas that are ineligible under this call, or for which submitted budgets do not conform to budget guidelines.
Source: California Sea Grant
