NOAA is announcing the availability of up to $100 million in funding for transformational projects that restore coastal habitat and strengthen community resilience. This funding has been made available through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This is the third and final round of this funding opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Of the $100 million of funding available, up to 15 percent is specifically available to U.S. federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and organizations that represent tribes through formal legal agreements, through direct awards or subawards:
- A direct award is an award where the tribe is the applicant, receives an award from NOAA, and administers the award
- A subaward to a tribe is an award where a non-tribal applicant receives a direct award from NOAA, but provides a specific amount of funding to a tribe to carry out a portion of the award
The remaining funding will be available to all eligible applicants.
Projects selected through this funding opportunity will have a transformative impact for coastal communities and tribes across the country. They will help sustain our nation’s fisheries, make significant strides in the recovery of threatened and endangered species, and help protect coastal communities and ecosystems from the impacts of climate change. They will support efforts such as reconnecting rivers to their historic floodplains, outplanting corals to rebuild reefs, building living shorelines that protect coasts from erosion and sea level rise, and more.
NOAA will accept proposals with a federal funding request of between $750,000 and $10 million for the entire award. Typical funding is anticipated to range from $4 million to $6 million. Applications are due by April 16, 2025. For more information, view the Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Grants funding opportunity.
Through this competition, NOAA will prioritize projects that demonstrate a broad base of community support. We will prioritize projects that were developed with inclusive practices and incorporate meaningful strategies to engage a diverse range of community groups, including tribes and underserved communities.
Habitat Restoration and NOAA
Habitat restoration efforts like restoring coastal wetlands and removing outdated dams can improve coastal resilience—helping communities recover from and adapt to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change.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 our Community-based Restoration Program.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act provide a historic opportunity for us to continue making an impact for fisheries, protected resources, and coastal communities, including tribes. To date, we have funded 214 awards totaling $985 million through two rounds of funding competitions.
