FY 2015 Habitat Blueprint - Coastal and Marine Habitat Focus Area Grants for Biscayne Bay, FL, Puerto Rico?s Northeast Reserves and Culebra Island, and Kachemak Bay, AK.
The principal objective of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Habitat Blueprint - Coastal and Marine Habitat Focus Area Grants solicitation is to identify and support comprehensive and cooperative habitat conservation project(s) in NOAA Habitat Focus Areas (HFAs) that sustain resilient and thriving marine and coastal resources, communities, and economies. Proposals submitted under this solicitation will be selected based on their ability to demonstrate success in achieving the NOAA Habitat BlueprintÂ’s primary objectives within three newly-selected HFAs - Biscayne Bay, FL; Puerto RicoÂ’s Northeast Reserves and Culebra Island, and Kachemak Bay, AK. These objectives vary from region to region, but they all effectively protect and/or restore high-priority habitat for managed fisheries, protected species, and other coastal and marine life; foster resilient coastal communities; advance habitat science; and lead to increased socio-economic benefits. HFA - specific objectives are identified in this federal funding opportunity, and successful proposals will achieve one or several objectives by: 1) addressing a habitat-based issue/concern contributing to the loss or deterioration of coastal resiliency or marine habitats for target managed or protected species (e.g. fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, corals); 2) identifying the projectÂ’s outcomes and goal(s) and describing in detail the actions and project(s) to be undertaken to achieve those goals; and 3) describing the measurable impact on the issue/concern, target species, or resource, including proposed evaluation techniques. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will primarily be funded through cooperative agreements. Two-year cooperative agreement awards will be considered, and additional releases of funds may be used to fund selected proposals through FY16 without further competition. Awards are dependent upon FY15-FY16 congressional appropriations. NOAA anticipates approximately $1.2 million may be available over the next two years to maintain selected awards, dependent upon the level of funding made available by Congress. NOAA will not accept proposals with a Federal request of less than $50,000 or more than $500,000 for a two year period. NOAA anticipates typical awards will range from $100,000 to $400,000 over two years. One or two year proposals will be accepted. Funds will be administered by the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation.
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