FY2016 Marine Debris Prevention through Education and Outreach Federal Funding Opportunity | NOAA NOS ORR 2016 2004627

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS ORR 2016 2004627

The FY2016 Marine Debris Prevention through Education and Outreach Federal Funding Opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NOAA NOS ORR 2016 2004627) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA's National Ocean Service, specifically the Office of Response and Restoration and its NOAA Marine Debris Program. The program is authorized under the Marine Debris Act (33 U.S.C. 1951-1958) and is designed to fund practical education and outreach work that stops marine debris before it enters waterways and the ocean. In other words, the core goal is prevention: helping people understand the marine debris problem and motivating real behavior changes that reduce litter and debris at the source.

Projects funded under this opportunity are expected to focus on a clearly defined marine debris issue and to use education and outreach to encourage measurable changes in how people act, dispose of waste, or manage materials that commonly become debris. The strongest proposals are those that do more than distribute information; they actively engage target audiences such as students, teachers, industries, and the general public in hands-on participation. The announcement explicitly points to activities like small-scale shoreline cleanups with students and other interactive experiences, reflecting NOAA's emphasis on learning that is tied to direct involvement and personal responsibility. The intent is to pair awareness-building with concrete actions and habits that reduce the likelihood of debris being introduced into the environment.

Funding is provided as cooperative agreements, meaning NOAA expects an ongoing level of federal involvement or partnership during the project period rather than a simple pass-through grant with minimal interaction. For FY2016, NOAA anticipated up to $750,000 total available for this competition, with an estimated 15 awards. Typical award sizes were expected to fall in the $30,000 to $75,000 range, and the listed award ceiling in the source data is $100,000. These amounts signal that NOAA is aiming for relatively targeted, community-scale or regionally focused education and outreach efforts that can be replicated or scaled, rather than large infrastructure builds.

Eligibility is broad and includes most major applicant types that might reasonably run education and outreach programs. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits both with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); and for-profit organizations, including small businesses. This wide eligibility suggests NOAA is looking to reach many kinds of communities and sectors, and is open to partnerships that may involve schools, local government, nonprofits, and private entities working together.

The scope of what NOAA wants is also defined by what it does not want. This solicitation is not meant to support large-scale debris removal projects, the deployment of catchment basins or similar hardware installations, or scientific research. Cleanups can be part of a project if they are small-scale and clearly tied to education, behavior change, and prevention messaging, but the overall project should not be framed primarily as debris removal. Likewise, while projects can use existing science and may include basic evaluation of outreach effectiveness, the competition is not intended to fund research studies as the main deliverable.

Administratively, the opportunity falls under CFDA number 11.999 and was posted with a creation date of September 22, 2015, with an original closing date of January 19, 2016. Overall, the grant is best understood as a prevention-focused NOAA funding stream that supports practical, audience-centered outreach and education projects that lead to lasting reductions in marine debris through changed behavior and direct community engagement.

• The Department of Commerce in the community development, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY2016 Marine Debris Prevention through Education and Outreach Federal Funding Opportunity" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.999.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2015-09-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-01-19. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for NOAA NOS ORR 2016 2004627

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: