FEDERAL AGENCY:

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

AUTHORIZATION:

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1956, 16 U.S.C. 661; 16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.; 16 U.S.C. 3951 et seq.; Public Law 100-220, Title II, Section 2204, 33 U.S.C. 1901 et. seq.; Department of Commerce Appropriation Act of 1999; and Coral Reef Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 6401 et seq.

To provide grants and cooperative agreements for biological, economic, sociological, public policy, and other research, administration, and public education projects on the coastal environment to benefit U.S. fisheries, conserve protected resources, and add to the economic and social well being of the Nation. Projects are funded to carry out public policy pertaining to protection and restoration of the Nation's wetlands and other coastal habitats, pursuant to the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Endangered Species Act, Estuary Restoration Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act of 1987, Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Research Act (CWPPRA) and other legislation. Research and management includes determining the effects of habitat modifications and contaminants on populations of living marine resources, restoring depleted stocks that have been adversely impacted by habitat modifications, determining if artificial or restored habitat fulfills essential habitat needs of living marine resources, and quantifying contaminants and debris that pose a hazard to populations of these animals.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Eligible applicants for assistance include State and local governments, including their universities and colleges; U.S. territorial agencies; federally and State-recognized Indian Tribal governments; private universities and colleges; private profit and nonprofit research and conservation organizations, and/or individuals.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   This program benefits Federal, State, and interstate marine resource conservation and management agencies; U.S. and foreign commercial and recreational fishing industries; conservation organizations, academic institutions; international and Indian Tribal treaties; private and public research groups; consumers; and the general public.

Credentials/Documentation:   Applicants are required to satisfy all DOC/NOAA standards and regulations, including routine and special terms and conditions, for financial assistance programs application and conduct.

Pre-application Coordination:   This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   Submission of an application on Standard Form 424 (Rev 4-88), including all required certifications, to the appropriate National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Regional Director, Science and Research Director, or Office Director. This program is subject to the provisions of 15 CFR 24 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments), and OMB Circular No. A-110 (Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Nonprofit Organizations). NOAA reserves the right to withhold the awarding of a grant or cooperative agreement to any individual or organization delinquent on a debt to the Federal government until payment is made or satisfactory arrangements are made with the agency to whom the debt is owed.

Award Procedure:   Proposals are initially evaluated by the appropriate NMFS Office/Region/Science Center, or their component laboratories, and are subject to review for technical merit, soundness of design, competency of the applicant to perform the proposed work, potential contribution of the project to national or regional goals, and appropriateness and reasonableness of proposed costs. Projects approved for funding will be submitted to the NOAA Grants Management Division and the Department of Commerce's Office of Federal Assistance for review and approval.

Deadlines:   Project applications must be received by the receiving NMFS office at least 90 days before the requested start date of the project.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Approval time is expected to range from 90 to 120 days, which includes processing of the award through NMFS and NOAA.

Appeals:   None.

Renewals:   Grants and cooperative agreements are approved on an annual basis, but may be continued beyond the first segment, subject to approved time frame and scope of work, satisfactory progress, and availability of funds. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the sole discretion of the Department.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   This program has no statutory formula. Project costs are funded at up to 100 percent. Grantee matching contributions are not required, but are encouraged. Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection and Restoration Act requires a 15 percent match by the State of Louisiana at this time. Under the Community-based Restoration Program guidelines, projects are encouraged to demonstrate a minimum nonfederal match of 50 percent of the total cost needed to complete the proposed project.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Awards are normally for a 12 month period but in some instances, award periods may extend beyond 12 months, or may be completed in less than 12 months. Award funds must be spent in the indicated budget period and is expended in accordance with DOC/NOAA finance and reporting procedures. Funds are released to the recipient, on request, from NOAA Vendor Express, Financial Assistance Disbursement System, FADS.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Reports are due in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award. The Department's Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions may require that financial and performance reports be submitted semi-annually or on some other agreed upon schedule.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), recipients that are States, Local Governments, Nonprofit Organizations (to include Hospitals), and Institutions of Higher Learning shall be subject to the audit requirements contained in the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 (31 U.S.C. 7501-7507). Commercial organizations shall be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award document.

Records:   Generally, a recipient is required to retain records relating to a particular grant for three (3) years from the date of submission of the final financial report. In cases where litigation, claim or an audit is initiated prior to expiration of the three-year period, records must be retained until the action and resolution of any issues associated with it are complete or until the end of the three-year retention period; whichever is latest.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   13-1450-0-1-306.

Obligations:   (Grants and Cooperative Agreements) FY 01 $18,963,558; FY 02 est $22,300,000; and FY 03 est $24,900,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  
$14,400 to $8,057,000. Average: $764,000.

Headquarters - Headquarters - In fiscal year 2001, funding through cooperative agreements for wetland restoration projects with the CWPPRA program resulted in construction of funding of the Vegetative Plantings at Grand Terre, Chandeleur Island Restoration and the Black Bayou Hydrologic Restoration projects. Through its national and regional partnerships and direct solicitation, the Community-based Restoration Program funded 170 new locally-driven grass-roots projects to restore fish habitats.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-21 for institutions of higher education, with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments, and with OMB Circular No. A-122 for nonprofit organizations. Grants management will be in accordance with provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 110 for institutions of higher education and other nonprofit organizations of 15 CFR Part 24 for State and local governments.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   See Appendix IV.

Headquarters Office:   CWPPRA: Dr. Erik Zobrist; Community-based Restoration Program (CRP): Ms. Robin Bruckner, Program Manager. Office of Habitat Conservation, FHC3, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Telephone: (301) 713-0174. Fax: (301) 713-0184. Email: Erik.Zobrist@noaa.gov; Robin.Bruckner@noaa.gov.

Web Site Address:  
NOAA Restoration Center:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Headquarters: Wetland restoration projects in CWPPRA program are utilized for protecting and restoring eroding coastal marshes. The Community-based Restoration Program (CRP) provides funding to implement on-the-ground habitat restoration projects to benefit marine, estaurine and reparian habitats, including but not limited to salt marshes, seagrass beds, coral reefs, mangrove forests, and freshwater habitat important to anadromous fisheries, predominantly in coastal areas around the United States. F/HC also provides funding for coral reef conservation activities.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Proposals are selected from several sources: Unsolicited proposals; special solicitations in the Federal Register or Commerce Business Daily; or Congressionally mandated projects. Regardless of source, proposals must undergo rigorous technical review and comply with all OMB, DOC, and NOAA grants policies and procedures. Any financial assistance announcements must be made in the Federal Register; announcements in the Commerce Business Daily only is not sufficient.