FY 2024 NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program - Ruth D. Gates Grant Program: Supporting Hawaii’s Sustainable Coral Reef Fisheries Management Plans | NOAA NOS OCM 2024 2008301

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2024 2008301

The FY 2024 NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program Ruth D. Gates Grant Program opportunity is a competitive federal funding call designed to help Hawai i move from broad conservation goals to practical, island specific fisheries management actions. The central objective is to support the creation of Sustainable Coral Reef Fisheries Management Plans (CR-FMPs) across the Hawaiian Islands, aligning local priorities with statewide and national coral reef and fisheries management goals. The work is tied directly to the State of Hawai i Holomua Initiative, with the State leading the overall process and local, island based Navigator Teams driving community grounded planning. The funded partner is expected to strengthen this effort by providing technical capacity, especially around plan development, analysis, and decision support, so that each island can identify clear, measurable pathways to sustainable coral reef fisheries.

A key feature of this opportunity is that it is built around close coordination with two primary governmental partners: the State of Hawai i Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and NOAA s Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO). Rather than operating as a standalone project, the awardee would function as a technical support partner embedded in an ongoing management planning process. The grant is intended to help convert existing knowledge, data, and local direction into usable management plan products, including written content suitable for adoption and implementation discussions. The emphasis is on producing CR-FMPs that specify concrete management actions aimed at locally defined sustainable fishing targets, reflecting ecological conditions and community needs on each island.

The funding is targeted to specific islands and deliverables. The notice highlights technical writing support as an explicit need for CR-FMPs for Lana i, Hawai i Island, Kauai, and O ahu, and notes that this work must be done in coordination with DAR. In addition to writing and plan assembly, funds may also support data integration across islands, which can include compiling and reconciling datasets, synthesizing monitoring results, or organizing information in ways that are directly usable by planning teams. The opportunity also allows for the development of decision support tools that help island based Navigator Teams evaluate options and make science based decisions about sustainable fishing targets in their place. In practice, this could mean tools, frameworks, or structured processes that combine ecological indicators, fishery information, and community priorities to support transparent management choices.

From an administrative standpoint, NOAA is offering this as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning NOAA expects to have substantial involvement during the award period through coordination, technical engagement, and alignment with program priorities. The project period can be up to 36 months (3 years). Funding requests are capped at $200,000 in federal funds per fiscal year, with a maximum total request of $600,000 over the full project period. NOAA anticipates making one award, so applicants are effectively competing for a single project slot that will provide statewide support across multiple island planning processes.

The opportunity is geared toward applicants that are already meaningfully rooted in Hawai i. NOAA signals that strong candidates should have a physical presence in the state and long term partnerships there, along with demonstrated experience working across diverse partnerships and with Native Hawaiian organizations. This reflects the on the ground, relationship driven nature of fisheries planning in Hawai i, where durable outcomes depend on trust, local legitimacy, and the ability to work effectively with community leaders, cultural practitioners, scientists, and management agencies.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories) as well as private institutions of higher education and public or state controlled institutions of higher education. Federal agencies and federal employees cannot receive funds under this announcement, though they may participate as collaborative partners. If federal partners are involved, the application is expected to clearly describe what they will do, such as serving on review bodies, participating in working groups, or contributing expertise in a defined way. Importantly, in kind services from federal agencies cannot be counted as match for any cost sharing expectations.

NOAA also sets clear boundaries around the role of NOAA staff in proposal development. NOAA employees are not permitted to help write or prepare applications. NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program staff can provide general guidance about program goals, current conservation activities, and regional priorities. If a proposal involves collaboration with NOAA staff or projects, NOAA personnel may provide only a limited verification statement describing the nature and extent of the collaboration and confirming prior coordination. Traditional letters of support from NOAA employees are explicitly not allowed and will not be considered by merit reviewers, which is meant to keep the competition fair and prevent undue influence.

Finally, the notice underscores NOAA and Department of Commerce priorities around broad participation and inclusion. The program encourages proposals that reflect cultural and gender diversity and welcomes participation by women and minority individuals and groups. It also emphasizes a commitment to broadening participation by historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, tribal colleges and universities, and institutions working in historically underserved areas. While the work is Hawai i focused, these statements signal that NOAA values equitable partnerships, inclusive planning processes, and capacity building that benefits communities historically left out of resource management decision making.

Key source details include: Funding Opportunity Number NOAA NOS OCM 2024 2008301; CFDA 11.482; agency Department of Commerce (NOAA); instrument type cooperative agreement; expected awards 1; award ceiling $600,000; original closing date March 1, 2024; and creation date December 20, 2023.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2024 NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program - Ruth D. Gates Grant Program: Supporting Hawaii’s Sustainable Coral Reef Fisheries Management Plans" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.482.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-20.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-01. (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 $600,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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