Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006361

The FY2020 NOAA Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grants opportunity (NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006361) is a competitive, discretionary federal funding program from the U.S. Department of Commerce designed to push coral restoration beyond conventional approaches. Created in tribute to Dr. Ruth Gates, the program focuses on translating cutting-edge research into practical restoration outcomes that can meaningfully improve the long-term survival of coral reefs. The central idea is to fund science-driven innovation that helps restoration practitioners work with corals that are more resilient to changing ocean conditions, while also making restoration methods more efficient and scalable.

The program is run through NOAA, with funds administered by the Office of Habitat Conservation in coordination with the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP). Projects are expected to strengthen coral reef ecosystems by supporting the development and application of innovative techniques that result in resilient, genetically diverse, and reproductively viable coral populations. In practical terms, NOAA is looking for work that helps restoration efforts move toward corals and restoration strategies that can better withstand environmental stressors such as warming events, bleaching, disease pressures, and other climate- and water-quality-related impacts, while still maintaining genetic diversity and the ability of restored populations to reproduce and persist over time.

Funded projects fall into two major focus areas. First, NOAA is supporting research and development of interventions that improve coral resilience to environmental stressors. This can include developing, testing, and validating new approaches that help corals tolerate stress or recover more effectively, with the expectation that the results will be applicable to real-world restoration. Second, the program supports research, development, and field-testing of novel techniques to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of coral population enhancement. That includes improvements to both asexual and sexual coral restoration workflows, as well as creative methods that make outplanting faster, more reliable, less costly, or more likely to succeed at meaningful scales.

Awards under this solicitation are made as cooperative agreements, which generally implies substantial involvement by NOAA during the project period (for example, coordination, shared technical direction, or collaboration tied to program goals). NOAA will consider projects lasting one year or multiple years, with a maximum period of up to three years. Applicants proposing multi-year work are expected to provide detailed projected budgets for year two and/or year three in the initial FY20 application. Continued funding beyond the first year is not automatic; it depends on future federal appropriations and whether the project meets progress expectations and milestones.

In terms of funding levels, NOAA anticipates typical federal support in the range of $100,000 to $250,000 per year, with total project funding commonly falling between $100,000 and $750,000 across one to three years. NOAA set clear bounds on request sizes: it will not accept proposals requesting less than $100,000 in federal funds, and it will not accept proposals requesting more than $1,000,000 total over three years. For FY20 specifically, NOAA anticipated about $500,000 available under the announcement, with an estimated four awards (the listing notes an award ceiling of $250,000). NOAA also indicated that an additional $500,000 to $1,500,000 might become available in FY21 and FY22 to continue supporting selected multi-year awards, but those later-year amounts depend on what Congress appropriates in those budget cycles.

The opportunity is also shaped by portfolio balance requirements under the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. NOAA noted that funding may be allocated across U.S. Pacific and Atlantic regions in a way that helps maintain overall geographic balance in the CRCP FY20 funding portfolio. This means strong proposals are expected to fit not only the technical and scientific goals of the program, but also the broader NOAA strategy for coral reef conservation across regions.

Key administrative details included that the opportunity uses CFDA number 11.482, falls under environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development activity categories, and was posted with a creation date of January 16, 2020, with an original closing date of March 20, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with further clarification referenced in the full announcement text. Overall, this grant program targets applicants who can bring forward credible innovation and demonstrable pathways from research to on-the-ground restoration impact, with an emphasis on resilience, genetic diversity, reproductive viability, and practical efficiency in scaling coral restoration.

  • 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 "FY2020 NOAA Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grants" 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 Jan 16, 2020.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2020. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: FY2020 NOAA Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grants (NOAA NMFS HCPO 2020 2006361)

What is the FY2020 NOAA Ruth Gates Coral Restoration Innovation Grants opportunity?

It is a competitive, discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA) intended to push coral restoration beyond conventional approaches by supporting science-driven innovation with real-world restoration outcomes.

Why is this program named after Dr. Ruth Gates?

The program was created in tribute to Dr. Ruth Gates and emphasizes translating cutting-edge coral research into practical tools and methods that improve the long-term survival of coral reefs.

What is the main goal of the program?

The central goal is to fund innovation that helps restoration practitioners work with corals and methods that are more resilient to changing ocean conditions, while improving the efficiency and scalability of restoration.

Which NOAA offices are involved in running and administering the program?

The program is run through NOAA, with funds administered by NOAA's Office of Habitat Conservation in coordination with the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP).

What types of outcomes are funded projects expected to support?

Projects are expected to strengthen coral reef ecosystems by developing and applying innovative techniques that result in coral populations that are resilient, genetically diverse, and reproductively viable.

What environmental stressors does NOAA want projects to address?

NOAA is looking for approaches that help corals better withstand or recover from stressors such as warming events, bleaching, disease pressures, and other climate- and water-quality-related impacts.

What are the two major focus areas supported by this solicitation?

Funded projects fall into two major focus areas: (1) research and development of interventions that improve coral resilience to environmental stressors, and (2) research, development, and field-testing of novel techniques that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of coral population enhancement.

What does "interventions that improve coral resilience" include?

This includes developing, testing, and validating new approaches that help corals tolerate stress or recover more effectively, with an expectation that results will be applicable to real-world restoration.

What does "coral population enhancement" mean in this program?

In this context, it refers to improving methods used to increase or rebuild coral populations, including enhancements to asexual and sexual restoration workflows and new techniques that make outplanting faster, more reliable, less costly, or more successful at meaningful scales.

Are both asexual and sexual coral restoration approaches within scope?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes improvements to both asexual and sexual coral restoration workflows.

What kind of award instrument does NOAA plan to use?

Awards are made as cooperative agreements.

What does it mean that awards are "cooperative agreements"?

The solicitation indicates cooperative agreements generally involve substantial NOAA involvement during the project period, such as coordination, shared technical direction, or collaboration tied to program goals.

How long can a project last under this opportunity?

NOAA will consider projects lasting one year or multiple years, with a maximum project period of up to three years.

If proposing a multi-year project, what budgeting details are expected in the initial application?

Applicants proposing multi-year work are expected to provide detailed projected budgets for year two and/or year three in the initial FY20 application.

Is funding beyond the first year guaranteed for multi-year projects?

No. Continued funding beyond the first year is not automatic and depends on future federal appropriations and whether the project meets progress expectations and milestones.

What is the typical annual federal funding range for awards?

NOAA anticipated typical federal support in the range of $100,000 to $250,000 per year.

What is the typical total funding range for a project over its full period?

Total project funding commonly falls between $100,000 and $750,000 across one to three years.

Is there a minimum amount of federal funding that can be requested?

Yes. NOAA will not accept proposals requesting less than $100,000 in federal funds.

Is there a maximum amount of federal funding that can be requested?

Yes. NOAA will not accept proposals requesting more than $1,000,000 total over three years.

How much funding was anticipated to be available for FY2020?

For FY20, NOAA anticipated about $500,000 available under the announcement.

How many awards did NOAA estimate for FY2020?

The opportunity estimated approximately four awards.

What award ceiling is referenced in the listing?

The listing notes an award ceiling of $250,000.

Did NOAA indicate any potential additional funding in later years?

Yes. NOAA indicated that an additional $500,000 to $1,500,000 might become available in FY21 and FY22 to continue supporting selected multi-year awards, subject to Congressional appropriations.

How might geographic distribution influence funding decisions?

Funding may be allocated across U.S. Pacific and Atlantic regions to help maintain overall geographic balance in the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program FY20 funding portfolio, consistent with the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000.

What does "portfolio balance" mean in this opportunity?

It means NOAA may consider how selected projects fit into an overall geographic balance across regions (such as U.S. Pacific and Atlantic) when making funding decisions, in addition to technical and scientific merit.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity uses CFDA number 11.482.

What activity categories does this opportunity fall under?

It falls under environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development activity categories.

When was the opportunity posted and what was the original closing date?

The listing shows a creation date of January 16, 2020, with an original closing date of March 20, 2020.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with further clarification referenced in the full announcement text.

What kinds of applicants does NOAA appear to be targeting?

Based on the description, the program targets applicants who can propose credible innovation and show a demonstrable pathway from research to on-the-ground restoration impact, emphasizing resilience, genetic diversity, reproductive viability, and practical efficiency at scale.

What does NOAA mean by "translating cutting-edge research into practical restoration outcomes"?

It means NOAA is looking for projects where research and development efforts are closely tied to real restoration use, producing approaches that practitioners can apply to improve coral survival and restoration performance in the field.

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