Funding Opportunities

With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking applications for approximately $6 million in grants to remove marine debris from coastal communities in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina impacted by Hurricanes Fiona, Ian, and Nicole, and Typhoon Merbok. The program will primarily fund marine debris assessment, removal, restoration, and disposal activities. Full proposals are due on Friday, July 26, 2024 11:59 PM EDT. More information on the Request for Proposals and upcoming applicant webinar can be found on the NFWF website.

With funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science is seeking applications for $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss. Projects may range from $50,000 to $200,000. 

Funding will be administered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science through the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program. Proposals are due on May 30, 2024 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). 

For more information on the application process, visit the Virginia Institute of Marine Science website. 

The NOAA Marine Debris Program will award up to $28 million across two funding opportunities and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for projects that remove marine debris to benefit marine and Great Lakes habitats and communities. Funding will be administered through two competitions:  

• Fiscal Year 2024 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law The letter of intent (LOI) deadline has passed for this competition and submissions are currently under review. Applicants can expect to receive notification following the LOI review process in mid-December.

Only LOI applicants who are invited to submit a full proposal may submit a full application. Full applications are due February 23, 2024, and applicants may refer to the FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Applicant Resources page for additional resources on  writing and submitting your application. 

• Fiscal Year 2024 NOAA Marine Debris Interception Technologies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law The letter of intent (LOI) deadline has passed for this competition and submissions are currently under review. Applicants can expect to receive notification following the LOI review process in mid-January.

Only LOI applicants who are invited to submit a full proposal may submit a full application. Full applications are due March 15, 2024, and applicants may refer to the FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Interception Technologies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Applicant Resources page for additional resources on writing and submitting your application.

For more information on these notices of funding opportunity visit the Removal and Interception Technologies opportunities on Grants.gov.

View examples of marine debris projects funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2022 and 2023.

Please visit the following links for applicant resources for each competition:

• FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Applicant Resources
• FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Interception Technologies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Applicant Resources

Through the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in partnership with the NOAA Marine Debris Program, this opportunity supports communities that are underserved, underrepresented, or overburdened and to promote initiatives that investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris across the coastal United States, Great Lakes, territories, and Freely Associated States. Projects include marine debris prevention, research, monitoring, detection, response, removal, and coordination activities.

This funding opportunity has closed.

With financial support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking applications for $3 million in grants to remove marine debris from coastal communities in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the western Florida Panhandle impacted by the 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons. The program will primarily fund marine debris assessment, removal, restoration, and disposal activities in coastal communities in the Gulf of Mexico. View removal projects funded in fiscal year 2022.

This funding opportunity has closed.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers funding that supports locally driven, community-based marine debris removal projects. These projects benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and wildlife including migratory fish. View removal projects funded in fiscal year 2022.

This funding opportunity has closed. No competition is anticipated for 2023 due to a reduction in funding. The next competition date has not been determined.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers funding that supports marine debris prevention projects that actively engage and educate a target audience in hands-on programs. These projects raise awareness, reduce barriers to marine debris prevention, and encourage and support changes in behaviors to ensure long-term prevention of marine debris. View prevention projects funded in fiscal year 2022.

This funding opportunity has closed. No competition is anticipated for 2023 due to a reduction in funding. The next competition date has not been determined.

Marine debris is a relatively new field of research, and there are many opportunities to advance understanding of how debris impacts the environment. The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers funding for original, hypothesis-driven research projects focused on the ecological risk assessment, exposure studies, and fate and transport of marine debris. View projects funded in fiscal year 2021.

No competition is anticipated for 2023 due to a reduction in funding. The next competition date has not been determined.