Massachusetts Marine Animal Disentanglement Grant | NOAA NMFS GARFO 2017 2005175

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS GARFO 2017 2005175

The Massachusetts Marine Animal Disentanglement Grant (Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA NMFS GARFO 2017 2005175) was a discretionary federal funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Commerce through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), specifically the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO), Protected Resources Division (PRD). It was designed to support hands-on, on-the-water response work in Massachusetts focused on marine animal entanglement, aligning with NMFS's legal responsibilities under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In practical terms, the opportunity targeted projects that help protect and respond to entanglements involving large whales and sea turtles, as well as the broader protection needs of marine mammals and sea turtles that occur throughout the Greater Atlantic Region, which spans from Maine through Virginia.

The grant sits within a larger NMFS program that covers marine mammal health and stranding response, large whale disentanglement, and sea turtle stranding and disentanglement. A key feature of how NMFS operates in this area is its reliance on established networks of trained, authorized volunteer organizations that are permitted to respond to stranded marine mammals and sea turtles and to entangled large whales and sea turtles. This funding opportunity was essentially a way to resource and strengthen that authorized response capacity in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, supporting preparedness, coordination, and direct response actions that reduce harm to protected species and improve outcomes during entanglement incidents.

Funding was to be issued as a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that NOAA expected substantial involvement or collaboration during the life of the award, rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal agency engagement. The total support available per award could be up to $300,000 (award ceiling), and NOAA anticipated making about three awards. The opportunity was categorized under environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development, and it carried CFDA number 11.472, which is commonly associated with NOAA/NMFS protected species and related conservation work.

Eligibility was listed broadly as "Others," with the expectation that applicants would need to consult the opportunity's additional eligibility guidance for specifics. Given the nature of disentanglement response work and the emphasis on NMFS-authorized networks, the most relevant applicants were likely organizations already involved in, or capable of meeting requirements for, authorized marine animal disentanglement and stranding response activities in Massachusetts, including entities with demonstrated operational capacity, appropriate training, and the ability to coordinate with NMFS protocols and reporting expectations.

The opportunity opened on March 2, 2017, and originally closed on May 5, 2017. NOAA indicated that the document governing the competition laid out both submission instructions and the criteria NMFS would use to evaluate proposals and make funding recommendations for Fiscal Year 2017. Overall, the grant was aimed at strengthening Massachusetts-based marine animal entanglement response efforts in a way that supports federal protected species mandates, improves rapid response capability, and enhances coordination within NOAA's established response networks.

• 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 "Massachusetts Marine Animal Disentanglement Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.472.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 02, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 05, 2017. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS GARFO 2017 2005175

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