The kachemak BAY national estuarine research reserve (KBNERR) was designated in 1999 and is located in homer, alaska

The reserve is administered by the alaska center for conservation science, university of alaska anchorage (UAA), who is submitting this application for the FY24 federal budget for funds to support administration, operations, research and monitoring, education, coastal training, professional development, and community council activities from july 1, 2024 through december 31, 2025. UAA is requesting $867,113, which will be matched by a total of $371,620 from UAA. The breakdown of that match is as follows: $78,980 in UAA general funds will be paid to UAA staff to support KBNERR's administrative needs, $41,938 is provided by indirect costs on M/CS salaried wages, leave, and benefits at 53.1%. $269,207 will be contributed as unrecovered overhead. UAA's negotiated overhead rate is 53.1% but by accepting NOAA funds through a cesu agreement, we are contributing 35.6% in unrecovered overhead to meet the non-federal match. During the award period, the KBNERR will support the mission of the pacific northwest cooperative ecosystem studies unit (PNW cesu) by fully addressing each of their objectives, namely to: 1) provide research, technical assistance and education to federal land management, environmental and research agencies and their potential partners; 2) develop a program of research, technical assistance and education that involves the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences needed to address resource issues and interdisciplinary problem-solving at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context at the local, regional, and national level; and 3) place special emphasis on the working collaboration among federal agencies and universities and their related partner institutions. We will achieve these objectives by focusing on the implementation of the 2022-2027 KBNERR management plan. Focus will be on coordination with and active participation in integrated projects between KBNERR research, education, training, and administration sectors, and with our local, regional and statewide partners. This award funds system-wide monitoring program tasks and reporting; coastal decision-maker trainings, workshops and decision-maker tools based on KBNERR research and monitoring; grant writing for mission-related priority research; leadership in a teachers- on the-estuary professional development workshop; and participation in system-wide nerr workgroups, oversight committees, and related committee activities. IT has been the policy of the KBNERR to offer all programs and workshops free of charge and we will continue that policy throughout this funding cycle.