Foa_Content_of_NOAA-NMFS-PRPO-2025-27629.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

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Table of Contents

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Executive Summary Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information V. Application Review Information VI. Award Administration Information VII. Agency Contacts VIII. Other Information

Executive Summary Federal Agency Name Fisheries Protected Resources Program Office (PRPO) Funding Opportunity Title John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Announcement Type Competitive Funding Opportunity Number

NOAA-NMFS-PRPO-2025-27629

Assistance Listing Number(s) 11.439 Dates

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**Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 30, 2024. U.S. Postal mail and commercial delivery must be documented with a receipt.**

**For technical assistance contact Grants.gov support (support@grants.gov) 24 hours a day 7 days a week excluding federal holidays. 1-800-518-4726 (U.S); 1-606-545-5035 (International).**

**All applicants must submit a Prescott Letter of Eligibility from their Regional Stranding Coordinator, or the Prescott Grant Program Manager (arthur.wong@noaa.gov). See “Eligibility” section for more details.****Please read this announcement in its entirety, since this Notice has been reformatted and the application requirements have changed from the previous year. Support materials are available on the Prescott Grant Program website in the “For Applicants” section**

NOTE: Please see theNOAA Grant Application Process website for eRA Commons related registration and submission information. We strongly encourage all prospective applicants to begin required registrations as early as possible. Completing the required registrations can take six weeks or longer. Submission due dates will not be extended because of registration delays. Submissions received after the due date will be considered late and will not be accepted.

Applicant organizations and individuals must register for three different Federal systems prior to submitting an application through Grants.gov (SAM.gov, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov).

Applicant organizations and individuals must first register with SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). After you obtain your UEI, you can complete your Grants.gov and eRA Commons registrations concurrently.

See Section IV(G) for detailed instructions on registration requirements. If you do not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in this NOFO for submission instructions.

Funding Opportunity Description NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) is mandated under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to facilitate collecting and disseminating reference data on stranded marine mammals (cetaceans and pinnipeds, excluding walrus) and the health trends of marine mammal populations in the wild. The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program is administered by NMFS to provide federal assistance to eligible members of the U.S. National Marine Mammal Stranding Network, theU.S. National Entanglement Response Network, and their collaborators to provide for: (A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals; (B) responses to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; (C) the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health; (D) facility operating costs that are directly related to activities described in (A), (B), or (C); and (E) development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse. This document describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2025 and how NMFS will determine which proposals are selected for funding.

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Program Objective mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact-directory/marine-mammal-stranding-network-coordinators https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact-directory/marine-mammal-stranding-network-coordinators https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/arthur-wong-phd mailto:arthur.wong@noaa.gov https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-financial-services/grant-application-process https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/marine-mammal-health-and-stranding-response-program https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/marine-mammal-health-and-stranding-response-program https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/john-h-prescott-marine-mammal-rescue-assistance-grant-program https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/john-h-prescott-marine-mammal-rescue-assistance-grant-program https://U.S.%20National%20Marine%20Mammal%20Stranding%20Network https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-entanglement-response-networks https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-entanglement-response-networks

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The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program, hereafter referred to as the Prescott Grant Program, was established under the Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act of 2000 (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1), an amendment to the MMPA. The Prescott Grant Program was amended by the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, P. L. 117-263, Div. J, Title CIV. This law includes additional requirements for data collection from stranded animals, as well as the creation by NMFS of a centralized database (HealthMAP) to store the additional data and visualize it for the public. This database is currently in development with the help of theU.S. National Marine Mammal Stranding Network participants and collaborators.

The Prescott Grant Program is administered by the NOAA NMFS’ MMHSRP, and provides federal assistance to eligible U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Network participants and collaborators, primarily for projects involving marine mammal strandings. The Prescott Grant Program also provides federal assistance to eligible U.S. National Marine Mammal Entanglement Response Network participants to respond to entangled marine mammals.

In general, the Prescott Grant Program supports: (A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals; (B) responses to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; (C) the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health; (D) facility operating costs that are directly related to activities described in (A), (B), or (C); and (E) development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse.

A stranded marine mammal is defined as a marine mammal in the wild that is:

• Dead and on a beach, shore, or in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States.

• Alive and on a beach or shore of the United States and unable to return to the water, or able to return to the water, but in apparent need of medical attention.

• Alive in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States but is unable to return to its natural habitat under its own power or without assistance.

Entanglements can be external or internal, or both depending on the entanglement configuration.

• An external entanglement is where foreign material (e.g., hooks, line, net, debris, etc.) becomes wrapped around, hooked into, or involves the outside of the body of the animal.

• An internal entanglement is where an animal ingests fishing gear including hooks, line, or other marine debris, which could become embedded in the mouth or throat.

The MMHSRP, through close coordination with Regional Stranding and Entanglement Response Networks, has the following goals, which are listed here in no particular order:

1) Improve the rescue, care, and treatment of stranded or entangled marine mammals.

2) Reduce the health risk to animals, humans, and the ocean environment during the response to, and rehabilitation and release of, stranded or entangled marine mammals.

3) Collect life history, biological, and biomedical data from living and dead stranded or entangled marine mammals.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/grant/john-h-prescott-marine-mammal-rescue-assistance-grant-program https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-stranding-response-network https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-stranding-response-network https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-entanglement-response-networks https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/national-marine-mammal-entanglement-response-networks

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4) Develop baseline reference data on the health of wild marine mammal populations, normal stranding, and entanglement rates, and causes of morbidity and mortality.

5) Improve the rapid detection of and response to morbidity and mortality events.

6) Collect samples for archival and retrospective studies on causes of mortality or illness, including material samples such as entangled or ingested gear, and biological samples, for archival placement in the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank and other properly curated, professionally accredited facilities.

7) Refine and/or utilize comprehensive and consistent guidance for the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded or entangled marine mammals, collection of specimens, quality assurance, analysis of tissue samples.

8) Broaden participation of historically underrepresented groups (including, but not limited to, age, race, national, cultural, and socio-economic background, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and physical ability) in marine mammal conservation and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by actively encouraging, promoting, and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the marine mammal health and stranding and entanglement response community.

The Regional Stranding and Entanglement Response Networks are managed according to the following five regions:

• Alaska Region

• Greater Atlantic Region

• Pacific Islands Region

• Southeast Region

• West Coast Region

A national map showing each region's territory, and network members is provided on the Report a Stranded or Injured Marine Animal website.

B. Program Priorities These program priorities pertain only to cetaceans and pinnipeds (excluding walrus), the marine mammal species under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce (DOC).

When suitable, collaborative multi-organization, multi-regional or cross-regional proposals that amplify the benefits to the networks are encouraged. All proposals must meet or exceed NMFS MMHSRP Best Practices on proposed subject matters. International travel to conferences, workshops, and meetings is not eligible to be funded under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

There are six program priorities for this grant competition:

• Priority #1. Stranding Operations & Data Collection/Analysis https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/national-marine-mammal-tissue-bank https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/marine-life-distress/alaska-marine-mammal-stranding-network https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/marine-life-distress/greater-atlantic-marine-mammal-stranding-network https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/marine-life-distress/pacific-islands-marine-mammal-response https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/consultations/marine-mammal-and-sea-turtle-stranding-response-coordination https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/marine-mammal-protection/west-coast-marine-mammal-stranding-network https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/report https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-protection-act-policies-guidance-and-regulations

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• Priority #2. Entanglement Response & Reduction

• Priority #3. Conferences, Workshops, & Specialized Trainings

• Priority #4. Outreach & Education

• Priority #5. Diagnostic Labs & Other National or Multi-Regional Services

• Priority #6. Research & Development

The following are descriptions for each priority with their respective National and Regional Goals:

Priority #1. Stranding Operations & Data Collection/Analysis Support basic and enhancement needs of organizations for the response, treatment, rehabilitation, data collection, and data analysis/synthesis from living and dead stranded or entangled marine mammals. Proposals should enhance the quality, consistency, quantity, reporting, and sharing of data collected from stranded and entangled marine mammals. See Level A Data Collection for Marine Mammal Stranding Events and Examiners Guide for more information about data. This is a high priority for NOAA Fisheries' Endangered Species in the Spotlight, including:

• Cook Inlet beluga whales, Alaska Region

• Southern Resident killer whales, West Coast Region

• North Atlantic right whales, Greater Atlantic and Southeast Regions

• Rice’s whales, Southeast Region

As well as other endangered marine mammal species, and those species involved in ongoing Unusual Mortality Event (UME) and post-UME monitoring and analyses.

Projects involving non-Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed or non-MMPA depleted species should provide data/information for conservation management needs such as establishing or maintaining baseline information; or identifying human interactions, fisheries interactions, habitat threats, or other threats to co-occurring species.

Below are tables with nine Priority #1 National Goals from “A” to “I” (in no particular order).

There may be additional specific goals within some regions (AKR = Alaska Region; PIR = Pacific Islands Region; WCR = West Coast Region; GAR = Greater Atlantic Region; SER = Southeast Region), which are under the broad National Priority and Goal. You may apply for either the National Goal and/or your region’s goal.

Priority #1A: Capacity & Infrastructure

NATIONAL Build capacity and infrastructure for stranding response for both live and dead stranded marine mammals.

AKR

Build capacity or maintain stranding response coverage for Level A data collection, sample collection and necropsy. Improve live animal response, transportation and rehabilitation.

PIR Develop and enhance live and dead stranded cetacean response in Guam, American Samoa, and/or the Commonwealth of the Marianas Islands.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/level-data-collection-marine-mammal-stranding-events https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/dam-migration/examiners_guide_2023.pdf https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/endangered-species-conservation/species-in-the-spotlight https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/endangered-species-conservation/species-in-the-spotlight

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WCR Increase coverage for dead pinniped response and Level A data collection in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Luis Obispo Counties.

GAR Increase coverage for live and dead large whale response and Level A data collection from Rockport to North Weymouth, Massachusetts.

SER

Increase coverage for live and dead strandings and Level A data collection, especially in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, South Carolina, southwest Texas, areas where there are episodic stranding, entanglement or mortality events, and areas where stranding/human interaction data are utilized by a Take Reduction Team.

Priority #1B: Necropsies & Diagnostics

NATIONAL Increase the ability to conduct necropsies and improve detection of illness or injury.

PIR Covered under National Goal.

AKR Collaborative proposal to develop necropsy team leaders for increased large whale necropsy capacity, and the ability to identify signs of human interaction.

WCR Develop a plan to enhance large whale response and necropsies, provide funds for carcass disposal costs, and network travel in your geographic response area.

GAR Collaborative proposal to develop necropsy team leaders for increased large whale necropsy capacity, and the ability to identify signs of human interaction.

SER

Enhance capabilities to rapidly perform thorough necropsies on dead-stranded marine mammals in good condition before carcass degradation - particularly during large whale stranding events, mass strandings, human interaction events (e.g., potential gunshot or entangled animals), and episodic stranding, entanglement or mortality events.

Enhance capabilities to perform diagnostic tests on dead-stranded marine mammals. This may include analyzing previously collected tissue samples that are currently archived.

Priority #1C: Disease Surveillance

NATIONAL Conduct surveillance of emerging diseases (e.g., avian influenza, morbillivirus, brucella, protozoa, etc.).

PIR

WCR

GAR

SER

Covered under National Goal.

AKR

Support collection, shipment, and analysis of samples from live and dead stranded marine mammals for emerging concerns including harmful algal bloom toxins and disease agents.

Priority #1D: Capacity & Coordination

NATIONAL Improve capacity and coordination (e.g., with local, Tribal, and state government organizations) to more effectively respond to stranding events.

AKR Covered under National Goal.

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PIR Increase participation of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities in cetacean and Hawaiian monk seal response in the Pacific Islands region.

WCR

Develop plans with federal agencies, local/state agencies, Tribal governments, and the local community to support large whale necropsies by: providing landing/necropsy sites; securing towing/transporting services; obtaining heavy equipment for carcass handling and disposal.

GAR Developing cooperative plans with federal agencies, local/state agencies, Tribal governments to identify carcass landing/necropsy sites.

SER

Enhance logistical support for response to mass strandings and large whales, by:

developing cooperative plans with federal agencies, local/state agencies, Tribal governments to identify carcass landing/necropsy sites; or providing support for the stranding network by identifying, securing and/or reimbursing network costs for towing/transport, heavy equipment, and disposal services.

Priority #1E: Event Response

NATIONAL Improve ability to respond to events such as: mass strandings, oil spills, natural disasters, out-of-habitat situations.

AKR

PIR

WCR

Covered under National Goal.

GAR

Increase capacity and improve techniques for out-of-habitat small cetacean responses, including purchase of response supplies, tags or other supplies for post-release monitoring (such as satellite or radio tags), or collaboration with network partners to ensure response readiness.

SER

Enhance capabilities to monitor cetaceans reported in freshwater and rapidly perform thorough necropsies on dead-stranded animals with reported freshwater exposure.

Priority #1F: Preparedness

NATIONAL

Improve stranding response preparedness, which may include: developing regional equipment caches, increasing or enhancing response gear, medical supplies, and planning to improve veterinary participation (e.g., health assessment, supportive care, and euthanasia).

AKR Covered under National goal.

PIR

Increase access to field diagnostic equipment and instruments (e.g., mobile x-ray) for more rapid medical assessments for live or dead stranded cetaceans and pinnipeds in the field.

WCR

Expand capacity for humane euthanasia of stranded large whales.

Develop methods for assisting apparently healthy, stranded large whales back into the ocean, and tagging them onshore for post-release monitoring.

Prepare for live and dead Southern Resident Killer Whale stranding response.

This would include maintaining a ready to mobilize trailer with live and dead stranding response supplies, purchasing new poles for a killer whale stretcher, securing a large pool that can be quickly assembled for temporary care of a juvenile Southern Resident Killer Whale, along with a transport box (which may

NOAA NOFO Page 8 of 41 require additional fundraising) for short-term care. Resources will ideally be staged in Washington state.

GAR

Support for additional network members to obtain the skills necessary to provide low residue large whale euthanasia by shadowing experienced responders or veterinarians; obtain or refresh the supplies necessary to complete low residue euthanasia.

SER

Collaborative proposals to enhance response and partnerships among stranding networks for mass strandings are encouraged.

Enhance capabilities to rapidly and effectively respond to mass strandings. This may include equipment caches, herding capabilities, triage, euthanasia, thorough necropsy, carcass disposal, and resources for potential release (immediate release or post rehabilitation).

Improve live large whale stranding response.

Enhance capabilities to triage live stranded marine mammals, including performing thorough diagnostics, such as hematology, histopathology and cytology, and/or by providing euthanasia/euthanasia drugs.

Establish capabilities to perform diagnostics on live or dead-stranded marine mammals.

Establish permanent and/or mobile necropsy facilities.

Priority #1G: Rehabilitation Facilities

NATIONAL Developing, upgrading or modifying temporary and permanent rehabilitation facilities to meet or exceed the NMFS Standards for Rehabilitation Facilities.

AKR

PIR

WCR

GAR

SER

All regions covered under National Goal.

Priority #1H: Rehabilitation and post-release monitoring

NATIONAL Provide rehabilitation care for live-stranded animals, and conduct monitoring post-release.

AKR

WCR

SER

Covered under National Goal.

PIR Improve access to rehabilitation care of live-stranded cetaceans.

GAR

Provide pinniped rehabilitation for human interaction cases.

Evaluate success of short term holding and treatments of pinnipeds (including ice seals) or small cetaceans, including supplies for post release monitoring, and analysis of treatments provided, to optimize success where long term rehabilitation is limited.

Priority #1I: Data entry and analysis https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/48555

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Priority #2. Entanglement Response & Reduction Enhance entanglement response, training, tagging, and post-release monitoring. Proposals may also work to better understand and address underlying causes of entanglement to reduce injury and mortality due to fishery gear and marine debris interactions.

Below are tables with three Priority #2 National Goals from “A” to “C” ( in no particular order). There may be additional specific goals within some regions (AKR = Alaska Region;

PIR = Pacific Islands Region; WCR = West Coast Region; GAR = Greater Atlantic Region;

SER = Southeast Region), which are under the broad National Priority and Goal. You may apply for either the National Goal and/or your region’s goal.

NATIONAL

Entering stranding data into regional and national databases (e.g., National Stranding Database or HealthMAP, once operational) and/or conducting data analysis.

AKR

PIR Covered under National Goal.

WCR

Contribute to the new database that stores standardized data for tagging and marking resight data of rehabilitated pinnipeds throughout the West Coast Region. We encourage all West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network participants to provide data to NOAA for the West Coast Region Tag Database and to the Flipper Tags Database overseen by the California Wildlife Center to support this effort.

GAR

Review long term data trends of pinniped rehabilitation cases and synthesize data through analysis such as identifying best practices or admission criteria, to optimize success given limited resources.

SER Enhance capabilities to synthesize and publish existing stranding data, especially health, cause of illness, and cause of death data.

Priority #2A: Large Whale Entanglement Response

NATIONAL

Large whales (Large Whale Entanglement Response Best Practices). Enhance regional and trans-regional logistical support, data collection, and analyses for response to living and dead large whale stranding or entanglement events, which may include:

Responding to confirmed large whale entanglement reports as requested by the NOAA Regional or National Entanglement Coordinator. This may include vessel and fuel costs, salary for higher level responders, monitoring and survey costs in areas of high whale density, and purchase of response tools and safety gear.

Developing and testing novel tools for more efficient responses to entanglements.

PIR

SER Covered under National Goal.

AKR

In collaboration with NMFS, maintain and enhance large whale entanglement response, documentation, tagging, and post-release monitoring in Alaska by authorized entanglement responders. This may also include vessel and fuel costs, salary for Level 3 or 4 responders; and preparing for entanglement response by purchasing equipment, providing large whale entanglement response training, enhancing communication and outreach, or otherwise building capacity for safe large whale entanglement response.

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WCR

Respond to confirmed large whale entanglement reports as requested by the NOAA Entanglement Coordinator. This application may include vessel and fuel costs, salary for Level 3 or 4 responders, monitoring and survey costs in areas of high whale density, and purchase of response tools and safety gear.

GAR

Develop regional identification guide for common sources of entanglement, similar to Guide for Identifying Gear from Marine Mammal Entanglements in the U.S. West Coast and Alaska. Collaboration with partners in SER is encouraged for consistency.

Priority #2B: Small Cetacean Entanglement Response

NATIONAL

Small cetaceans (Small Cetacean Entanglement Response Best Practices).

Enhance regional and trans-regional logistical support, data collection, and analyses for response to live small cetacean entanglement events, which may include:

Developing and testing novel tools for more efficient responses to entanglements, such as the development and caching of remote entanglement response tools.

Developing remote sedation tools and techniques for small cetaceans.

Supporting costs of entanglement responses (including telemetry, tool purchases, etc.) as appropriate .

AKR

PIR

WCR

Covered under National Goal.

GAR

Develop regional identification guide for common sources of entanglement, similar to Guide for Identifying Gear from Marine Mammal Entanglements in the U.S. West Coast and Alaska. Collaboration with partners in SER is encouraged for consistency.

SER

Provide support for disentanglement of free-swimming small cetaceans. This may include development of tools and methods for boat-based disentanglement, monitoring and capture resources, and capture technique training.

Priority #2C: Pinniped Entanglement Response

NATIONAL

Pinnipeds (Pinniped Entanglement Response Best Practices). Enhance regional and trans-regional logistical support, data collection, and analyses for response to live pinniped entanglement events by:

Improvement in remote sedation tools and capture and handling techniques.

Enhance regional and trans-regional logistical support, data collection, and analyses for response to live pinniped entanglement events, particularly in:

Alaska; Greater Atlantic; and West Coast regions.

Enhance reporting and documentation of live entangled pinnipeds throughout your geographic response area using consistent and comparable methods with other regions.

PIR

SER Covered under National Goal.

AKR

Provide support for disentanglement and post-release monitoring of free-swimming pinnipeds. This may include capture resources and tools and methods for land and boat-based disentanglement, or preparing for entanglement https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/guide-identifying-gear-marine-mammal-entanglements-us-west-coast-and-alaska https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/guide-identifying-gear-marine-mammal-entanglements-us-west-coast-and-alaska https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/guide-identifying-gear-marine-mammal-entanglements-us-west-coast-and-alaska https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/guide-identifying-gear-marine-mammal-entanglements-us-west-coast-and-alaska

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Priority #3. Conferences, Workshops, & Specialized Trainings Improve Stranding and Entanglement Response Networks by hosting conferences, workshops, and specialized trainings.

Below are tables with three Priority #3 National Goals from “A” to “C” ( in no particular order). There may be additional specific goals within some regions (AKR = Alaska Region;

PIR = Pacific Islands Region; WCR = West Coast Region; GAR = Greater Atlantic Region;

SER = Southeast Region), which are under the broad National Priority and Goal. You may apply for either the National Goal and/or your region’s goal.

response by purchasing equipment, providing first responder training, enhancing communication, or otherwise building capacity for pinniped entanglement response.

WCR

Enhance reporting and documentation of live entangled pinnipeds throughout your geographic response area. Data collected must be provided to NOAA as requested.

GAR

Enhance reporting, documentation, and response to live entangled pinnipeds, which may include training or shadowing opportunities, or purchasing gear caches.

Develop regional identification guide for common sources of entanglement, similar to Guide for Identifying Gear from Marine Mammal Entanglements in the U.S. West Coast and Alaska. Collaboration with partners in SER is encouraged for consistency.

Priority #3A: General Multi-Organizational Meetings

NATIONAL Regional Stranding and Entanglement Response Network Conferences or additional appropriate domestic meetings or conferences.

AKR

PIR

SER

Covered under National Goal.

WCR

Organize and host a West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network regional meeting in 2026 in coordination with NOAA Fisheries Regional Stranding Coordinators.

GAR Organize and host an in-person GAR regional meeting (GARSCon) in 2025 or 2026 in coordination with NOAA Fisheries Regional Stranding Coordinators.

Priority #3B: Collaborative Response Preparedness

NATIONAL

Improving preparedness for collaborative response events including large whale necropsies, oil spill response, mass strandings, and natural disasters involving marine mammals.

PIR

WCR

GAR

SER

Covered under National Goal.

AKR

In coordination with NOAA Fisheries Regional Stranding Coordinator, organize and host large whales necropsy training including documenting human interactions (e.g., vessel strike) particularly when time and resources are limited (e.g., window protocol). Training should include webinar(s) to reach as many https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/guide-identifying-gear-marine-mammal-entanglements-us-west-coast-and-alaska https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/guide-identifying-gear-marine-mammal-entanglements-us-west-coast-and-alaska

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Priority #4. Outreach & Education Support directed outreach and education to raise awareness for stranding and entanglement response, promote near real-time reporting, engage local communities to build stronger partnerships, and manage public expectations about marine mammal stranding and entanglement response. Projects that develop meaningful partnerships with community-based organizations, particularly those from underserved communities, are strongly encouraged. Adequate compensation should be provided for community-based organization partners and community members for the effort they are contributing to the project.

Applicants may refer to the NAAEE’s Community Engagement Guidelines for Excellence in developing their project plans for engagement of target audiences and download NAAEE’s guidelines pdf.

Below are tables with two Priority #4 National Goals “A” and “B” ( in no particular order).

There may be additional specific goals within some regions (AKR = Alaska Region; PIR = Pacific Islands Region; WCR = West Coast Region; GAR = Greater Atlantic Region; SER = Southeast Region), which are under the broad National Priority and Goal. You may apply for either the National Goal and/or your region’s goal participants as possible as well as opportunities to shadow or participate in necropsies with experienced individuals. This could include travel to bring experienced necropsy team leaders in to lead and train local responders or travel for responders to participate in large whale necropsies being led by experienced necropsy team leaders in other regions of Alaska.

Priority #3C: Large Whale Entanglement Response Training

NATIONAL Increase the number of higher level (Level 3, 4 and 5) entanglement responders, particularly in Alaska, Pacific Islands, West Coast, and Greater Atlantic Regions.

AKR

PIR

SER

Covered under National Goal.

WCR

Provide large whale entanglement response training throughout the Pacific Northwest to authorized groups and responders. This organization would provide training by their Level 3 or 4 responders. This application may include purchase of response tools and safety gear, cover vessel costs and fuel, purchase education and outreach materials, and would provide quarterly updates on the Pacific Northwest Entanglement call.

GAR Support for level 3 or 4 responders to attend/conduct refresher large whale entanglement trainings.

Priority #4A: Educate Public

NATIONAL

Providing outreach to educate the community about marine mammals, safe viewing, human interaction, and managing public expectations for stranding response.

AKR

PIR

SER

Covered under National Goal.

WCR Public outreach is particularly needed in this region.

https://eepro.naaee.org/community/blog/community-engagement-guidelines-excellence https://eepro.naaee.org/sites/default/files/eepro-post-files/community_engagement_guidelines_pdf.pdf https://eepro.naaee.org/sites/default/files/eepro-post-files/community_engagement_guidelines_pdf.pdf

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Priority #5. Diagnostic Labs & Other National or Multi-Regional Services Support collaborative, multi-organizational scientific, diagnostic, and response services provided to the Stranding and Entanglement Response Networks to enhance data collection, analyses, and improve understanding of marine mammal health, strandings, entanglements, and rehabilitation.

Below is a table with three Priority #5 National Goals from “A” to “C” ( in no particular order). This priority only considers National Goals.

Priority #6. Research & Development Develop scientific research projects designed to test hypotheses about marine mammal strandings, entanglements, and/or health/health trends, utilizing data from living and dead stranded and/or wild marine mammals. Develop tools, techniques, tests, treatments, etc.

for stranded, entangled, and/or injured/distressed marine mammals.

GAR

Develop education messaging or materials geared towards reducing human interaction and harassment in live pinnipeds and small cetaceans on shore, and boating or fishing near free swimming large whales.

Educate state and local government organizations (e.g., law enforcement, fire departments, lifeguards, environmental management agencies) on how to respond to stranding events more effectively.

Priority #4B: Paid Internships

NATIONAL Paid internships/externships/apprentices to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.

AKR

PIR

WCR

GAR

SER

All regions covered under National Goal.

Priority #5A, B, C: Diagnostic Labs & Other National or Multi-Regional Services

NATIONAL

5A. Increasing Stranding Network diagnostic capabilities by providing diagnostics, disease surveillance, outbreak investigation, or histopathology services.

5B. Performing and interpreting of additional services to improve understanding of marine mammal health and strandings and/or entanglements. Examples of services include, but are not limited to: hearing testing, imaging, gas analyses, tooth aging, genetics, stomach content analysis, parasites, stable isotopes, gear analyses, sample archiving/preservation, epidemiology, etc.

5C. Providing tags, post-release monitoring, analysis, and interpretation of telemetry data from stranded, out-of-habitat, entangled, or rehabilitated and released cetaceans and pinnipeds.

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Data or samples may be collected from stranded or entangled animals as well as bycaught, subsistence hunted, or “free-swimming” wild animals, if those animals serve as controls or for comparisons in specific scientific study designs. If using non-stranded wild animals such as from subsistence use, by-caught, or field research on free-swimming animals, the proposal must link the use of these animals/samples from these animals to known or suspected health issues of stranded marine mammals, to the health status of the population, or to the development and validation of new tools and techniques to assess such health conditions. Projects involving non-ESA-listed or non-MMPA depleted species should provide data/information on how the project objective will address conservation management needs.

For investigations of pathogen impacts on population health or strandings, you may want to refer to the Pathogen Prioritization list.

Below is a table with three Priority #6 National Goals from “A” to “C” ( in no particular order). This priority only considers National Goals.

C. Program Authority Authority 16 U.S.C. 1421 f-1

II. Award Information A. Funding Availability Given that the demand for funding regularly exceeds the Prescott Grant Program’s award budget, the following guidelines, for 1-year and multi-year proposals, will be implemented in an effort to maximize funding opportunities to as many applicants as possible.

For 1-year proposals:

1. A maximum proposal period of 1 year (12-month period).

2. Most single organization, 1-year proposals may request and be awarded for a maximum federal award amount of up to $125,000.

3. A limited number of 1-year proposals may request and be awarded for a maximum award amount of up to $150,000, if they meet the following criteria:

a. Single-organization, 1-year proposals that are exceptionally strong, as demonstrated by an average technical review score of at least 95 points or higher.

Priority #6A, B, C: Research & Development

NATIONAL

6A. Developing, testing, and evaluating tools and/or treatments, to determine efficacy for stranded, entangled, and/or injured/distressed marine mammals (e.g., point of care diagnostics, tag designs, refloating aids, remote sedation, entanglement tools, etc.).

6B. Investigating emerging diseases, climate change impacts (e.g., extreme flood events, harmful algae blooms, etc.), and/or other developing issues that may impact marine mammal health, strandings, and/or entanglements.

6C. Conducting analyses and interpretations of marine mammal population health, stranding, and/or entanglement data.

https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/dam-migration/high-priority-marine-mammal-pathogens-2011-prescott-grants-pr.pdf

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OR

b. Collaborative with any combination of at least 3 of the following: stranding agreement holders, local/state agencies, Tribal governments, diagnostic/ service labs, and/or researchers.

For multi-year proposals:

1. A maximum proposal period of 2 years (two, consecutive, 12-month periods).

2. May be considered for a maximum total award amount of up to $200,000, with no more than $100,000 in incremental funding provided per 12-month period.

3. Multi-year proposals must be collaborative with any combination of at least 2 of the following: stranding agreement holders, local/state agencies, Tribal governments, diagnostic/service labs, and/or researchers.

4. Primary collaborating entities who receive multi-year awards may not apply for another Prescott grant in the first year of their project (e.g., if multi-year award funds are received from the FY25 competition you could not apply for the FY26 competition, but could apply in the FY27 competition).

Notwithstanding verbal or written assurance that may have been received, there is no obligation on the part of NOAA to cover pre-award costs. If an applicant incurs any costs before receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized NOAA official, the applicant would do so solely at its own risk of these costs not being reimbursed by the government or not receiving an award. No grant award may exceed $150,000 in any 12-month period (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1).

Awards are dependent upon the availability of federal funding as provided by Congress. The fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget has not been finalized by Congress and could result in unknown funding scenarios. Applicants are not guaranteed any level of funding. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined during pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA representatives. Funds have not yet been appropriated for this program, and there is no guarantee that funds will be appropriated or that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all qualified projects or any projects. Publication of this notice does not obligate NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. If an application for a financial assistance award is selected for funding, NOAA has no obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that award in subsequent years beyond the award period.

If funds become available, NOAA estimates that approximately ten to 40 awards may be made, depending on the amount of funds appropriated. Funds may be set aside from the annual appropriation to provide emergency assistance awards to eligible Stranding and Entanglement Response Network participants. These emergency funds will be available until expended during the period of fiscal availability.

See Section V. “Application Review Information” to learn more about “Evaluation Criteria”, “Review and Selection Process”, and “Selection Factors”.

B. Project/Award Period To accommodate award processing times, project start dates should be no earlier than August 1, 2025. The requested award start date must begin on the first day of the first month and end on the last day of the last month of the project period.

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If you cannot complete your project aims within the specified project period and have funds remaining, NOAA will consider providing a no-cost extension (NCE). A NCE extends the original project period, allowing the completion of project aims without additional funds being provided by NOAA. If the money is expended and funds are needed to continue the project, the applicant should submit another proposal during the next competitive award cycle.

For non-research awards you must have a project-related reason to extend your project end date. Extensions may not be obtained for the sole purpose of spending remaining funds. This action must be taken before the project period ends, and grantees are required to notify the NOAA Federal Program Officer at least 30 days before the end of the award to discuss the possibility of a NCE. In general, a project period can be extended up to 12-months. A maximum of 3 NCEs may be granted for a project. However, NCEs are not guaranteed and must be justified based on the unforeseen challenges, delays, or hardships.

If your award is a research award then you may have expanded authority. In this instance you may notify the NOAA Federal Program Officer at least 10 days before the end of the award, with a justification requesting that you would like to extend the award for up to 12-months. A NCE based on expanded authority may only be used once.

Multi-year proposals may be funded in one-year (12-month period) increments depending on available funds and terms of the award. Multi-year awards do not compete for funding in subsequent budget periods within the approved award period. Rather, any funding required for subsequent years is added to the multi-year award incrementally, provided satisfactory performance by the recipient is demonstrated and provided funds are available to support the continuation of the project. If a grant recipient wishes to continue work on a funded project beyond the project period and obligated award funds have not been expended by the end of this period, the recipient must notify the assigned Federal Program Officer no later than 30 days prior to the end of the award period to determine eligibility for a no-cost extension. If, however, the money is expended and funds are needed to continue the project, the applicant should submit another proposal during the next competitive award cycle or seek an alternate source of funding.

C. Type of Funding Instrument Under this solicitation, NOAA will fund Prescott projects as grants or cooperative agreements, as appropriate for the nature of the project. Where a cooperative agreement is issued, the nature of NOAA's "substantial involvement" will generally be a collaboration between NOAA and a Recipient on the scope of work. Additional forms of substantial involvement that may arise are described in Chapter 5. C of the Department of Commerce (DOC) Grants and Cooperative Agreements Manual.

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Department%20of%20Commerce%20Grants%20%20Cooperative%20Agreements%20Manual%20%2820%20April%202021%29.pdf https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/Department%20of%20Commerce%20Grants%20%20Cooperative%20Agreements%20Manual%20%2820%20April%202021%29.pdf

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All applicants must submit a Prescott Letter of Eligibility with the application in order to be considered for an award. The Prescott Letter of Eligibility states that you and/or your organization are either a Stranding or Entanglement Response Network participant in good standing, or collaborating with a Stranding or Entanglement Response Network member. In addition, the Letter of Eligibility must state whether you are a new applicant who has never had a Prescott application accepted and reviewed during the technical review process of a previous Prescott competition.

For Priority # 1, 2, 3, and 4 (stranding operations, entanglement response, workshops/training, and outreach), proposals applicants may request a letter from their NMFS Regional Stranding Coordinator.

For Priority # 5 and 6 (service and diagnostic laboratory, or research), proposal applicants may request a letter from the Prescott Grant Program Manager,(arthur.wong@noaa.gov).

Diagnostic laboratories should include a summary of their capabilities, services proposed, and their turn-around time (if applicable), as part of their request. For research applications (Priority #6), the applicant does not need to be a Stranding or Entanglement Response Network participant but must provide in the proposal a letter of collaboration from one or more participants in good standing that will work with them on the proposed activities.

It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary federal, local/state permits and approvals (including co-investigator and/or researcher authorization letters) prior to awarding of funds. Please see the Prescott Grant Program FAQs to learn more about eligibility, permits, and approvals. For further information on permit requirements and application procedures, please contact thePrescott Grant Program Manager.

For these additional authorizations, the applicant must be able to provide the entire permit or approval prior to award funding, but is not required to submit the permit with the application. Receipt of required MMPA (and ESA, if applicable) scientific research and enhancement permits, verification of Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval, or other authorizations will be required prior to awarding of funds. The awarding of funds will be delayed if other federal, local/state permits are not obtained.

For coverage under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), applications will be reviewed to determine if the proposed activities were analyzed in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) for the MMHSRP. For those activities analyzed in the FPEIS, no further environmental documentation will be required. For applications whose activities were not analyzed in the FPEIS, program staff will ensure sufficient environmental documentation has been provided to determine the appropriate level of environmental analysis (EA) needed to comply with NEPA. Proposal activities may be categorically excluded, or an EA may be necessary. For those applications needing an EA, affected applicants will be informed after the peer review stage. Applicants will be requested to assist in the preparation of an EA by providing all necessary information to complete the assessment prior to the awarding of funds.

B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement Pursuant to 48 U.S.C. 1469a, the match requirement does not apply to the U.S. insular areas (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S.

Virgin Islands).

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact-directory/marine-mammal-stranding-network-%20coordinators https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/arthur-wong-phd mailto:arthur.wong@noaa.gov https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/funding-and-financial-services/frequent-questions-prescott-grant-program https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/contact/arthur-wong-phd https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/47576

NOAA NOFO Page 18 of 41

For applicants from all other areas, the proposed budget must provide a minimum non-federal cost-share (match) of 25% of the total budget (i.e., 0.25 x total project costs = total non-federal share). Therefore, the total federal share will be 75% or less of the total budget.

To reduce calculation errors when determining the match, we recommend using the Prescott Grant Cost-Share Calculator. The match amount must be a whole number, so please round up.

Below is a manual calculation example:

Federal = $125,000 (75% of Total = 0.75 x $166,667 = $125,000) Match =…