NOAA-NOS-NRPO-2017-2005159 FFO Report.pdf

FY 2017 NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Funding Opportunity Description 5

A. Program Objective 5 B. Program Priorities 5 C. Program Authority 7

II. Award Information 8 A. Funding Availability 8 B. Project/Award Period 9 C. Type of Funding Instrument 9

III. Eligibility Information 9 A. Eligible Applicants 9 B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 10 C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility 12

IV. Application and Submission Information 13 A. Address to Request Application Package 13 B. Content and Form of Application 13 C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 23 D. Submission Dates and Times 23 E. Intergovernmental Review 24 F. Funding Restrictions 24 G. Other Submission Requirements 24

V. Application Review Information 25 A. Evaluation Criteria 25 B. Review and Selection Process 32 C. Selection Factors 33 D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates 35

VI. Award Administration Information 35 A. Award Notices 35 B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 36 C. Reporting 39

VII. Agency Contacts 40 VIII. Other Information 41

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 1 of 41

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2017 NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: NOAA-NOS-NRPO-2017-2005159

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.473, Office for Coastal Management

Dates: Dates: Applications must be postmarked, provided to a delivery service, or received by www.Grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. Use of a delivery service must be documented with a receipt. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

Funding Opportunity Description: The objective of the NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants program, jointly administered by NOAA's National Ocean Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, is to implement projects that build resilient U.S. coastal communities, economies and ecosystems. Resilience is the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and successfully adapt. This program is intended to build resilience by reducing the risk to coastal communities, economies and ecosystems from extreme weather events and climate-related hazards. Projects that build resilience include activities that protect life and property, safeguard people and infrastructure, strengthen the economy, and/or conserve and restore coastal and marine resources.

The NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program will support two categories of activities:

1) Strengthening Coastal Communities: activities that improve capacity of multiple coastal jurisdictions (states, counties, municipalities, territories and tribes) to prepare and plan for, absorb impacts of, recover from, and/or adapt to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards; or

2) Habitat Restoration: activities that restore habitat to strengthen the resilience of coastal ecosystems and decrease the vulnerability of coastal communities to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards.

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Proposals focused on improving capacity of multiple coastal jurisdictions should identify and describe how the project will address: 1) the vulnerability, issue(s) or problem limiting the resilience of coastal jurisdictions to be addressed, 2) the proposed project’s expected outcomes and the actions to be undertaken, and 3) how the proposed actions will enhance resilience within the jurisdictions expected to benefit from the project.

Proposals focused on restoring habitat should strengthen the resilience of coastal ecosystems and decrease the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards. Preference will be given to projects that also benefit threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act (hereafter, Listed Species), species managed under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (hereafter, Managed Species), or native species of the Great Lakes. These proposals should identify and describe how the project will address: 1) the vulnerability, issue(s), or problem limiting the resilience of U.S. marine and coastal ecosystems to extreme weather events or changing environmental conditions at the proposed project site; 2) the proposed project’s expected outcomes and describe in detail the actions and on-the-ground restoration to be undertaken, and; 3) the measurable impact and benefits on the ecosystem, the species (e.g. Listed or Managed Species) and how resiliency will be increased for surrounding coastal communities.

Within their proposals, applicants must clearly identify which project category (and evaluation criteria – see Section V.A.) their projects should be considered under. If a category is not identified by the applicant within the proposal, NOAA will identify a category for the applicant.

No appeals regarding placement will be considered. Projects that propose on-the-ground habitat restoration activities can also include elements that strengthen and build capacity among stakeholders and coastal communities as part of the project.

All proposals submitted in response to this announcement should demonstrate collaboration among stakeholders and leverage recommendations or strategies outlined in previous multi-stakeholder studies, vulnerability assessments, or other comprehensive planning efforts related to ecosystem and/or community resilience. Successful proposals will leverage existing NOAA and other federal agency resilience investments including information sources (e.g. assessments, studies, plans, tools or technical assistance) and mechanisms (e.g. funding, programs, partnerships).

Eligible funding applicants are: nonprofit organizations; private (for profit) entities; institutions of higher education; and state, territorial, tribal, and local governments as defined at 2 C.F.R.

200.64, which includes counties, municipalities, and cities; and regional organizations (as defined in this announcement). Applicants must conduct projects benefiting coastal communities

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 3 of 41 within one or more of the following U.S. states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Virgin Islands (US), Washington, and Wisconsin.

Applications selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through cooperative agreements. Total anticipated funding for all awards is up to $15 million. NOAA anticipates typical awards will range from $250,000 to $1,000,000. NOAA will not accept applications requesting less than $100,000 or more than $2 million in federal funds from NOAA under this solicitation. Federal funds awarded under this program must be matched with non-federal funds (recipient contributions or third party in-kind cost share) at a 2:1 ratio of federal to non-federal contributions. Funding for this program is subject to the availability of FY 2017 federal appropriations.

NOAA will only award funds to proposed projects that receive approval from the State’s Governor as evidenced by a letter or other form of documented correspondence. If a letter from the Governor cannot be obtained, a letter provided by a Governor's appointee, with a carbon copy (cc) to the Governor, will be sufficient. This requirement does not apply when the applicant is a federally recognized Tribe conducting a project within the bounds of Tribal land.

This announcement integrates the 2015 Regional Coastal Resilience Grants program administered by the NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) and the 2016 Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grants program administered by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach to building coastal resilience. This competition is being administered jointly by NOS and NMFS. Awarded projects will be administered by either the NOS Office for Coastal Management or NMFS Restoration Center.

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FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

Extreme weather events and climate-related hazards have significant impacts on coastal ecosystems and the communities that rely on them. Healthy coastal ecosystems contribute to healthy coastal communities and associated economies and cannot be effectively addressed in isolation. This program intends to invest in collaborative efforts that provide economic and environmental benefits and take advantage of the information, knowledge, and skills that are distributed across a diverse group of organizations and sectors. Proposed projects should leverage resources and mechanisms (human, financial, data/information, programs, and partnerships) to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and successfully adapt to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards.

B. Program Priorities

This NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program is intended to reduce risk associated with extreme weather events and climate-related hazards, by supporting activities that strengthen the resilience of U.S. coastal communities, marine and coastal ecosystems and associated economies. The program will support two categories of activities:

1) Strengthening Coastal Communities: Activities that improve capacity of multiple coastal jurisdictions (states, counties, municipalities, territories, and tribes) to plan and prepare for, absorb impacts of, recover from, and/or adapt to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards; or

2) Habitat Restoration: Activities that restore habitat to strengthen the resilience of coastal ecosystems and decrease the vulnerability of coastal communities to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards.

Strengthening Coastal Communities: Applications submitted in this category should include actions that reduce current and potential future risk; increase capacity to plan and prepare for or recover from; and/or increase capacity to effectively adapt to impacts of extreme weather and climate-related hazards within U.S. coastal areas. Proposals should employ a collaborative and coordinated approach to improve these capacities within multiple coastal jurisdictions (regions, states, territories, counties, municipalities, and tribal lands) and implement strategies that address community development, economic development, land and ocean use, resource management, resource protection, hazard mitigation, or pre-disaster

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 5 of 41 recovery objectives. Appropriate activities include, but are not limited to; data acquisition, and information and tool development; risk communication and outreach; education and training development; provision of technical assistance; and the development and/or implementation of plans, policies, guidelines, standards, codes and incentives. High priority will be given to proposed projects that:

- enhance civic capacity and maintain or establish collaborative networks through engagement with appropriate stakeholders, development of collaborative projects and leveraging of resources

-increase stakeholder understanding and awareness of the impacts of extreme weather and climate-related hazards on coastal communities and economic sectors that depend on the ocean and coasts

- improve planners and decision makers’ access to data and information related to current and future environmental, economic, and social conditions and their capacity to integrate information this into sound, science-based planning and decision making

- increase planners and decision makers knowledge of the costs, benefits, and tradeoffs of the use of natural and nature-based solutions for a potential range of purposes including but not limited to coastal infrastructure protection, water quality enhancement, habitat creation, and increased recreational value

Habitat Restoration: Applications submitted in this category should propose restoration projects that strengthen the resilience of coastal ecosystems and decrease the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events and climate-related hazards (e.g. drought).

Preference will be given to projects that also benefit Managed Species, Listed Species, or native species of the Great Lakes. Successful projects under this solicitation are those that restore wetlands, functional floodplains, free-flowing riverine systems through barrier removal, coral and shellfish reefs, or create living shorelines thereby providing habitat for fish to reproduce and develop. These projects should also provide resilience benefits such as eliminating risks associated with outdated structures, providing flood reduction and protection benefits, or allowing for adaptation to climate-related hazards.

Proposed projects may include, but are not limited to, actions that restore degraded or altered marine, estuarine, coastal, and riverine habitats in a manner that results in multiple benefits such as decreased vulnerability of coastal communities and improved habitat availability or function for Listed or Managed species. These projects may also be referred to as natural or nature-based solutions, but for the purposes of this category of activities, projects should

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 6 of 41 result in functioning, resilient ecosystems that restore healthy habitat important for Managed or Listed Species, or native species of the Great Lakes. High priority will be given to proposed projects that:

- result in socio-economic benefits associated with the restoration of healthy and resilient U.S. coastal ecosystems, such as increased economic activity, enhanced recreation including fishing, changes in human well-being, improved or protected infrastructure, decreased flooding impacts, elimination of safety hazards, and/or reduced maintenance costs;

- restore habitat within Blueprint Habitat Focus Areas (https://www.habitat.noaa.gov/habitatblueprint/) or habitat for Listed species, including Species in the Spotlight (http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2015/05/05_14_15species_in_the_spotlight.html);

- implement on-the-ground restoration actions that will begin within 24 months of the proposed award start date, will result in beneficial impacts, and achieve the stated ecosystem resilience and habitat goals; and

- demonstrate collaboration and alignment among multiple stakeholders, including state and federal agencies, by proposing projects that implement ecosystem-based multi-benefit restoration recommendations and site-specific strategies outlined in existing coastal vulnerability or resilience studies and comprehensive planning efforts such as fisheries recovery and/or management plans;

Applicants are responsible for identifying the category (Strengthening Coastal Communities or Habitat Restoration) that should be used to evaluate their proposal. See Section IV.B Content and Form of Application for more details. Applicants should select a category for evaluation based on the criteria in Section V. Projects that propose both on-the-ground habitat restoration activities and activities listed in the Strengthening Coastal Communities category are eligible. NOAA recommends applicants proposing projects including activities from both categories consider selecting the category for which the majority of funds are being requested to support. For example, NOAA recommends applicants select the Habitat Restoration category for projects for which the majority of funds are being requested to support on-the-ground habitat restoration activities.

C. Program Authority

The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under the following statutes to provide grants and cooperative agreements for habitat restoration and conservation: the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970; the

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Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act, 16 U.S.C.

1891a; and Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1535. Additional statutory authority for this program is provided under Section 310 of the Coastal Zone Management Act (16 U.S.C.

1456c) (titled “Technical Assistance”).

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

Total anticipated funding for all awards is up to $15 million. NOAA anticipates typical awards will range from $250,000 to $1,000,000. NOAA will not accept applications requesting less than $100,000 or more than $2 million in federal funds from NOAA under this solicitation. Funding for this program is subject to the availability of FY 2017 federal appropriations.

Federal funds awarded under this program must be matched with non-federal funds (cash or in-kind cost share) at a 2:1 ratio of federal to non-federal contributions. For example, an applicant requesting $500,000 in federal funding must provide at least $250,000 in non-federal matching contributions, for a total budget of $750,000.

The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA. Although it is not required for submitting an application under this announcement, NOAA will only award funds to projects that receive and demonstrate approval of the State’s Governor to implement the proposed project as evidenced by a letter or other form of documented correspondence by the time of award. If a letter from the Governor cannot be obtained, a letter provided by a Governor's appointee, with a carbon copy (cc) to the Governor, will be sufficient.

Any funds provided to successful applicants will be at the discretion of the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation, NOAA Office for Coastal Management and the NOAA Grants Management Division. In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for application preparation costs if the applicant fails to receive funding or efforts in their proposal are cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all top-ranked applications. The number of awards to be made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested and the merit and ranking of the applications. Applicants must be in good standing with all existing NOAA grants in order to receive funds. Top ranked proposals not funded in the current fiscal period may be considered for funding in another fiscal period without

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NOAA repeating the competitive process outlined in this announcement.

B. Project/Award Period

Applications should cover a period of performance between 12 and 36 months. NOAA anticipates that the period of performance for most awards will be for 36 months, however an award performance period may be extended up to 48 months at the discretion of NOAA.

The earliest anticipated start date for awards will be October 1, 2017. Pre-award costs are generally unallowable; however, pre-award costs may be considered during pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA. Incurring pre-award costs before NOAA GMD provides an award document is at the applicant's own risk.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

Selected applications will be funded through cooperative agreements, as described in 2 C.F.R. 200.24, meaning that NOAA expects to be substantially involved in many aspects of the awards. Substantial involvement may include, but is not limited to, collaboration on the scope of work, providing technical assistance, review and comment on design plans, meeting planning and facilitation, or review of procurement materials to the extent authorized by 2 C.F.R. 200.324, and tracking the progress towards the successful completion of the project.

If specific resources or expertise are requested by the applicant as part of the cooperative agreement, it should be clearly described in the proposal summary. The terms of roles and responsibilities will depend on negotiation with NOAA and will be formalized as part of the final cooperative agreement for successful proposals.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are regional organizations (see below for explanation), institutions of higher education, non-profit and for-profit organizations, U.S. territories and states, Native American tribes, and local governments as defined at 2 C.F.R. 200.64, which includes counties, municipalities, and cities. To be eligible under this competition, applicants must conduct projects benefiting coastal communities in one or more of the following U.S. states and territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Washington, and Wisconsin.

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For the purpose of eligibility under this announcement, regional organizations are considered entities that operate at a multi-state, multi-county, or multi-city/town scale, such as regional ocean partnerships or councils of government, for example, provided that they may receive and expend Federal funds. If a regional organization is not eligible to receive and expend Federal funds as a legal entity, the organization may partner with an eligible legal entity to apply for funding. Tribal governments include all Native American tribal governments (both Federally-recognized tribes and those tribes that are not Federally-recognized).

For the purposes of this program, coastal areas are defined as those within coastal shoreline counties or coastal watershed counties. Coastal shoreline counties are directly adjacent to the open ocean, major estuaries, or the Great Lakes. Coastal watershed counties are located along inland rivers and streams with a significant impact on coastal and ocean resources.

Applications from individuals, federal agencies, or employees of federal agencies will not be considered. Individuals and federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with states, non-governmental organizations, municipal and county governments, and others that are eligible to apply. Involvement of other federal agencies should be clearly described in the project proposal. Foreign governments are not eligible to apply for funding under this announcement.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

A goal of the NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program is to fund projects that leverage the investment of Federal funds with other contributions from a broad range of public and private partners. Cost sharing is required for eligibility. Federal funds awarded under this program must be matched with non-federal funds at a 2:1 ratio of federal to non-federal contributions. For example, an applicant requesting $500,000 in federal funding must provide at least $250,000 in non-federal matching contributions, for a total budget of $750,000.

"Cost sharing or matching" is defined by 2 C.F.R. 200.29 as "the portion of project costs not paid by Federal funds (unless otherwise authorized by Federal statute)." Any shared costs or matching funds and all contributions, including cash and third party in-kind contributions, will be accepted as part of an applicant's cost sharing or matching when the contributions meet the criteria listed in 2 C.F.R. 200.306. For example, matching funds may come from a variety of public and private sources and may include third party in-kind goods and services (e.g., private boat use, volunteer labor, etc.). In addition, applicants are permitted to combine contributions for allowable costs from non-Federal partners when they meet the criteria in Section 200.306, such as not being contributed as match for other projects, and being available within the project period stated in the application. Federal contributions

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 10 of 41 cannot be used as match without a specific legal authority, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage and collaboration. Applicants may also choose to designate part or all of their Federally-negotiated indirect costs as match, since the valuation of such costs has already been federally approved and documentation is readily available. Refer to Section IV. E. 2. "Indirect Costs."

NOAA understands that government entities, or organizations working on their behalf, within U.S. Insular Areas (including Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and U.S. Virgin Islands), Puerto Rico, or any federally recognized or non-federally recognized tribe in particular may face a significant lack of available non-federal financial resources at the local level to contribute match. Such applicants, or any applicant that can similarly document severe economic hardship, may request a waiver of the cost-sharing requirement for this program by providing a cost sharing exclusion request letter or provide other language in the required budget narrative as a part of the application package being submitted. The request should contain:

- a detailed justification explaining the need to be excluded from cost sharing at the 2:1 ratio due to a lack of available financial resources at the local level

- any steps the applicant has taken to raise match or ascertain its future ability to raise match

- the amount of match which has been or is expected to be raised

- the amount of match requested to be waived

- how the benefit of the project outweighs the public interest in providing match

- if applicable, a signed letter by the Governor or tribal leader recognizing a third-party organization as working on behalf of the local government or tribe

- and any other extenuating circumstances preventing the incorporation or local availability of matching contributions.

Waivers are not assured but will be considered. NOAA will negotiate budgets with applicants under consideration for funding upon consideration of the information presented.

An applicant whose proposal is selected for funding will be bound by the percentage of cost sharing reflected in the award document signed by NOAA's Grants Management Division, unless amended based on extenuating circumstances. NOAA is under no obligation to amend the matching contributions once agreed to by the recipient. Successful applicants should be prepared to carefully document matching contributions, including the overall number of non-paid volunteers and third party in-kind participation hours. Letters of commitment for any secured resources that will be used as match for an award under this solicitation should be submitted as an attachment to the application (see Section IV.B).

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C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

NOAA will not accept applications requesting less than $100,000 or more than $2 million in federal funds from NOAA under this solicitation. Applications must be submitted by the due date and time provided in Section IV.D. Late applications will not be considered for funding. Submission time will be documented by electronic submission to Grants.gov, a U.S. Postal Service postmark, or a delivery service receipt. Information regarding electronic submission through Grants.gov and the address for paper applications and the governor's letter is contained in Section IV.G. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted. Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark;

private metered postmarks are not acceptable. Applications received later than five business days following the closing date will not be accepted. All applications must contain all required forms; if these forms are not signed via the www.Grants.gov application process, they must be signed in ink (SF-424, SF-424B, CD-511). Failure to submit necessary signed forms shall result in disqualification from this competition.

Section III.A presents information distinguishing eligible versus ineligible organization types. Proposals that solely benefit Listed Species under the jurisdiction of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service are not eligible, unless the species is jointly managed by NOAA.

Projects that focus on marine debris prevention and removal, acquisition of real property, or beach renourishment projects are also ineligible.

For Habitat Restoration projects, NOAA recognizes that water quality issues can impact Listed Species recovery and Managed Species sustainability. However, one of the primary goals of this program is to fund on-the-ground habitat restoration resulting in physical habitat modifications and more resilient coastal ecosystems. Applications addressing only water quality improvement measures are not eligible. Ineligible activities include, but are not limited to, wastewater treatment plant upgrades, elimination of combined sewer outfalls, and replacement of failing septic systems and implementation of agricultural animal waste management plans.

Applicants should also note that the following activities will not be considered for federal funding: (1) activities that alleviate the liability associated with legally required mitigation for the adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by local, state or federal law; (2) activities that constitute compensatory restoration for natural resource damages under federal, state or local law; and (3) activities that are required by a separate consent decree, court order, statute or regulation.

NOAA will establish cooperative agreement awards only with applicants that have

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 12 of 41 successfully received approval from their State’s Governor, or their appointee, for the proposed project. This requirement does not apply when the applicant is a federally recognized or non-federally recognized tribe conducting a project within the bounds of Tribal land.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

Complete application packages, including required federal forms and instructions, can be found on www.Grants.gov. If a prospective applicant is having difficulty downloading the application forms from www.Grants.gov, or using the Grants.gov Workspace feature, contact www.Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov.

Instructions for these forms are available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/form-instructions.html.

If an applicant does not have Internet access, application packages shall be requested from Lisa Warr, 1305 East-West Hwy, N/OCM6, Silver Spring, MD 20910; or contact her at 240- 533-0815 or via email to Lisa.S.Warr@noaa.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application

Applicants should apply through the www.Grants.gov website. A complete standard NOAA financial assistance application package should be submitted in accordance with the guidelines in this document. Each application must include the application forms from the SF-424 form family:

- Application for Federal Assistance: Form SF-424 (7/03 version or newer)

- Budget Information for Non-construction Programs: Form SF-424A

- Assurances for Non-construction Programs: Form SF-424B

- Certification Regarding Lobbying: Form CD-511

- Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: Form SF-LLL (if applicable)

In addition, NOAA recommends the following as part of a complete application package:

- Project summary (described below, 2 page limit);

- Project narrative (described below, 15 page limit);

- Data management plan (described below, 2 page limit);

- Budget narrative (described below, 4 page limit);

- Project design plans, for Habitat Restoration projects;

- Other relevant supporting materials as appendices (15 page limit) as applicable such as:

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-- Brief curriculum vitae or resume(s) for key personnel (maximum of one page per person) and examples of similar projects that have been successfully completed by the project team;

-- Maps showing the project area or restoration sites highlighted;

-- Letter(s) documenting landowner and private/public land manager support as applicable;

and -- Any other relevant supporting materials such as letters of support (including those from adjoining landowners and those documenting financial and in-kind support), documentation of a federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate, monitoring plans, and site photos etc.

Applications submitted through the www.Grants.gov website should include a maximum of four files (PDF files only) in addition to the Federal application forms: 1) Summary, narrative, and data management plan (not to exceed 19 pages total, as outlined above); 2) Budget narrative (4 pages); 3) Project designs (if applicable); and 4) Supplemental information - all other attachments combined into one indexed file, such as maps, curriculum vitae, and support letters, not to exceed 15 pages. Page limits assume a 12-point font and 1-inch margins.

1. Project Summary (2 page limit):

All proposals must briefly describe the activities to be implemented with the requested funds including:

- Project Title

- Project Location (e.g. town, watershed, geographic coordinates, etc.)

- Select a category of evaluation criteria (Strengthening Coastal Communities or Habitat Restoration)

- Requested NOAA Funding

- Proposed non-federal match

- The overall project cost including any leveraged funds beyond proposed match.

- Collaboration among stakeholders

- Leveraging of recommendations or strategies outlined in previous multi-stakeholder studies, vulnerability assessments, or other comprehensive planning efforts related to ecosystem and/or community resilience

- Leveraging of existing NOAA and other federal agency resilience investments including information sources (e.g. assessments, studies, or plans) and mechanisms (e.g. funding, programs, partnerships).

- The project timeline including key dates for the proposed project activities (not proposed award start date).

Applications proposing projects for Strengthening Coastal Communities should briefly describe:

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- The vulnerability or issue(s) limiting the resilience of coastal jurisdictions to be addressed by the project.

- The proposed actions to be undertaken and the project’s expected outcomes.

- The measurable impacts of the proposed outcomes to communities.

- How the expected outcomes will enhance resilience to the impacts of extreme weather and climate-related hazards.

Applications proposing Habitat Restoration activities should briefly describe:

- The vulnerability or issue(s) limiting the resiliency of marine and coastal ecosystems to extreme weather events or changing environmental conditions.

- The proposed project’s expected outcomes and detailed actions and on-the-ground restoration to be undertaken to enhance resiliency and reduce risk.

- The measurable impact on the ecosystem and how resiliency will be increased for surrounding coastal communities.

- How the project also supports sustainable fisheries and contributes to the recovery of protected resources. Identify the Listed Species, including species identified by NMFS as “Species in the Spotlight”; Managed Species; or native species of the Great Lakes that will benefit from the proposed project.

- Project Performance Measures and Outcomes: Common measures used for habitat restoration may include, but are not limited to, the number of acres to be restored and stream miles to be made accessible to diadromous fish through the proposed activities.

- Other measures may include those that demonstrate increased resiliency, which may represent reduced social, economic, or ecological risks due to extreme weather of climate-related hazards.

- Permits and Approvals: Identify and list all consultations, permits, and regulatory approvals necessary for the proposed project and their status (e.g. not applied for, pending, secured).

- Land owner(s): Provide name and address (if privately owned) or public agency contact and their level of support for the proposed project.

2. Project Narrative (15 page limit):

The project narrative should be responsive to the evaluation criteria (see Section V. A.

Evaluation Criteria) described for either Strengthening Coastal Communities or Habitat Restoration to receive a consistent review against competing applications.

a. Background. Provide sufficient background information for NOAA or non-NOAA reviewers to independently assess the significance of the proposed project. Summarize the problem, gap or need to be addressed and the status of ongoing efforts and coordination to address the identified needs or gaps. Summarize the relationship of the proposed work to

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 15 of 41 other ongoing efforts.

b. Goal and Objective(s) and Project Activities. Describe in the narrative the specific project goals and objectives to be achieved during the project period. Also provide sufficient information regarding the project’s activities and scope of work. The expected project outcomes should also be clearly stated.

Applications proposing activities for Strengthening Coastal Communities should describe:

- The vulnerability or issue(s) limiting the resilience of coastal jurisdictions to be addressed by the proposal;

-The proposed actions to be undertaken and how the project implements strategies support existing regional, federal, state, tribal or local plans, including but not limited to land and ocean use, development, resource management, resource protection/restoration, hazard mitigation, pre-disaster recover, or other similar plans;

- The project’s expected outcomes and how those expected outcomes will enhance resilience through increased capacity to prepare for, absorb impacts of, recover from, and/or adapt to adverse events and changing environmental, economic, and social conditions;

-The measurable impacts of the expected outcomes;

-The roles of partners and cooperators and the approach to leveraging available resources, such as programs, plans partnerships, tools and trainings across government, industry and NGOs, and highlighting the need for any new tools, training, or workshops;

-The proposed actions to disseminate information developed through the project to defined audiences within and beyond the project area; and -Potential obstacles to successful completion of the goals and objectives.

All Strengthening Coastal Communities projects should include activities to transfer knowledge within and outside of the project area by organizing, creating, capturing and/or distributing knowledge to ensure its availability for future use and may also have on-the-ground components. For example, a pilot or demonstration project which seeks funding for small scale natural or nature-based infrastructure (e.g. living shorelines) may select the Strengthening Coastal Communities category, in order to be evaluated based on the extent of transfer of knowledge both within and beyond the project area. Appropriate activities for this knowledge transfer may include but are not limited to the development of integrated information products, tools, training, or risk communication and outreach.

Applications proposing Habitat Restoration activities to increase coastal ecosystem resiliency, applications should:

- Succinctly describe the historic condition of the project site and the challenges to coastal ecosystem resiliency to be addressed as the primary focus of the proposed project;

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- Clearly identify the short-term objectives and long-term ecosystem resiliency and habitat restoration goals of the proposed activities;

- Fully describe the proposed restoration action and technical implementation details;

- Clearly describe how the proposed restoration project design, methodology, and techniques will increase resiliency of the ecosystem and account for or provide for adaptation to known or potential climate change impacts or severe weather;

- Clearly identify the project phase(s) proposed (e.g. engineering design, construction) and provide a detailed implementation plan, including proposed implementation techniques, scope of work for services, cost estimates, required permits and consultations, and design plans (as an appendix); for applicants proposing design and permitting activities, a detailed scope of services or tasks to be completed under this award should be included in the proposal;

- Identify any species (e.g. Managed or Listed Species) targeted by the project, their historic and current status or population estimates, and the extent to which they will benefit from the proposed project;

- Highlight the relevant planning efforts associated with the project and any synergies with other resiliency or conservation efforts in the watershed such as Habitat Blueprint Focus Areas, especially Endangered Species Act (ESA) recovery plans, Fishery Management Plans, natural and nature-based infrastructure planning, or other conservation and resiliency studies or assessments, strategic planning or management;

- Identify community benefits, such as: increased economic activity, enhanced recreation including fishing, changes in human well-being, and improved or protected infrastructure;

- Describe and quantify (if possible), any decreased flooding impacts; elimination of safety hazards; and/or reduced maintenance costs that may result from the proposed project; and

- Describe future management beyond the period of performance, including mechanisms to protect, maintain, or sustain the project site so the multiple benefits of the funded resiliency project will be lasting, this should include documentation of landowner/land manager support for the project.

For applications proposing Habitat Restoration activities, the following project specific information should be included in the project narrative as applicable:

- Applicants proposing to install fish passage devices or operational control structures such as self-regulating tide gates as a component of the project should include discussion of a management plan that details who will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of such structures and how they will be operated and maintained in the future.

- Applicants proposing to alter tidal exchange should also provide a hydrograph showing any tidal restrictions and projected conditions with restoration.

- Applicants proposing to enhance existing tidal wetlands, including beneficial re-use of dredged material to increase elevation to keep pace with sea level rise and subsidence, Federal Funding Opportunity Page 17 of 41 should provide information on the source of the dredge materials, the site-specific rate of sea level rise and subsidence, target elevation, and how the restored site will keep pace with the rate of sea level rise and subsidence.

- Applicants proposing to place plants or animals into the environment should include the origin/source and regional genetic stock of the plant or animal, and describe the proximity to any existing or remnant sources of similar type in the area.

If multiple restoration sites are included within one application, the proposed restoration activities should be hydrologically or ecologically connected, follow a comprehensive and integrated approach, and feature shared or complementary outcome goals. Applications that include multiple restoration sites should also fully describe the proposed activity at each site within the project narrative section. If page limits are restrictive, focus the application on the technical aspects of the proposed actions and on those actions with highest priority funding needs. If all aspects of a multi-site project cannot be described within the recommended page limits, applicants should consider submitting more than one application.

Sufficient detail should be provided to enable reviewers to evaluate the relevance and applicability of proposed work to program priorities described in Section I.B of this announcement; to determine the technical/scientific merit of the proposed work; to adequately review the qualifications of the applicants; and to assess whether the proposed scope of work raises any concerns with regard to federal policy considerations, such as those related to the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Historic Preservation Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act.

c. Milestone Schedule. Display timelines for major tasks, target milestones for important intermediate and final products, and key project outcomes. For Habitat Restoration projects, this includes identifying all consultation and permitting requirements and their status (e.g.

not applied for, pending, secured), as well as a commitment to quickly provide information needed by NOAA to analyze project impacts under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, see Section VI.B.4). For projects with NEPA documents completed or under development, please indicate the status and level of NEPA review (Categorical Exclusion, Environmental Assessment, or Environmental Impact Statement), the lead federal agency, contact information for the lead federal agency person, and where copies of the document are available.

d. Evaluation. Describe the approach for evaluating project results using clear measure(s) of success and monitor longer-term effectiveness of employed strategies, where appropriate.

The collection of additional data or information for monitoring effectiveness is eligible;

however, only for the duration of the award’s period of performance. If data collection is

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 18 of 41 proposed, applicants are encouraged to plan for longer-term data management needs in coordination with NOAA, as described in Section IV.B.4 of this announcement.

Proposals with restoration activities should include measures to enable NOAA to evaluate, upon completion, whether the project was executed as designed. Examples include short-term measures such as as-built surveys of construction, post-planting inspection reports, or other appropriate measures. All Habitat Restoration project proposals for fish passage barrier removal, hydrologic reconnection, coral recovery, and oyster restoration projects should include discrete implementation monitoring plans. Specific metrics have been identified for these project types to consistently evaluate whether a project was implemented as designed and provides a basic level of effectiveness. The structure and suggested metrics for these four project types are included in “NOAA Restoration Center Implementation Monitoring:

Guidance for proposing and conducting “Tier I” Monitoring,” available at:

http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/funding/applicantresources.html. Applicants should be willing to work with NOAA to adjust the monitoring plan, if necessary, to ensure sufficient, cost-effective implementation monitoring.

Applicants should also consider proposing measures that demonstrate increases in resiliency, which may represent reduced social, economic, or ecological risks due to extreme weather or climate-related hazards. Examples include short-term measures such as number of structures benefitting, changes in the number of days that a road is flooded, change in shellfisheries’ closing days, change in recreational use, etc.

e. Partnerships. Describe the roles of partners, including their experience and capacity in successfully completing similar projects. Also, describe what federal, state, and local organizations or programs will be connected, integrated, and leveraged in the project, including connections to federally-supported resilience efforts. If the project includes federal partners, the specific roles and responsibilities of the federal partners should be clearly identified. Describe how project stakeholders will interact with the project, specific communication mechanisms to be used, and how they will contribute to the outcome or results of the project. Letters of collaboration from identified partners and any letters of support from communities or other interested parties should be included in the appendix as appropriate.

f. Public engagement and outcomes. Describe how the public and stakeholders will be engaged in the development of the desired project outcomes, how information generated by the project will reach its target audience(s) and have a positive impact in the project area(s);

and how the proposal uses best practices for communicating risk to target audiences.

Federal Funding Opportunity Page 19 of 41

3. Data Management Plan (2 page limit) Proposals submitted in response to this FFO should include a Data Management Plan of up to two pages. NOAA’s Data and Publication Sharing Directive for NOAA Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts is available at https://nosc.noaa.gov/EDMC/PD.DSP.php The Data Management Plan should be aligned with the examples provided by NOAA at:

http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/funding/applicantresources.html. A typical plan should include descriptions of the types of environmental data and information expected to be created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data will be shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content; methods for providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making such data accessible. The costs of data preparation, accessibility, or archiving may be included in the proposal budget unless otherwise stated in the Guidance.