Species Recovery Grants to States (Section 6 Program)

States play an essential role in conserving and recovering species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. 1535. Listed species under NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) jurisdiction may spend all or part of their lifecycles in state waters, and success in conserving these species depends largely on working cooperatively with the States. NMFS is authorized to provide Federal assistance to eligible State agencies to support the development and implementation of conservation programs for listed marine and anadromous species that reside within that State. This assistance, provided in the form of grants or cooperative agreements through the Species Recovery Grants to States Program, can be used to support conservation activities for any endangered or threatened species, as well as monitoring of candidate species, recently delisted species, and species proposed for listing under the ESA. Proposals that address the recovery of the following endangered species are encouraged as part of the agency's Species in the Spotlight initiative: Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Cook Inlet DPS of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), southern resident DPS of killer whales (Orcinus orca), Hawaiian monk seals (Neomonachus schauinslandi), white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni), and Pacific leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea). Funded activities may include development and implementation of management efforts, scientific research, and public education and outreach. Any State agency that has entered into an agreement with NMFS pursuant to section 6(c) of the ESA or enters into such an agreement within 30 days of the application deadline is eligible to apply under this solicitation. Proposals focusing on Pacific salmonids will not be considered for funding under this grant program; such projects may be considered through the NMFS Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. This document describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2024 and how NMFS will evaluate and select proposals for funding. This document should be read in its entirety; some information has changed from the previous year.