Species Recovery Grants to States (Section 6 Program)
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- NOAA-NMFS-PRPO-2026-31825
- Agency
-
Department of Commerce
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $250,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement, Grant
- Categories
-
- Environment
- Natural Resources
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- State Governments
- Points of contact
-
- Heather Austin heather.austin@noaa.gov (301) 427-8422
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service is seeking applications from eligible state agencies for the Species Recovery Grants to States Program (Section 6 Program) to support conservation activities for endangered and threatened marine and anadromous species under the Endangered Species Act. Eligible applicants must be state agencies that have entered into or will enter into an agreement with NMFS pursuant to section 6(c) of the ESA within 30 days of the application deadline. Funded activities may include development and implementation of management efforts, scientific research, monitoring of candidate species, and public education and outreach, with proposals prioritizing actions identified in ESA Recovery Plans or Recovery Outlines. Applications will be evaluated on six criteria: importance and relevance to program goals (30 points), technical and scientific merit (30 points), overall qualifications (10 points), project costs (15 points), outreach and education (10 points), and data management plan technical soundness (5 points). The application deadline is June 20, 2026, with submissions required via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
New awards will provide up to approximately $250,000 in federal funding per year with no required minimum or maximum, contingent upon Congressional appropriation, with a maximum project period of three years and project start dates no earlier than July 1, 2026. A minimum non-federal cost share of 25 percent is required for single-state proposals or 10 percent for multi-state proposals. Projects will be performed in state waters and relevant jurisdictions where eligible marine and anadromous species reside, with award announcements expected during spring 2026 and award dates beginning summer 2026.
Synopsis
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 life cycles 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 candidate species, recently delisted species, and species proposed for listing under the ESA. Funded activities may include development and implementation of management efforts, scientific research, and public education and outreach. Proposals should seek to address priority actions in ESA Recovery Plans or Recovery Outlines to the extent possible. 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. Additionally, proposals focusing on marine mammals stranding response and/or rehabilitation will not be considered for funding under this grant program; such projects may be considered and funded by NOAA through the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program. Proposals focused on stranding response, rehabilitation, or related activities for species supported through other dedicated NOAA funding programs may also not be considered under this grant program. This document describes how to submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2026 and how NMFS will evaluate and select proposals for funding should funding be appropriated for this program. This document should be read in its entirety; some information has changed from the previous year.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| RFA Guidelines (Revised) (1).pdf | ||
| Foa_Content_of_NOAA-NMFS-PRPO-2026-31825 (1).pdf |
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