Ocean Acidification Program (OAP)
Active
- Assistance listing
- 11.017
- Agency
-
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Commerce
- Grant awards
- 74 $63,563,995 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- OAP
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 13-1450-0-1-306
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program (Assistance Listing 11.017) funds research and education projects investigating ocean acidification impacts on marine ecosystems and coastal communities, with the most recent grant awards disbursed in September 2025.
The program remains highly active. Awards have been issued consistently over the past five years at an increasing rate: 5 in 2021, 6 in 2022, 15 in 2023, 12 in 2024, and 13 through September 2025. The program has awarded 74 grants totaling $63.6 million in federal obligations since 2017. Recent opportunities include the FY25 OA CRUISE solicitation (due January 31, 2025, approximately $350,000 available for 1–3 projects at $100,000–$250,000 each) and the Regional Resiliency & Vulnerability Assessments for Ocean and Coastal Acidification solicitation (due March 5, 2025, up to $3 million available for approximately 1–6 projects at $100,000–$400,000 per year for up to three years).
Funded activities span three main areas. Research projects investigate ocean acidification mechanisms, impacts on calcifying organisms, coastal acidification dynamics, and monitoring system optimization. Community-focused work synthesizes regional vulnerability assessments addressing how ocean acidification threatens fishing communities, shellfish industries, and subsistence users, and develops adaptation and resilience strategies. Education initiatives develop K–12 curricula, teacher professional development, and student engagement programs on ocean acidification science, with particular emphasis on underserved and Indigenous communities.
Representative recent awards include a $1.5 million Project Grant to synthesize ocean acidification adaptation information for Southeast Alaska Tribal communities (awarded September 2025); a $1.8 million Project Grant developing a dashboard for Chesapeake Bay shellfish aquaculture operators to assess ocean and coastal acidification impacts (September 2025); and a $3 million Cooperative Agreement conducting ocean alkalinity enhancement pilot projects in San Francisco Bay to measure carbon removal efficacy and ecosystem responses (September 2024). Education mini-grants range from $50,000 to $150,000 for hands-on classroom activities and professional development.
The assistance-type mix is predominantly Cooperative Agreements (73 percent of awards) with a smaller share of Project Grants (27 percent). NOAA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the sole funder across all 74 awards. Award magnitudes vary widely: education projects typically range from $50,000 to $150,000; community vulnerability assessments from $100,000 to $400,000 per year over multiple years; and research projects from $150,000 to $3.7 million depending on scope and duration. Proposal-to-award timelines average 120 to 180 days from submission.
Objective and description
- Objective
The OAP plays an integral role in maintaining long-term monitoring; conducting research designed to enhance the conservation of marine ecosystems sensitive to ocean acidification; promoting ocean acidification educational opportunities; engaging in n
- Description
We fund research and education in order to study our changing ocean to better understand the impacts of ocean acidification and how human communities can adapt.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible entities as listed in the notice of funding opportunities (NOFO). Each NOFO has specific criteria around elibibility.
- Uses of assistance
The OAP provides financial assistance for critical research projects related to ocean acidification research and monitoring including those that explore the effects of ocean acidification on marine organisms, ecosystems and the socioeconomic impacts leading to potential adaptive strategies. The OAP also provides grants to develop and pilot education programs targeted at increasing the understanding and awareness of the US public regarding ocean acidification
- Use restrictions
See NOFO for specific details about fund use restrictions
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Assistance is available one to three years based on availability of funding. The commitment to obligate the amount of available funding for the next funding period with continuation amendments shall be clearly conditioned upon the availability of funds, satisfactory progress by the grantee, and the Program Office's determination that continued funding is in the best interest of the government.
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Proposals are subject to office evaluations, technical reviews, administrative reviews, and external reviews, if applicable, taking into consideration primarily scientific merit and application to the goals of NOAA and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Please see NOFO for specific criteria for each opportunity.
- Award procedure
Proposals are subject to office evaluations, technical reviews, administrative reviews, and external reviews, if applicable, taking into consideration primarily scientific merit and application to the goals of NOAA and the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.
- Time to approval or disapproval
The range varies from 120 to 180 days from the time of proposal submission to NOAA.
Grant opportunities
Show all 11
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 74 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of Hawaii | $11,115,134 | 17% |
| 2 | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution | $8,171,451 | 13% |
| 3 | Oregon State University | $5,326,822 | 8% |
| 4 | University Of Maryland Center For Environmental Science | $3,729,122 | 6% |
| 5 | University Of California San Diego | $3,662,339 | 6% |
| 6 | Virginia Institute Of Marine Science | $3,324,262 | 5% |
| 7 | University Of Rhode Island | $3,106,816 | 5% |
| 8 | [C]Worthy, LLC | $3,037,986 | 5% |
| 9 | University Of Connecticut | $2,631,369 | 4% |
| 10 | Northeastern University | $2,370,946 | 4% |
10 of 45 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $1,522,733 |
| FY2025 | $4,708,134 |
| FY2024 | $6,981,778 |
| FY2023 | $37,457,224 |
| FY2022 | $1,456,900 |
| FY2021 | $3,058,112 |
| FY2020 | $4,280,119 |
| FY2019 | $1,742,433 |
| FY2018 | $1,092,598 |
| FY2017 | $1,263,965 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 11.017?
Assistance Listing 11.017 is Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), a federal grant program run by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce).
What is the CFDA number for Ocean Acidification Program (OAP)?
Its CFDA number is 11.017: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 11.017 awarded?
74 grant awards under 11.017 have obligated $63,563,995 in federal funds to 45 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 11.017?
The recipients obligated the most under Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) are University Of Hawaii ($11,115,134), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution ($8,171,451) and Oregon State University ($5,326,822).
How much did 11.017 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 11.017 obligated $4,708,134 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 11.017?
No opportunity listed under 11.017 is open now. The latest, FY25 Ocean Acidification Coastal Research: Uniting Investigations and Shipboard Experiments (OA CRUISE), was posted on October 18, 2024.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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