Cooperative Institute (Inter-Agency Funded Activities)
Active
- Assistance listing
- 11.405
- Agency
-
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Department of Commerce
- Grant awards
- 307 $434,363,275 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury accounts
-
- 13-1450-0-1-306
- 13-1460-0-1-306
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funds multidisciplinary research and education in environmental sciences through designated Joint and Cooperative Institutes under Assistance Listing 11.405, with the most recent award issued September 1, 2026.
This program exclusively targets invited NOAA Cooperative Institute applicants submitting supplemental funding proposals aligned with their respective Research Themes. CI proposals must demonstrate multidisciplinary collaboration primarily with NOAA scientists. Awards fund up to five years and are evaluated on proposal merit, technical and administrative reviews, and external peer review, with review timelines typically within 180 calendar days of a complete application.
Recent activity confirms the program remains active and well-funded. The portfolio includes 307 awards spanning 2001 through September 2026, with $434.4 million in combined federal obligations obligated. Award velocity has ranged from 37 to 73 awards annually over the past five years, with 8 awards already issued in 2026 despite only being three months into the fiscal year. A single funding agency—NOAA—accounts for all 307 awards and 100 percent of federal dollars obligated.
The program is dominated by Cooperative Agreements, which comprise 246 awards (80 percent), with Project Grants making up the remaining 20 percent. Recent awards span weather prediction, coastal flood modeling and inundation mapping, marine ecosystem restoration and protection, fisheries monitoring, sea level and ocean circulation analysis, wildfire detection and spread forecasting, and satellite-based monitoring of water quality and harmful algal blooms. Award magnitudes typically range from tens of thousands to several million dollars; recent examples include $7.5 million for precipitation modernization and water modeling under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $4.5 million for wildfire detection system development, and $2.7 million for lower trophic level ecosystem research in the Gulf of Mexico.
Pre-application coordination is required. Recipients must maintain complete records for three years; records must be retained longer if audit findings remain unresolved. An environmental impact assessment is required for all proposals.
Objective and description
- Objective
To increase the effectiveness of research and develop innovative approaches to education in the environmental sciences by facilitating cooperation between government, university, and nonprofit research institutions.
- Description
This Assistance Listing is only for invited NOAA Cooperative Institutes (CI) applicants for the submission of supplemental funding proposals. CI proposals must be based on their respective Research Themes and provide the necessary flexibility needed to work on multidisciplinary research in collaboration primarily with NOAA scientists.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Designated Joint and Cooperative Institutes for research, education, training, and outreach activities.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Individual/Family; Profit organization; Private nonprofit institution/organization; Quasi-public nonprofit organization; Other private institution/organization; Scientist/Researchers; Sponsored organization; Public nonprofit institution/organization; Other public institution/organization; Organizations with interests in support of the NOAA mission to understand and predict changes in Earth's environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the nations' economic, social, and environmental needs.
- Uses of assistance
Program authorizes funds to be used for research and development, education and training, advisory services and operational systems as they relate to specific NOAA programs. Specific restrictions, other than those mandated for cooperative agreements, are evaluated on an individual program basis. Most Cooperative Institutes (CIs) operate under via a financial assistance award and include substantial involvement by Federal partners. In addition, 118 Stat. 71 (2004) authorizes the Secretary to designate (delegated to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere) CIs to use the personnel, services, or facilities of such organizations for research, education, training, and outreach to further NOAA's mission under a cooperative agreement.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Generally, five years with funding approved on individual and group proposal basis throughout the five years in accordance with Department of Commerce approval. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: As described in Standard Terms and Agreement.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Pre-application coordination is required. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing.
- Award procedure
Awards are made on the basis of proposal evaluations, technical and administrative reviews, and external reviews, if applicable. Projects recommended for funding will be submitted to the NOAA Grants Management Division for review and approval. All applicants are notified whether or not their proposal was funded.
- Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines.
- Time to approval or disapproval
A date range will change depending on the review process. Usually within 180 calendar days from the receipt of a complete and acceptable application but may exceed that timeline.
- Renewals
Awards are for up to five years; based upon the availability of funds.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 307 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of Rhode Island | $62,921,158 | 14% |
| 2 | The Regents Of The University Of Colorado | $59,413,829 | 14% |
| 3 | University Of Maryland, College Park | $53,319,484 | 12% |
| 4 | University Of Miami | $46,945,347 | 11% |
| 5 | Colorado State University | $36,649,263 | 8% |
| 6 | University Of California San Diego | $31,414,510 | 7% |
| 7 | University Of Hawaii | $26,627,369 | 6% |
| 8 | University Of Washington | $18,976,144 | 4% |
| 9 | The Trustees Of Princeton University | $17,669,610 | 4% |
| 10 | University Of Oklahoma | $11,770,685 | 3% |
10 of 27 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $6,311,023 |
| FY2025 | $89,426,548 |
| FY2024 | $172,946,342 |
| FY2023 | $81,354,118 |
| FY2022 | $68,094,917 |
| FY2021 | $502,993 |
| FY2008 | $1,759,269 |
| FY2007 | $1,439,817 |
| FY2006 | $1,869,540 |
| FY2005 | $1,872,829 |
| FY2004 | $1,973,951 |
| FY2003 | $2,141,553 |
| FY2002 | $2,006,098 |
| FY2001 | $2,024,410 |
Show all 14
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 11.405?
Assistance Listing 11.405 is Cooperative Institute (Inter-Agency Funded Activities), a federal grant program run by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Department of Commerce).
What is the CFDA number for Cooperative Institute (Inter-Agency Funded Activities)?
Its CFDA number is 11.405: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 11.405 awarded?
307 grant awards under 11.405 have obligated $434,363,275 in federal funds to 27 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 11.405?
The recipients obligated the most under Cooperative Institute (Inter-Agency Funded Activities) are University Of Rhode Island ($62,921,158), The Regents Of The University Of Colorado ($59,413,829) and University Of Maryland, College Park ($53,319,484).
How much did 11.405 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 11.405 obligated $89,426,548 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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