Financial Assistance to Establish Four NOAA Cooperative Science Centers at Minority Serving Institutions

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In Fiscal Year 2016, the NOAA Office of Education (OEd) Educational Partnership Program (EPP) with Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) solicits applications from eligible, accredited MSIs that confer a doctoral degree in one of the areas of the NOAA mission identified as a Cooperative Science Center (CSC) Type in this announcement. The MSI designation is determined by statute, with the U.S. Department of Education serving as the cognizant Federal education agency. The U.S. Department of Education provides the following MSI information: (1) a part B institution (a historically Black college or university) (§322 of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. §1061); (2) a Hispanic-serving institution (§502 of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. §1101a); (3) a Tribal College or University (§316 of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. §1059c); (4) an Alaska Native-serving institution or a Native Hawaiian-serving institution (§317(b) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. §1059d(b); (5) a Predominantly Black Institution (§§318(b) and 371(c)(9) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. §§ 1059e(b) and 1067q(c)(9)); (6) an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (§§ 320(b) and 371(c)(2) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. §§1059g(b) and 1067q(c)(2); or (7) a Native American-serving nontribal institution (§§319(b) and 371(c)(8) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. §§ 1059f(b) and 1067q(c)(8). This Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) plans to support four awards to establish CSCs at MSIs through NOAA cooperative agreements. CSCs are designed to create collaborative partnerships with other academic institutions, including MSIs. Partnerships are also required between the designated Center, OEd EPP/MSI, and NOAA's “Line Offices” listed at http://www.noaa.gov/organizations.html. Each CSC must conduct education and research that directly supports NOAA's mission to recruit, train and graduate students, particularly from underrepresented communities, for the agency mission workforce. The applicant shall propose to establish a CSC in one (1) of the following areas, also known as Center Type: (i) Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology; (ii) Coastal and Marine Ecosystems; (iii) Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies; and, (iv) Living Marine Resources Applicants are required to seek partners with other academic institutions, NOAA and its affiliates, as well as, public and private entities, in fields that support the NOAA mission. Potential NOAA Partners will be listed on www.epp.noaa.gov. CSC award recipients of this Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education workforce investment are expected to ensure that the Center educate and graduate an increased diverse pool of candidates from which the agency may select its future workforce. NOAA plans to make four awards with an anticipated total funding of $62 million over five years. Proposed Centers should be for five (5) years in duration and have annual budgets of approximately $3.1 million, with a total Federal funding request of $15.5 million over the duration of the five-year project period. Awards will be funded in annual increments, subject to Congressional appropriations for OEd EPP/MSI. It is anticipated that awards funded through this announcement will have a start date no later than September 1, 2016.

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