FY2013 Marine Debris Prevention, Education and Outreach Partnership Grants

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The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP), authorized in the Marine Debris Research, Prevention, and Reduction Act (Marine Debris Act, 33 U.S.C. 1951 et seq., as amended by Title VI of Public Law 112-213.), has a lead role in addressing marine debris affecting the marine environment and navigation safety in the United States. The MDP defines marine debris as any persistent solid material that is manufactured or processed and directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally, disposed of or abandoned into the marine environment or the Great Lakes (15 CFR Part 909). The MDP conducts reduction, prevention, and research activities, as well as supports grants, partnerships, cooperative agreements, and contracts to address marine debris. It has held regional, national, and international workshops and established an interactive website (www.marinedebris.noaa.gov). The MDP invites applicants requesting funding to establish national and regional projects focusing on marine debris prevention, education, and outreach activities. These outreach projects will use existing networks, expand on existing resources, and/or disseminate or develop tools to support these activities. Projects are expected to catalyze the public or a target audience to address marine debris in a way that will benefit living marine resources and/or navigation safety. NOAA envisions working jointly on such projects through its Marine Debris Program to identify, evaluate, fund, and administer projects that address marine debris to restore NOAA trust resource species and ecosystems. This document describes the types of marine debris projects that NOAA envisions establishing, portrays the qualities that NOAA has found to be ideal in previous projects, and describes criteria under which applications will be evaluated for funding consideration. Applications selected through this announcement will be implemented through cooperative agreements, and will involve joint selection of any multiple marine debris projects funded as sub-awards made through the recipient organization. Funding requested to establish projects in FY2013 is expected to be greater than funds available for this purpose and the selection process is anticipated to be highly competitive. Funding of up to $500,000 is expected to be available to establish marine debris projects in 2013. Typical awards will range from $20,000 to $150,000. This announcement is a focused effort to fund projects addressing marine debris prevention and outreach. Funding is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations.

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