OpportunityTitle: FY13-14 Coral Reef NGO Partnership
CategoryExplanation: The selected proposal will be funded through a cooperative agreement as described under the terms of this document.  Substantial involvement of the federal government should be expected in the cooperative agreement and may include, but is not limited to, activities such as: holding annual meetings to identify, select and evaluate specific tasks and/or projects; conducting joint site visits and workshops; evaluating the performance of individual projects and any potential sub-awards; supporting project partners to enhance their effectiveness in meeting stated coral reef conservation goals; providing project-specific permitting guidance and/or assistance; and involvement in public events to highlight coral conservation activities.
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Eligible applicants are limited to Non-Governmental Organizations with non-profit 501 (c) (3) status that have demonstrated expertise and experience in supporting coral reef management in the U. S. NOAA employees are not permitted to assist in the preparation of applications or write letters of support for any application. NOAA CRCP staff is available to provide general information on programmatic goals and objectives, ongoing coral reef conservation programs/activities, and regional funding priorities. Federal employee travel and salaries are not allowable costs under this funding category. All questions about this competition, including application procedures and materials and selection criteria, should be directed to the official Federal Program Officer listed under section VII. Agency Contacts.
Description: Coral reefs and associated seagrass and mangrove communities are among the most complex and diverse ecosystems on earth. They support important fishing and tourism industries, protect coasts from wave and storm damage, build tropical islands, contain an array of potential pharmaceuticals, and provide local communities with a source of food, materials and traditional activities. As shallow-water, near shore communities, coral reef ecosystems are ecologically linked to adjacent watersheds and are highly vulnerable to human activity. Stresses in the coral reef environment include poor water quality from runoff and inadequate sewage treatment, destructive fishing practices, sedimentation, recreational overuse and misuse, and impacts from climate change. To address these threats, Congress passed the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (Act), which established the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and provided guidance for allocation of Federal funding toward efforts to conserve coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. and Internationally. As required in the Act, one of the primary functions of the CRCP is to provide financial assistance to external partners for coral reef conservation projects consistent with the Act and CRCP priorities. From 2002 to 2008, CRCP efforts were focused on priorities articulated in A National Coral Reef Action Strategy (http://coris.noaa.gov/activities/actionstrategy), which outlined the efforts needed to better understand coral reef ecosystems and reduce impacts from 13 key threats that had been identified by NOAA in conjunction with the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. In response to several factors, which include an external program review in fall 2007, changes in program leadership, and recent international and threat abatement working group efforts, CRCP priorities were refined and redirected beginning in 2008. New program priorities have been outlined in the CRCP Goals and Objectives 2010-2015 (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/currentgoals/resources/3threats_go.pdf) and the seven Jurisdictional Coral Reef Management Priorities documents (http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/managementpriorities). These documents are relevant to all CRCP grant programs, but some may be more or less relevant to particular applicants. Please refer to the Program Priorities in Section I(B) for details on which of these documents is/are most applicable for this funding announcement. As required under the Act, NOAA published the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program (Grant Program) Implementation Guidelines (Guidelines) in Federal Register Vol. 67, No. 76, page 19396, on Friday, April 19, 2002. Based on CRCP efforts to realign the grant program with new CRCP priorities, a revision of the Guidelines was undertaken in fall of 2009 and final revised Guidelines were published on Thursday, August 12, 2010 in Federal Register Vol. 75, No. 155, page 48934. The Guidelines are available at: http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/workwithus/funding/grants/welcome.html. All applications submitted in response to this FFO must be consistent with the requirements stated herein and the Guidelines. Funding is subject to the availability of Federal appropriations. The partnership envisioned in this announcement will assist the CRCP in supporting coral reef managers in U.S. states and territories to improve the overall management of their coral reefs, by providing technical and management assistance to fill gaps in their ability to effectively manage their coral reefs.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: work email
GrantorContactText: Jenny Waddell &lt;br/&gt;301-713-3155, extension 150 &lt;br/&gt;Jenny.Waddell@noaa.gov