Get Up to $500K for Sustainable Aquaculture Growth!

Depending on the availability of funds, NOAA expects to have approximately $3,200,000 available for a national competition to fund marine aquaculture research projects for FY 2012. This is part of the overall plan to support the development of environmentally and economically sustainable ocean, coastal, or Great Lakes aquaculture. Aquaculture that occurs in the Great Lakes or its coastal zone is considered marine aquaculture for this competition. Priorities for this FY 2012 competition include: Research to inform specific regulatory decisions; Research that supports multi-use spatial planning; and Socio-economic research targeted to understand aquaculture in a larger context.

Proposals must be able to express how the proposed work will have a high probability of significantly advancing U.S. marine aquaculture development in the short-term (1-2 years) or medium-term (3-5 years). This Federal Funding Opportunity includes information on application and criteria for aquaculture research projects requesting a total of $50,000 to $500,000 in federal funding for up to a two-year period. Matching funds are required.

Given the anticipated amount of funding and the anticipated number and quality of proposals submitted, it is anticipated that at least seven projects will be awarded in FY 2012. Additional proposals from this competition may be selected for funding in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. Ideally, awards are anticipated to start no later than September 1, 2012.