FY22 Pacific Islands - Hawaii Marine Wildlife Response, Outreach, and Population Monitoring Program | NOAA NMFS PIRO 2022 2007110

FY22 Pacific Islands - Hawaii Marine Wildlife Response, Outreach, and Population Monitoring Program (NOAA NMFS, CFDA 11.454) - FAQs

1) What is this funding opportunity?

This is a competitive NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) grant opportunity under the U.S. Department of Commerce (CFDA 11.454). It supports hands-on conservation response, public outreach, and population monitoring for protected marine wildlife in Hawaii, including work that responds to wildlife incidents, monitors vulnerable populations, and reduces human-wildlife conflict through education and awareness.

2) What types of awards will NOAA NMFS make?

Awards may be made as grants and cooperative agreements. The use of cooperative agreements indicates NMFS may have an active role in guiding or coordinating project activities, depending on the specific award.

3) What are the main goals of the program?

The program is designed to: (a) support direct response to protected wildlife incidents, (b) strengthen population monitoring of vulnerable species, and (c) reduce human-wildlife conflict through public education, awareness, and outreach in areas where people and protected species interact.

4) What species and locations are covered?

The opportunity is organized by priorities that specify particular species and islands in Hawaii. The priorities include Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles (including green turtles and Hawaiian hawksbill sea turtles), and Hawaiian spinner dolphins, with work focused on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii Island depending on the priority.

5) How is the opportunity structured?

The program is organized around five priorities. Each priority is tied to specific species, islands, and types of activities (for example, response and management support versus public outreach versus population monitoring).

6) What is Priority 1?

Priority 1 supports management support, field response, and outreach for Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles on Oahu, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii Island. It is intended for practical in-field work such as responding to animals in distress, supporting recovery and management actions, and providing education and outreach in areas where these animals interact with people.

7) How much funding is available for Priority 1 and how many awards are expected?

Total funding for Priority 1 is not to exceed $540,000, and up to seven projects are anticipated for funding under this priority.

8) What is Priority 2?

Priority 2 focuses on public education and awareness for Hawaiian monk seals specifically on Oahu. These projects are expected to be smaller in scope and focused on outreach.

9) What budget does NMFS recommend for Priority 2 and how many projects may be funded?

For Priority 2, NMFS recommends budgets not exceed $15,000 per award, and up to three projects may be funded.

10) What is Priority 3?

Priority 3 emphasizes public education and awareness at green turtle basking locations on Oahu and Maui. This priority is aimed at outreach that improves compliance, reduces harassment and disturbance, and encourages safer viewing behavior in areas that can be hotspots for human-wildlife conflict.

11) What budget does NMFS recommend for Priority 3 and how many awards are expected?

For Priority 3, NMFS recommends requests of no more than $20,000 per project, with up to two awards expected.

12) What is Priority 4?

Priority 4 supports population monitoring and conservation work for the Hawaiian hawksbill sea turtle on Molokai and Hawaii Island. This priority is geared toward field monitoring and conservation actions that contribute directly to understanding and protecting local hawksbill populations.

13) What budget levels are recommended for Priority 4?

NMFS recommends budgets up to $100,000 for Hawaii Island projects and up to $40,000 for Molokai projects under Priority 4.

14) How many projects are expected under Priority 4?

Up to two projects are expected to be funded under Priority 4.

15) What is Priority 5?

Priority 5 supports population monitoring and outreach for Hawaiian spinner dolphins on Oahu and Hawaii Island. This priority is intended to pair monitoring with outreach that reduces harmful interactions between people and dolphins.

16) What budget does NMFS recommend for Priority 5 and how many awards are expected?

For Priority 5, recommended funding is not to exceed $25,000 per project, with up to two projects funded.

17) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; federally recognized tribal governments; other tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as stated); private institutions of higher education; individuals; and small businesses.

18) Are institutions of higher education eligible?

Private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible. The eligibility description also notes that nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status are eligible, excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as stated.

19) Is this opportunity limited to organizations, or can individuals apply?

Individuals are listed among the eligible applicants for this opportunity.

20) Is this a competitive program?

Yes. The opportunity is described as a competitive NOAA NMFS funding opportunity.

21) When was the opportunity posted and what was the application deadline?

The opportunity was posted on November 15, 2021, and the application deadline was January 30, 2022.

22) How many total awards are anticipated?

The solicitation anticipates around five awards overall. However, each priority also lists its own estimated maximum number of funded proposals, so applicants should pay attention to both the overall estimate and the priority-specific expectations.

23) What is the award ceiling, and how should applicants think about budgets?

The overall award structure includes an award ceiling of $230,000. Applicants are expected to size proposals to the specific priority guidance and the recommended caps provided for the target species and island (for example, Priority 2 recommends no more than $15,000, while Priority 4 recommends up to $100,000 for Hawaii Island projects).

24) Are the budget caps the same across all priorities?

No. Several priorities include recommended maximum request amounts that differ by priority and, in some cases, by island. Priority 1 also has a total funding limit for that priority, while priorities 2, 3, 4, and 5 provide recommended per-project caps.

25) Does the program support both fieldwork and outreach?

Yes. Some priorities focus on hands-on field response and management support (for example, Priority 1) or population monitoring (for example, Priorities 4 and 5), while others focus primarily on public education and awareness (for example, Priorities 2 and 3).

26) What kinds of activities are specifically mentioned as supported?

The description mentions activities such as responding to animals in distress, supporting recovery and management actions, conducting population monitoring, and delivering public education and outreach to reduce harassment, disturbance, and other human-wildlife conflict.

27) Is funding tied to specific islands and species?

Yes. The priorities are island- and species-specific. Applicants should align proposed work with the priority that matches the target species and the listed islands (for example, monk seal outreach on Oahu under Priority 2, or hawksbill monitoring on Molokai or Hawaii Island under Priority 4).

28) Why do some priorities emphasize outreach at specific sites like basking locations?

Priority 3 notes that green turtle basking sites can be hotspots for disturbance and conflict, so it targets outreach that improves compliance, reduces harassment, and encourages safer viewing behavior at those locations on Oahu and Maui.

29) What does it mean if my award is a cooperative agreement instead of a grant?

The opportunity states that awards may be made through grants and cooperative agreements, and that cooperative agreements reflect that NMFS may have an active role in guiding or coordinating project activities depending on the award.

30) What should applicants pay attention to when selecting a priority?

Applicants should match their proposal to the priority that aligns with (a) the target species, (b) the island(s) listed, (c) the intended activity type (response, outreach, monitoring), and (d) the recommended budget guidance and any priority-level funding limits or expected number of awards.