The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is soliciting competitive applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Pacific Islands Region Marine Education and Training (MET) Mini-Grant Program.
Donor Name: Department of Commerce
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/28/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Projects are being solicited to improve communication, education, and training on marine resource issues throughout the region and increase scientific education for marine related professions among coastal community residents, including indigenous Pacific islanders, Native Hawaiians, and other underserved communities in the region.
Program Objective
NOAA NMFS is soliciting competitive proposals for grants and cooperative agreements that will increase the sustainability, communication, education, and training on fishing and marine resource issues and increase education for marine-related professions in the Pacific Islands Region (PIR). Projects should prepare communities for employment in marine related professions; increase seafood and fishing safety, marketing, or management; or increase the sustainability of fishing practices through technology improvements or data collection. All projects must be developed with and identify beneficial and appropriate partnerships. These partnerships may include various government agencies (at all levels), non-governmental community organizations (NGOs), traditional and local knowledge practitioners, researchers, or industry. All projects must include partnerships that contribute to the success of the project and build on, or expand relationships in the fishing and marine community.
Program Priorities
All projects, regardless of priority, must leverage and develop effective partnerships. These partnerships may include: government agencies (island, local, state, or federal), NGOs, local and traditional knowledge practitioners, researchers, academic institutions, and industry. The partnerships should contribute to the success of the project and build on, or expand relationships in the fishing and marine community. Projects are also encouraged to be placed-based and community-driven, as appropriate.
Projects must improve communication, education, and training on marine resource issues in the region and increase education for marine-related professions among coastal community residents. Projects must fall into one or more of the following priorities, which are listed in no particular rank order of preference (i.e., no one factor carrying a higher priority than any other). If a project meets more than one of the listed priorities, the applicant should list first the priority that most closely reflects the objectives of the proposed project. Other priorities addressed in proposals should then be listed as applicable.
- Marine Science and Technology: Education and training projects that are focused on preparing community residents for employment in marine related professions, including marine resource conservation and management, marine science, marine technology, and maritime operations.
- Fisheries and Seafood-related Training: Projects addressing fishery observation, seafood safety and seafood marketing, focused on increasing the involvement of coastal community residents in fishing, fishery management, and seafood-related operations.
- Outreach: Projects to educate and inform consumers about the quality and sustainability of wild fish or fish products farmed through responsible aquaculture. Projects that promote community education and outreach related to safe fishing and boating practices.
- Technology: Projects that, with the fishing industry, not only identify methods and technologies that will improve the data collection, quality and reporting, but also increase the sustainability of fishing practices, and ultimately transfer such methods and technologies among fisheries sectors and to other nations in the Western, Northern and Central Pacific.
- Local and Traditional Knowledge: Projects that enhance science-based management of fishery resources of the region through local and traditional knowledge including Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian knowledge.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $150,000
- Award Ceiling: $15,000
- Award Floor: $10,000
Grant Period
The project period is recommended to be 12 months in duration.
Eligibility Criteria
- City or township governments
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- State governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Individuals
- Special district governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Small businesses
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Private institutions of higher education
- County governments
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
