RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program

Treasury is publishing multiple funding opportunity notices for its RESTORE Act grant programs. This announcement applies only to the Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program.Trust Fund amounts are available to establish one or more Centers of Excellence through competitive subawards to nongovernmental entities and consortia in the Gulf Coast Region, including institutions of higher education. Funds may be used to establish Centers of Excellence, and by those Centers of Excellence for science, technology, and monitoring in one or more of the following disciplines as described in the RESTORE Act and Treasury’s implementing regulations at 31 CFR 34.704: 1) Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region. 2) Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region. 3) Offshore energy development, including research and technology to improve the sustainable and safe development of energy resources in the Gulf of Mexico. 4) Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf Coast Region. 5) Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico.Eligible applicants issuing subawards to Center(s) of Excellence must establish and implement a program to monitor compliance with its subaward agreements.

This is a noncompetitive grant opportunity. Each application will be evaluated for completeness and conformance with the applicable requirements of the RESTORE Act, Treasury�s implementing regulations at 31 CFR Part 34, the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR Part 200, and Treasury's policies. Treasury will also evaluate each applicant�s ability to administer an award successfully, using information sources such as, the Operational Self-Assessment, audits per the Single Audit requirements set forth at 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart F, and OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information.

Match: none required (federal program listing). Statutory Formula: Title 31, Part 34, Subpart B,Public Law Public Law.Statutory Formula: Title 31 Chapter Department of the Treasury Part 34 Subpart B Public Law

Fiscal year 2025: An example of a Direct Component-funded project is a multi-phase, multi-year interdisciplinary construction and restoration effort along the southeastern edge of Calcasieu Lake. This initiative entails building seven lake-rim gravity drainage structures with backflow prevention systems designed to enhance hydrologic connectivity and reduce flooding in surrounding wetlands. By creating up to 2,000 acres of new marsh, the project supports long-term coastal resilience and infrastructure strength, helping to protect critical habitat and nearby communities, reduce land-loss, and maintain the region�s economic vitality. An example of a Centers of Excellence Research Grants project is repurposing offshore oil and gas infrastructure (such as, platforms, wells, pipelines, and power transmission) for energy transition uses (such as, power from wind, solar and wave energy sources, green hydrogen generation, and storage). The project goal is to extend the life of offshore infrastructure for two decades or more in order to influence the preparation and planning for future marine energy and effluent storage in the Gulf.