Habitat Conservation

To provide grants and cooperative agreements for habitat conservation activities including coastal and marine habitat restoration and protection. Projects are funded to carry out public policy pertaining to protection and restoration of the Nation's wetlands, rivers, and other coastal habitats (including Great Lakes habitats), pursuant to the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act as reauthorized in 2006; Endangered Species Act; Marine Mammal Protection Act; Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA); Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA); Inflation Reduction Act; Oil Pollution Act; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA); Clean Water Act; Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act); and other legislation. Outcomes of most grants and cooperative agreements are tracked as habitat acres restored or stream miles opened to fish passage. Other goals may vary, as stated in published Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs).

Eligible applicants for assistance include State and local governments, including their universities and colleges; U.S. territorial agencies; federally and State-recognized Indian Tribal governments; private universities and colleges; private profit and nonprofit research and conservation organizations, and/or individuals, as stated in the NOFO.

Applications are reviewed based on NOAA's standard criteria which are weighted as described in specific NOFOs. These criteria include: Importance and Applicability; Technical/Scientific Merit; Overall Qualifications of Applicants; Project Costs; and Outreach and Education. For CWPPRA, the projects to be funded are selected through an annual, publicly-vetted process and ultimately approved by a multi-agency Task Force. Regardless of source, applications must undergo rigorous technical review and comply with all DOC, and NOAA grants policies and procedures.

Statutory Formula: Title Federal Grants and Cooperative Agreements Uniform Guidance, Part 200, Subpart C,Public Law P.L. 95-405 (Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act of 1977),.n/a Matching Requirements: Percent: Other Statutory formulas, if any, are specific to programs that fall under this CFDA number. Project costs are funded at up to 100 percent. Grantee matching contributions vary by specific funding opportunity. CWPPRA projects require a 15 percent match by the State of Louisiana at this time. Under the Community-based Restoration Program guidelines, matching requirements are voluntary.

Fiscal year 2024: Examples of funded projects can be found on the Restoration Atlas website. https://www.habitat.noaa.gov/apps/restoration-atlas/