ClosedDeadline extended (was Sep 18, 2026)Opportunity NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239

National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2026

DOC NOAA - ERA Production · Department of Commerce

At a glance

National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2026 is a closed federal grant opportunity from DOC NOAA - ERA Production (Department of Commerce). The application deadline was September 30, 2026. Individual awards are listed as $500K – $3M, with about 20 awards expected and $8.5M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing or matching is required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 11.420 (Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research Reserves).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Jul 17, 2026Posted
Sep 30, 2026Application deadline
Oct 29, 2026Archivednext date

Posted: Jul 17, 2026
Close date: Sep 30, 2026
Archive date: Oct 29, 2026
Award floor: $500,000
Award ceiling: $3,000,000
Est. total funding: $8,500,000
Original deadline (extended): Sep 18, 2026
Expected awards: 20
Cost sharing: Required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary

Who can apply

Others (see notice)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

Eligible applicants are lead state agencies or universities designated to receive NERRS operations funding through a Memorandum of Understanding with NOAA in coastal states and territories.

Also named in the notice's eligibility text

State governments
Public colleges & universities
Private colleges & universities

Matched from the wording above by GrantsJunction — confirm in the full announcement.

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) consists of estuarine areas of the United States and its territories designated and managed for research and educational purposes (Reserve) as specified in 15 C.F.R. Part 921. By funding Reserve lead agencies and universities to conduct land acquisition and construction projects that support the NERRS mission, NOAA will strengthen protection of key land and water areas, enhance long-term protection of Reserve areas for research and education, and provide for facility and exhibit construction activities that meet the highest sustainable design standards possible. Each Reserve was designated to ensure its effectiveness as a conservation unit and as a site for long-term research and monitoring. In maintaining their effectiveness, the Reserves may find it necessary to expand their boundaries through strategically planned land acquisitions and/or to develop or enhance their reserve facilities, including their in-situ monitoring infrastructure, to meet the demands of research, monitoring, and education program objectives.

NOAA anticipates approximately $8.5 million in Fiscal Year 2026 will be available to designated lead Reserve agencies or universities in coastal states. NOAA anticipates funding between 5-20 construction, acquisition, and/or planning & design projects. Project periods are expected to range from 12–36 months. Complex construction projects may request extended project periods, but the cumulative must not exceed 60 months. Final project selections are subject to availability of funds and negotiation with NOAA.

Acquisition or construction projects have a $3,000,000 federal funding cap . Stand-alone planning and design projects have a $500,000 federal funding cap.

At the discretion of NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, up to 10% of the Fiscal Year 2026 funds will be reserved for critical reserve vehicle or vessel needs. These funds will be awarded noncompetitively to stand-alone vehicle or vessel project applications that address a critical reserve need.

Full announcement & documents

The full announcement has the complete rules — page limits, required attachments, evaluation criteria and any letter-of-intent dates. Files download directly from Grants.gov.

Full AnnouncementFull Announcement · Foa_Content_of_NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239 (2).pdfPDF · 184 KB

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

11.420Coastal Zone Management Estuarine Research ReservesProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 11.420

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$37.9M

FY25

$37.4M

FY26

$36.1M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 11.420. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Nicola R Bell Grantor
Matt.Chasse@noaa.gov
301-628-1328

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?

The official notice names these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through this opportunity?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $500k – $3m, total estimated program funding is $8,500,000 and the agency expects to make about 20 awards.

How do I apply for this opportunity?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

OpenALN 11.478