The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through its National Ocean Service Office for Coastal Management (OCM) has released a competitive funding opportunity titled “FY 2025 NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program - Ruth D. Gates: Supporting Hawaii’s Sustainable Coral Reef Fisheries Management Plans.” This initiative aligns with NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and is structured to support the State of Hawaii’s Holomua Marine Initiative. The Holomua Initiative emphasizes collaborative and community-based approaches to managing nearshore marine resources on the six main Hawaiian Islands, aiming for the completion of Sustainable Coral Reef Fisheries Management Plans (CR-FMPs) by 2030.

The program seeks to fund projects that aid in the technical writing and scientific research required to develop and support CR-FMPs for islands including Lana‘i, Hawai‘i Island, Kauai, and Oahu. These plans will define specific sustainable fisheries management actions tailored to each island and include monitoring and evaluation components. The award recipient will work closely with the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and NOAA’s Pacific Island Regional Office (PIRO), with a focus on incorporating local insights and stakeholder engagement via island-based Navigator Teams. The funding is divided into two priorities: providing technical writing and support for plan development, and conducting science-based research that will inform sustainable management decisions.

The total federal funding available is approximately $600,000, which is expected to support two awards. Each proposal may request no more than $400,000 per priority, with a maximum of $600,000 in total federal funding. A non-federal match of 1:1 is required unless a waiver is granted. Applications are limited to entities with a physical presence and long-standing relationships in Hawaii, such as nonprofits, academic institutions, and certain for-profit organizations with expertise in coral reef conservation or fisheries management.

Eligible applicants must be registered in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons, and must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Proposals are due by 11:59 PM ET on June 13, 2025, with awards anticipated to be announced by October 1, 2025, and projects beginning as early as January 1, 2026. Submissions must be made via Grants.gov and must include various required documents such as SF-424 forms, a project narrative, a budget justification, evidence of support from DAR, and a data management plan.

Applications will be evaluated based on relevance to the Holomua Initiative goals, scientific merit, applicant qualifications, budget justification, and community outreach. Proposals must also demonstrate coordination with DAR and clear strategies for stakeholder engagement and result dissemination. Contact for administrative or technical questions is Craig Reid at craig.a.reid@noaa.gov.