The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program (NSGO) is accepting applications for the FY2025 Sea Grant Contaminants of Emerging Concern funding opportunity. This grant is issued under the authority of the National Sea Grant College Program Act and aligns with the agency’s mission to promote the understanding, conservation, and sustainable use of U.S. coastal, oceanic, and Great Lakes resources. The program leverages state and federal partnerships to facilitate research and outreach on environmental issues affecting coastal communities. The 2025 grant opportunity is competitive and seeks to fund one award for projects that propose future research competitions to study Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in shared geographic or watershed regions.

The funding is designed to support a single Sea Grant Program in implementing a competitive research initiative focused on emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals including PFAS, personal care products, and microfibers, particularly in estuarine and coastal waters. The selected project must be research-focused but may include administrative and outreach components. Proposed projects should address CEC transportation, prevalence, transformation, and the ecological and human health implications of exposure. Additionally, projects should incorporate community engagement, focus on ecologically and socioeconomically important species, and support short-term monitoring that can lead to long-term research efforts. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their proposed efforts build upon previously funded Sea Grant CEC projects in their region.

Eligible applicants include only Sea Grant College Programs, Institutional Programs, and Coherent Area Programs. Federal agencies may collaborate but cannot receive direct funding. Projects must take place within the U.S. or its territories, including tribal nations. Each application must include a 50% non-federal match unless otherwise justified by statute. The total amount of federal funds available for this grant is between $400,000 and $1,400,000, with each award lasting up to three years. Applications must be scalable up to the maximum federal amount. While additional future funding is not guaranteed, the selected project may be eligible for continuation support pending satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

Applicants must submit their proposals through Grants.gov and eRA Commons by May 23, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Projects must start no earlier than September 1, 2025, and end by August 31, 2028. Application packages must include standard forms such as the SF-424 R&R, budget details, a project narrative of no more than eight pages, a project abstract, a NEPA questionnaire or statement, and a data management plan. Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify NOAA of their intent to apply by May 2, 2025, by sending the proposal title to sg.grants@noaa.gov. All applicants must have valid registrations in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons prior to submission.

Evaluation criteria for this funding opportunity include the project's relevance to NOAA and societal goals (15 points), technical and scientific merit (55 points), qualifications of the applicant (25 points), and cost realism (5 points). Proposals will be reviewed by at least three experts and ranked based on average scores. Final decisions will consider geographic and institutional diversity, alignment with research priorities, and past award performance. Awards are expected to be announced in late summer 2025.

The primary contact for this grant is the NOAA Sea Grant Office. Applicants may direct questions to sg.grants@noaa.gov or call 301-734-1066. Additional guidance for formatting, required elements, and submission best practices is available in the full funding announcement. The application and subsequent reporting must comply with federal standards regarding human subjects research, environmental compliance (NEPA), and public data access and transparency. The project award will be a standalone agreement and not part of any omnibus award structure.