National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2026
DOC NOAA - ERA Production · Other Federal · NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239
Source: Grants.gov · View original posting ↗
- AwardWhat a single award can be worth — the funder's published per-award amount or floor–ceiling range.
- $500K – $3M
- DeadlineFinal application due date.
- Sep 18, 2026
- Letter of intentDue date for the letter of intent (a short pre-application some funders require or request before the full proposal).
- —
- MechanismNIH activity code — the grant type (R01 research project, R21 exploratory, K series career development, F series fellowship, …).
- —
- DurationMaximum project period for a single award.
- —
- Expected awardsHow many awards the funder anticipates making under this opportunity.
- 20
- Funding cycleHow often the program accepts applications (annual, multiple cycles per year, rolling, or one-time).
- Unknown
- Open dateWhen applications open (or opened).
- Jul 17, 2026
- Total fundingThe overall pool the funder expects to commit across ALL awards under this opportunity — not what one project receives.
- $8.5M total
- Clinical trialWhether proposed projects must, may, or must not include a clinical trial.
- Unspecified
Description
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.