Funding Options

MASGC commits to interdisciplinary environmental scholarship and community-based natural resources management so that coastal and marine resources are conserved and managed for a sustainable economy and environment. The tools available in support of the MASGC mission are applied interdisciplinary research, communications, education, extension, and legal services using both targeted and cross-cutting approaches. These tools are utilized at local, state, regional, national, and international arenas.

The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium currently supports research in the following focus areas:

Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
Safe and Sustainable Seafood Supply
Sustainable Coastal Development
Hazard Resilience in Coastal Communities
Education and Outreach.

Funding in support of these strategic areas is provided by Sea Grant through a biennial omnibus program, small programs development grants, national strategic investments, and fellowships. During proposal development you will be required to submit numerous federal forms. To ease the application process MASGC provides downloadable versions of these forms. The Sea Grant Handbook (1.11 MB PDF) offers administrative guidelines for the preparation, administration, and reporting of proposals to the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium.

2010-2011 Request for Research Preproposals
The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium is pleased to announce a request for preproposals for 2010-2011 funding. The deadline for preproposals is 4:00 p.m. February 23, 2009.

MASGC funds projects in the following focus areas: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Safe and Sustainable Seafood Supply, Sustainable Coastal Development and Hazard Resilience in Coastal Communities.

Gulf of Mexico Natural Hazard and Climate Change Resiliency Research
The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant college programs, the U.S. EPA’s Gulf of Mexico Program, the NOAA Northern Gulf Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey are inviting pre-proposals for funding for one- or two-year projects dealing with natural hazard and climate change resilience.

The goal of the funding initiative is to develop information, tools, technologies, products, policies or public decision processes that coastal communities can use to increase resilience to coastal natural hazards and sea level rise. Projects should address at least one of six research priorities outlined in the request for proposals.

Federal funds for each selected project will not exceed $200,000 per year for two years.

Non-federal matching funds are required at 50 percent of the federal amount.

Interdisciplinary projects are encouraged, and projects must be regional in scope. Projects must include investigators from states associated with at least two of the four Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant programs (Florida, Mississippi-Alabama, Louisiana and Texas). Collaboration with faculty from Mexican universities is encouraged.

For more information, including the six resilience priorities, go to http://flseagrant.org/funding/GOM. The submission deadline is Feb. 23, 2009.

Coastal Storms Program Community Risk and Resiliency
Agency: Mississippi Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Posted: September 23, 2008
Submission Deadline:
Letter of Intent: 4:30 p.m. CST, October 20, 2008
Proposal: 4:30 p.m. CST, January 9, 2009

The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Storms Program (CSP), is seeking proposals to fund community resiliency related projects. Local governments, non-profits, homeowner associations, business organizations, and community/university partnerships are eligible.

The CSP is a nationwide effort to help coastal residents reduce the impacts that storms have on their families, communities, property and environment. The program has a history of providing an array of tools and services in the pilot areas, which have included improved observing systems, forecast models, decision support tools, and outreach and extension activities to enhance community resilience.

The full annoucement, including funding levels, priorities and submission guidelines can be viewed here.

For additional information contact Tracie Sempier, at 228-818-8829 or e-mail tracie.sempier@usm.edu.

Program Development
The MASGC has a limited amount of funding available each year for Program Development (PD) projects. The purpose of PD funding is to allow researchers to rapidly respond to an immediate unforeseen opportunity. Requests are generally limited to a maximum of $10,000 in funding and are for a one-year period. PD proposals are accepted by MASGC at any time during the year. These proposals may be peer reviewed. Approval is dependent on the availability of funds and the relevance of the project to the 2006-2010 Strategic Plan.

National Strategic Investments
Requests for proposals are issued by the National Sea Grant Office at various times during the year. These National Strategic Initiatives focus on a specific topic such as minority serving institutions, aquaculture, oysters, technology, or aquatic nuisance species.

Fellowships
John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
NOAA Fisheries/Sea Grant Fellowship Program
Sea Grant Industry Fellowship

Additional Funding Opportunities
Throughout the year, MASGC receives notice of additional funding opportunities. This information is provided for your convenience.