Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship

Full Announcement

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

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Table of Contents
NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY .................................................................................................................1
Executive Summary ..............................................................................................................................................1
Full Text of Announcement ..................................................................................................................................2
I. Funding Opportunity Description .................................................................................................................2
II. Award Information .......................................................................................................................................3
III. Eligibility Information ..................................................................................................................................3
IV. Application and Submission Information ..................................................................................................5
V. Application Review Information ................................................................................................................12
VI. Award Administration Information ..........................................................................................................17
VII. Agency Contacts ......................................................................................................................................20
VIII. Other Information ...................................................................................................................................20
Executive Summary
Federal Agency Name
OAR National Sea Grant College Program (SG)
Funding Opportunity Title
Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
Announcement Type
Competitive
Funding Opportunity Number
NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433
Assistance Listing Number(s)
11.417
Dates
Deadline(s):
(1) Eligible students must submit application materials by 5:00 p.m. local time on June 3, 2026, to
eligible Sea Grant programs. Students enrolled towards a degree in a graduate or professional program
in a state or territory served by a Sea Grant program must submit to that program. Other students must
submit their applications to the Sea Grant program to which they were referred by the Knauss Fellowship
Program Manager, as listed in Section VII.
(2) Letters of intent from state Sea Grant Programs, including the attestation document and outlining
the selection process, must be emailed to oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)
on July 8, 2026.
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(3) Selected student applications from the eligible Sea Grant program are to be submitted to grants.gov
and accepted by eRA by the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 22, 2026. (Note that
National Sea Grant Office staff will only be available to answer questions until 5:00 p.m. EDT.) Other than
attaching the signed letter of recommendation from the eligible Sea Grant director, the student
application submitted to the eligible Sea Grant program by the applicant must be submitted to Grants.gov
unchanged beyond redacting PII as described in IV.B.
Period of Performance: Projects must have a start date no earlier than February 1, 2027, and an end date
of no later than June 30, 2028.
Funding Opportunity Description
The National Sea Grant College Program was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020,
Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual
capacity of the nation’s universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate
opportunities in coastal communities.
This notice announces that applications may be submitted for the 2027 National Sea Grant College
Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program).
Pending the availability of federal funding, the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant)
anticipates funding not less than 35 applications. Application packages will each propose a total of
$97,200 in funding. A detailed breakdown of this funding is described in Sections II.A and III.F of this
announcement.
Student applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant program in their state/territory
at least one to two months before the state application deadline to receive application support and
provide notification of intent to apply. Following student application submission, the student should allow
sufficient time to schedule an interview with the eligible Sea Grant program at the program’s request.
Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or
receive an award. These registrations include SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations
must be completed before submitting the application. The complete registration process for all three
systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an eligible
applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII
for submission instructions. NOAA has created a guide to aid applicants in formatting application
packages to eRA, linked here.
Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section C).
Organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov
registrations; however, all registrations must be in place by the time of application submission. eRA
Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program
Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account to submit an application.
This document sets out requirements for submitting to NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Program Objective
NOAA provides funding to Sea Grant institutions to increase the understanding, assessment,
development, management, utilization, and conservation of the Nation’s ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes
resources by providing assistance to promote a strong educational base, responsive research and
training activities, broad and prompt dissemination of knowledge and techniques, and multidisciplinary
approaches to environmental problems, in accordance with 33 USC 1121(b).
B. Program Priorities
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The Sea Grant Act includes a legislative mandate to provide an educational experience in the policies and
processes of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government for students enrolled in
graduate or professional programs that have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and
in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. In 1979, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's (NOAA's) National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) initiated the Sea Grant Knauss
Fellowship Program to help fulfill its broad educational responsibilities and meet this legislative mandate.
The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program meets NOAA's mission of “Science, service and stewardship.
Through the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship, we strive to provide an educational and employment
opportunity for current and recent graduate students interested in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes
resources and the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
C. Program Authority
Statutory authority for this program is provided under the National Sea Grant College Program Act of
1966, as amended (33 USC 1121 et seq.).
II. Award Information
A. Funding Availability
Subject to the availability of funding, this announcement describes how eligible applicants should apply
for the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program. Sea Grant anticipates funding not less than 35 applicants.
Application packages will each propose a total of $97,200 in funding. This includes base funding for each
award at $79,700, of which $74,700 is to be used by the eligible Sea Grant program to cover the fellow’s
salary/stipend and personnel expenses for the twelve months of the fellowship, and $5,000 can be used
to cover allowable expenses. Allowable expenses could include, but are not limited to, academic tuition,
journal publication fees, academic- and fellowship-related travel, conference fees, in person and online
training, and workshops that support the successful completion of the fellowship and future career
development of the fellow. Additionally, relocation costs are allowable in compliance with 2 CFR 200.464
and university policy. Applications should include travel costs totaling $17,500, of which $15,000 will be
budgeted for optional host office-related travel and training, and $2,500 will be budgeted for optional
placement week expenses, which would be provided at the discretion of the National Sea Grant Office.
There is no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards or that any application will be selected
for funding. If an applicant incurs any costs before receiving an award agreement signed by an authorized
NOAA official, they do so at their own risk of not being selected or of these costs not being included in a
subsequent award. NOAA and DOC will not be responsible for any incurred project costs if this program
fails to receive full funding.
B. Project/Award Period
The anticipated start date for the 12-month fellowship is between February 1 and June 1, 2027. The
project is to be completed by June 30, 2028. These awards cannot be renewed or deferred. Pre-award
spending may be authorized 120 days prior to the start date of the award.
C. Type of Funding Instrument
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement to an eligible institution, which will receive and
administer the overall cooperative agreement on behalf of each fellow selected. A cooperative agreement
is used when substantial involvement of the federal government during performance of the proposed
work is anticipated. The nature of the substantial involvement includes mentoring and hosting applicants
by Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager(s) and host offices.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
A student is eligible to submit application materials listed in Section IV.B.3.b.1-4 of this NOFO to an
eligible Sea Grant program if:
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(1) The student is a U.S. Citizen (born or naturalized), a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card
holder), or a dual national with at least one citizenship as the U.S.;
(2) The student is enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the
2025 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and June 3, 2026;
(3) The graduate degree will be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the
United States or U.S. Territories, and;
(4) The student has an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy
decisions affecting those resources.
Student application submission is through an application to the Sea Grant program in the state in which
the student is earning their degree. If there is no Sea Grant program in a student’s state, a Sea Grant
program will be assigned (see Section IV.D.). A written statement from the National Sea Grant Knauss
Fellowship Program Manager referring the student to the most appropriate eligible Sea Grant program
will be provided to the student and must be submitted to the State Sea Grant program through which they
are applying.
Students are not eligible to submit full application materials to Grants.gov. The following entities are
eligible to submit full proposals to this NOFO opportunity via Grants.gov:
Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs.
To be eligible to apply or receive an award, applicant organizations must complete and maintain three
registrations: SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. For each, the complete registration process can
take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants must begin this activity as soon as possible and well before the proposal
due date. For more information on how to meet these registration and application submission
requirements without errors, we advise all to carefully review relevant Applicant and Grantee Training
modules: https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training. Additionally,
we advise that all carefully read ‘Additional Application Package Forms’ within the ‘Full Proposal Required
Elements’ section below.
B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement
Standard Sea Grant cost sharing is not required for this call.
C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility
• The one-year fellowship will take place in the National Capital Region. Student applicants must be
prepared to relocate to the Washington, D.C. area.
• Student applicants who are dual citizens, please note: while this fellowship is open to dual
citizens, a significant number of participating federal host offices are unable to accept dual
citizens as fellows. This may reduce the number of placement opportunities available to dual
citizens. Note: Dual citizens are eligible for both the Executive and Legislative cohorts.
• Student applicants must be able to pass a federal background security check.
• Prior contact/arrangements made with possible host offices before the start of the placement
week will be cause for immediate disqualification from the process.
• Student applicants who have been accepted as national finalists and/or become fellows are not
eligible to apply again without the written permission of the NSGO Fellowships Manager, which
will only be granted in response to exceptional life events. A national finalist is defined as a
student applicant who goes through the review process and is selected at the national level for
the fellowship program. If alternates are selected, they are eligible for re-application if they
withdraw prior to accepting a finalist position or are not offered a finalist position and would
otherwise still be eligible to apply. Student applicants are considered finalists until they are paired
with a host office during the placement process.
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IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address to Request Application Package
Application packages are available online and can be downloaded from www.grants.gov under
opportunity NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet,
please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII for submission instructions.
Student applicants enrolled towards a degree in a graduate or professional program in a state or territory
not served by a Sea Grant program must first contact the Agency Contact listed in Section VII to obtain a
written referral to an eligible Sea Grant program. This referral must be included in the application
package.
B. Content and Form of Application
This section provides an overview of these required proposal elements (and where to locate them).
Applications must adhere to the provisions under "Required Elements" below. Failure to adhere to these
provisions may result in a delay in award processing or rejection of the application, based on the extent of
the noncompliance. If a program is submitting multiple applications, each application must have a
unique title. Suggested title format: “{XXSG}_2027 Knauss_{Student’s Last Name}”
The submitting Sea Grant program must redact all Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in the
application materials prior to final submission to grants.gov. PII that must be redacted from the
application includes, but is not limited to, social security number, date of birth, student identification
number (from transcripts), or other information which, if lost, compromised, or disclosed without
authorization, could result in harm, embarrassment, inconvenience, or unfairness to an individual.
Before submission, carefully review the PDF Guidelines for submission found here:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm.
Recent applicants have encountered rejected applications for formatting issues, especially:
• All attachments must be in PDF form.
• Do not use “bundling” or “portfolio” features to combine PDFs into a single document. Everything
must be visible in the PDF.
• Descriptive filenames may only be 50 characters or less (including spaces).
• Keep attachment file size to 100 MB or less.
• eRA won’t accept any pages larger than the U.S. standard letter paper size (8.5” x 11”).
We strongly recommend that applicants attempt to submit their full proposals at least a few days prior to
the due date in case these or other issues impact your submission, as they are not reasons we can extend
the deadline. If you have issues during the submission process, please contact theeRA Service Desk.
Required Elements:
Applications must include the following elements. Failure to adhere to these provisions may result in a
delay in award processing or rejection of the application, based on the extent of the noncompliance.
Letter of Intent Requirements
Letters of Intent (LOIs) will be requested in advance of final proposal submission to allow the NSGO to
gauge the number of expected applications to be submitted by the Sea Grant programs. LOIs should be
received via digital submissions to the NSGO Fellowship Program Managers (oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov)
by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on July 8, 2026.
Letters of Intent should provide the following information:
1. Attestation of State Level Review (spreadsheet/table)
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A list of all applications received by the state program that clearly indicates basic eligibility for the
Knauss Program. A submission template for this information was shared with state Sea Grant
programs. The information provided in the attestation table will not be included as part of the
national-level review. For each student applicant, please provide the following information:
A) Confirmation of administrative review
B) Student Submission Count
C) Average score of the applicant from the state-level review panel. If applicable, please
provide a short explanation of why an application was not scored (e.g., did not meet
minimum requirements, submitted late, etc.)
D) Student Recommendation Status
E) Student’s Last Name
F) Student’s First Name
G) Student’s permanent email address
H) Student’s University
I) Degree the student is seeking
J) Degree field the student is seeking
K) Confirmation of enrollment in accordance with eligibility (encouraged to use transcripts)
L) Confirmation of eligibility based on citizenship status
M) List of current and pending support for the student, specifically for any fellowships or
internships
N) Confirmation of CV complying with NOFO guidelines
O) Confirmation of Application Questions complying with NOFO guidelines
P) Confirmation of Future Year Plans complying with NOFO guidelines
Q) Confirmation of two letters of recommendation complying with NOFO guidelines
R) Confirmation of addition of Director’s letter attachment in compliance with the NOFO
S) If applicable, Confirmation of an out-of-state letter for applicants in a state or territory not
served by an eligible Sea Grant program, but applying through an eligible Sea Grant program
2. Summary of the State Review Process (one page max)
i. A brief discussion of the review process, including information regarding the program
interview and the panel selection process.
ii. A brief discussion of the recruitment process focusing on how programs engaged schools
and audiences.
Programs will receive email confirmation of LOI receipt by COB July 10, 2026.
Full Proposal Required Elements
(Please also see VIII. Other Information for additional post-application required elements for submission):
1. Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0001)
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This form must be completed and include a profile for the Principal Investigator and any co-PI(s).
CVs and RELEVANT Current and Pending Support for each person’s profile will also be attached
to this form. The biosketch/CV for Senior/Key Persons listed should not exceed two pages. The
first listed PD/PI on the application must include their eRA Commons ID in the “Credential, e.g.,
agency login” field of the form. Failure to register in eRA Commons and to include a valid PD/PI
Commons ID in the Applicant Identifier field will prevent the successful submission of an
electronic application. eRA Commons registration can take 2-3 weeks to be approved, so it is
encouraged to start the registration process as soon as possible. NOAA is not involved with eRA
registration.
Additional personnel included on the form do not need to include this information; however, eRA
will create a warning recommending that those personnel also have valid eRA Commons IDs.
Again, it is not required that those additional personnel include valid eRA Commons IDs
regardless of the warnings created by the eRA system.
2. Research and Related Budget Form
The Research and Related Budget is a form that will need to be completed covering the entire
award by each yearly budget period, following the instructions from Grants.gov (e.g., if an award
is two years, there needs to be a Budget Period 1 and Budget Period 2 filled out). At the end of the
Research and Related Budget form, “Section L” provides space for one attachment titled “Budget
Justification.” The budget narrative for the project must be attached there. The budget narrative
should explain the budget items by object class category (both federal and non-federal/match) in
sufficient detail to enable review of the appropriateness of the funding requested. Please closely
follow the additional budget narrative guidance found at: NOAA Grants Management Division's
Budget Narrative Guidance.
Dollar amounts in this form must be in whole dollars.
3. Research & Related Other Project Information Form (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0001)
This form must be completed for the application, and should also be used to attach the Project
Abstract, the Project Narrative, Bibliography & References Cited (if applicable), and any other
relevant forms or information as applicable. See form-specific instructions available on
Grants.gov for additional instructions as needed.
a. Project Summary/Abstract Attachment
For the purposes of this NOFO the National Sea Grant Office will provide a recommended
abstract template to eligible applicants.
Project abstracts (as submitted) will be made available on public websites and/or databases,
including USAspending.gov.
b. Project Narrative Attachment
The project proposal narrative must contain the following element.
A signed letter of recommendation from the state Sea Grant director, which is built from the
totality of the student application package and an interview with the student. The letter should
not exceed two pages, single-spaced. Following the interview, and as part of that subsequent
letter, the director shall:
(a) demonstrate why the student aligns with the goals of the Knauss program (Section 1B));
(b) highlight the skills the student emphasized in the student application materials and
interview;
(c) highlight the student’s response to program interview questions regarding interpersonal
skills and ability to manage expectations in challenging situations; and
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(d) explain any gaps in the CV or personal education and career development response, or
anything that the student was unable to include in the Student Application Materials (see
Section IV. B. 3. d. Other Attachments) that they feel is important for the review panel to
know.
If a conflict of interest exists, please contact the agency contact (Section VII). NOTE: Blinded
reviewer comments will be provided to the students, including discussion of the Letters of
Recommendation.
d. Other Attachments
Student Application Materials
The following elements are to be submitted by the student to the eligible Sea Grant program. The
attachment should be ordered: CV, Application Questions, Future Year Plans, Director Letter,
Academic Letter and Other Letter. The attachment name should match that of the application
(suggested format: “{XXSG}_2027 Knauss_{Student’s Last Name}”). Other than necessary
redactions, the materials shall be attached without changes.
(1) Curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages). The student should not include personal contact
information or web links to external resources (e.g., LinkedIn, articles, blogs, etc.). If included,
programs should redact excess materials prior to submission to Grants.gov.
(2) Personal education and career development response. The student should emphasize their
abilities and expectations of the fellowship experience in terms of their career development.
Each section and subsequent subsection should be answered separately using the section
headers below. The entire personal education and career development section should not exceed
1,500 words total. Suggested word counts will be included with each subsection below. Section
headers will not count as part of the overall word count. The student should not include personal
contact information or web links to external resources (e.g., LinkedIn, articles, blogs, etc.). If
included, programs should redact prior to submission.
Section One: Career Path and Objectives. The suggested word count is 750 words for this section.
(Prompt A) (Suggest 250 words) The student should discuss any experience(s)
(research or otherwise) that supports or relates to the mission of the National Sea Grant
College Program or the state Sea Grant program (the student does not have to have had
a direct connection to Sea Grant). The student should emphasize (if relevant) any
experience with extending and distilling science for non-scientific audiences.
(Prompt B) (Suggest 250 words) The student should discuss their interest in the Knauss
Fellowship with a specific focus on how the Knauss Fellowship supports the student’s
career pathway. The student should focus on how the Knauss Program would further
support their development as a professional.
(Prompt C) (Suggest 250 words) The student should discuss the transferable skills
(skills that can be applied across a variety of disciplines) that they would bring to the
Knauss Fellowship. In this response, students should highlight experiences from their
personal, professional and academic background.
Section Two: Career Path Experience. The suggested word count is 750 words for this section.
(Prompt A) (Suggested 250 words) During the fellowship, fellows may serve in a range of
capacities, including developing and delivering public programs or services, informing
policy-making, and providing evidence-based advice to leaders. The student should
discuss how they have and/or will embrace the concept of public service.
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(Prompt B) (Suggested 250 words) The student should discuss a situation in which they
have managed or supported a project or activity that included collaborators, community
members and/or interested partners with the intent to achieve a common goal. The
student is encouraged to use examples.
(Prompt C) (Suggested 250 Words) The student should discuss a situation in which they
overcame a challenge (e.g., within a community or institution, personally, professionally,
etc.) specifically as it relates to how they took a leadership role. The student should also
consider including a reflection on what they learned from this experience.
(3) Relevant Coursework and Future Year Plans (not to exceed one page single-spaced): The
student should discuss any relevant coursework and their future year activities.
Relevant Coursework: The student may discuss any completed or in-progress classes
that they deem relevant to their success in the Knauss Fellowship Program.
Future year activities: The student should include a listing of classes and/or plans for
spring 2026, summer 2026, and fall 2026.
(4) Two letters of recommendation from individuals who have worked with the student, including
at least one from a faculty member associated with the student’s current enrollment who has
knowledge of the student’s academic and research (when applicable) performance. Each letter
should not exceed two pages, single-spaced, and should clearly indicate the letter writer’s name
and position. These letters should:
(a) discuss the following attributes of the student: self-motivation, response to setbacks,
skills and involvement in teamwork, collaborative leadership skills, willingness to learn a
new skill or topic, academic performance and potential; and
(b) speak to anything else the review panel should know about the strengths that the
student will bring to the fellowship.
The letters should not include personal contact information or web links to external
resources (e.g., LinkedIn, articles, blogs, etc.). If included, programs should redact prior to
submission. Any letters beyond the two letters of recommendation and the eligible Sea Grant
director’s letter will be disregarded by the selection panel. Letters of endorsement from
members of Congress, friends, or relatives will not be accepted. NOTE: Blinded reviewer
comments will be provided to the students, including discussion of the LORs.
Abbreviated Environmental Compliance Questionnaire (OMB Control No. 0648-0538)
This announcement is not seeking proposals that will have an environmental impact.
Therefore, a NEPA Questionnaire is not required as part of the proposal.
4. Additional Application Package Forms
In addition to the forms required above, standard federal forms and assurances are required and
can be found with the application package on Grants.gov. These include:
a. SF-424 R&R Form (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0001)
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This form, titled “Application for Federal Assistance,” must identify the entire funding
period, as well as the federal funding amount being requested by the applicant and any
non-federal matching fund amount. The form must be completed with the institution’s
accurate EIN and DUNS and point of contact, and signed by the institution’s authorized
representative or designee. Total federal and non-federal amounts listed in the SF-424
R&R, the Cumulative Budget of the Research and Related Budget form, and the budget
narrative must be the same.
The proposed start date must be the first day of a month, and the proposed end date
must be on the last day of a month.
Applicants will be required to enter their organization’s Congressional District in the
SF424 R&R form. For tips on finding and entering your Congressional District correctly,
please review the information found here:
https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/how-to-find-your-congressional-
district-for-the-sf-424-form/
b. SF-424B Assurances (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 4040-0007)
The form, titled “Assurances – Non-Construction Programs,” must be completed and
signed by the institution's authorized representative or designee.
c. CD-511 (Grants.gov, US DOC)
The form, titled “Certification Regarding Lobbying,” must be completed and signed by the
institution’s authorized representative or designee.
d. SF-LLL (Grants.gov, OMB Control No. 0348-0046) - optional form, include if appropriate
This form, titled “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,” is an optional form and should be
included if appropriate. If included, it must be completed and signed by the institution’s
authorized representative or designee.
This announcement is not seeking proposals that generate environmental data. Therefore, a Data
Management Plan is not required as part of the Proposal.
This announcement is not seeking proposals that will have an environmental impact. Therefore, a NEPA
Questionnaire is not required as part of the proposal.
C. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)
Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is excepted from
those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding
agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application;
(ii) Provide a valid unique entity identifier (UEI) in its application; and (iii) Continue to maintain an active
SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an
application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. NOAA may not make a Federal
award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM
requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time NOAA is ready
to make a Federal award, NOAA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal
award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.
D. Submission Dates and Times
Eligible student applicants must submit application materials by 5:00 p.m. local time on June 3, 2026, to
the appropriate Sea Grant program. Students enrolled towards a degree in a graduate or professional
program in a state or territory served by a Sea Grant Program must submit to that program. Other
students must submit their applications to the Sea Grant program to which they were referred to by the
Knauss Fellowship Program Manager, as listed in Section VII.
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Letters of intent from state Sea Grant Programs, including the attestation document and outlining the
selection process, must be emailed to oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov prior to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on
July 8, 2026.
Selected student applications from the eligible Sea Grant program are to be submitted to Grants.gov and
accepted by eRA by the deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on July 22, 2026. (Note that National
Sea Grant Office staff will only be available to answer questions until 5:00 p.m. EDT.) Other than attaching
the signed letter of recommendation from the eligible Sea Grant Director or appropriate redactions, the
sub-elements submitted to the eligible Sea Grant program by the student applicant must be submitted to
grants.gov unchanged.
Please note: validation or rejection of an application by Grants.gov and eRA may take up to two business
days after submission. Eligible Sea Grant programs should consider this process in developing their
submission timeline. For eligible applications submitted through Grants.gov and eRA, a date and time
receipt indication is included and will be the basis of determining timeliness. A guide to best practices for
successfully submitting applications to eRA is located here.
E. Intergovernmental Review
Applications under the National Sea Grant College Program are not subject to Executive Order 12372,
“Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”
F. Funding Restrictions
The Sea Grant Act at 33 USC 1124(d)(2) states:
“No payment under any grant or contract under this section may be applied to:
(A) the purchase or rental of any land; or
(B) the purchase, rental, construction, preservation, or repair of any building, dock, or vessel; except that
payment under any such grant or contract may be applied to the short-term rental of buildings or facilities
for meetings which are in direct support of any Sea Grant Program or project and may, if approved by the
Secretary, be applied to the purchase, rental, construction, preservation, or repair of non-self-propelled
habitats, buoys, platforms, and other similar devices or structures, or to the rental of any research vessel
which is used in direct support of activities under any Sea Grant Program or project.”
Other Restrictions:
(1) Indirect costs are not allowable for either the Fellowship or for any costs associated with the
Fellowship (15 CFR 917.11(e), "Guidelines for Sea Grant Fellowships").
(2) The eligible Sea Grant program receives and administers the overall cooperative agreement.
Application packages will each propose a total of $97,200 in funding. This includes base funding for each
award at $79,700, of which $74,700 is to be used by the eligible Sea Grant program to cover the fellow’s
salary/stipend for the twelve months of the fellowship, and $5,000 can be used to cover allowable
expenses. Allowable expenses could include, but are not limited to, academic tuition, journal publication
fees, academic- and fellowship-related travel, conference fees, in person and online trainings, and
workshops that support the successful completion of the fellowship and future career development of
the fellow. Additionally, relocation costs are allowable in compliance with 2 CFR 200.464 and university
policy. Applications should also include travel costs totaling $17,500, of which $15,000 will be budgeted
for optional host office-related travel and training, and $2,500 will be budgeted for optional placement
week expenses, which would be provided at the discretion of the National Sea Grant Office.
(3) Fellowship funds may not be used to travel to State Department Orange or Red Listed countries
without prior approval of the National Sea Grant Office.
G. Other Submission Requirements
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Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or
receive an award. These registrations include SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations
must be completed prior to the application being submitted. The complete registration process for all
three systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an
eligible applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in
Section VII for submission instructions.
Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section C).
Organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov
registrations; however, all registrations must be in place by the time of application submission. eRA
Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program
Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account in order to submit an application.
The first listed PD/PI listed on the application must include their eRA Commons ID in the "Credential, e.g.
agency login" field of the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile Form. Failure to register in the
Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in that field will prevent the successful submission
of an electronic application.
After submission to Grants.gov, the PI listed on the application will receive an email notification from the
eRA email address era-notify@mail.nih.gov. This email will either confirm a successful submission to eRA
or list errors and warnings associated with the application. Errors must be addressed, the application
resubmitted via Grants.gov, and an email received by the listed PI indicating a successful submission to
eRA for an application to be successfully received by NOAA.
H. Address for Submitting Proposals
V. Application Review Information
Sea Grant Director Letter Maximum Points: 10
Director’s Letter (10 Points). The LOR does not adequately address the expectations outlined (0); the LOR
addresses the criterion in a poor or confusing way (1); the LOR meets the criterion in an average or
expected way (5); the LOR meets the criterion in an exceptional way (10).
• The director’s letter demonstrates how the student aligns with the Knauss Program, including
what the student would bring to and gain from the Knauss Fellowship
• highlights the skills (academic, professional or personal) that the student would bring to the
Knauss program;
• highlights the ability of the student to manage interpersonal situations and respond to adversity;
• elaborates on information not specifically addressed by the student in their application package.
Background, personal education, and Maximum Points: 70
career development response
The CV does not adequately address the expectations outlined (0); the CV addresses the criterion in a poor
or confusing way (1); the CV meets the criterion in an average or expected way (5); the CV meets the
criterion in an exceptional way (10).
• The student has employment, volunteer, or extracurricular activities in academic and applied,
research, administrative, outreach, or policy positions;
• the education and experience (personal and professional) in the student’s area of expertise are
appropriate to the career stage;
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• the student demonstrates academic, professional or personal experiences that are relevant and
applicable to serving the American people;
• the student's experiences show prior leadership roles relevant to their career stage (e.g., student
government, faculty committees, advisory committees, professional societies, community
initiatives, etc.).
Section One: Career Path and Objectives (Each question is valued at 10 points; total is 30 points). The
answer does not adequately address the expectations outlined (0); the answer addresses the criterion in a
poor or confusing way (1); the answer meets the criterion in an average or expected way (5); the answer
meets the criterion in an exceptional way (10).
• Prompt A:
o The student clearly links experiences to the ocean, coasts, or Great Lakes (national, state,
or local);
o the student demonstrates their ability to convey scientific knowledge in broader, non-
scientific contexts;
o the student demonstrates creative thinking, analytical skill, and/or indicates their capacity
and willingness to make connections between science and broader economic, social, and
political issues.
• Prompt B:
• The student demonstrates an understanding of the Knauss Fellowship program;
• the career path and objectives demonstrate the student’s broad personal and professional
background;
• the student clearly articulates their career or professional goals;
• the student is specific, direct, and concise while discussing what they would bring to and gain
from the Knauss Fellowship.
• Prompt C:
• The skill set demonstrated will provide a foundation for success in the Knauss fellowship;
• the student is specific, direct, and concise while discussing the skills they have cultivated
throughout their career.
Section Two: Career Path Experience (Each question is valued at 10 points; total is 30 points) The answer
does not adequately address the expectations outlined (0); the answer addresses the criterion in a poor or
confusing way (1); the answer meets the criterion in an average or expected way (5); the answer meets the
criterion in an exceptional way (10).
• Prompt A:
o The student demonstrates an interest in contributing to public programs or service;
o the student demonstrates experiences in public service, including, but not limited to,
volunteering, leadership, extension or education experiences. These do not have to be
directly related to the mission of NOAA.
• Prompt B:
• The student demonstrates creativity and willingness to navigate a challenging situation;
• the student demonstrates leadership and problem-solving initiative;
• the student has shown interest in working with collaborators, community members and/or
interested partners.
• Prompt C:
• The student demonstrates creativity and willingness to navigate a challenging situation;
• the student demonstrates leadership and problem-solving initiative.
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Relevant coursework and future year Maximum Points: 10
plans
The relevant coursework and future year plans does not adequately address the expectations outlined (0);
the relevant coursework and future year plans addresses the criterion in a poor or confusing way (1); the
relevant coursework and future year plans meets the criterion in an average or expected way (5); the
relevant coursework and future year plans meets the criterion in an exceptional way (10).
• The student has activities in academic, applied, research, administration, outreach, or policy;
• the future education and experience (personal or professional) support the student’s goals or
provide further experiences applicable to the Knauss Program.
Recommendations and/or endorsements Maximum Points: 10
of the student
For the Knauss Fellowship program, the endorsements and content of the academic reference and the
second letter of recommendation are reviewed as follows:
• Letters of recommendation (5 Points designated for each letter of recommendation). The LOR
does not adequately address the expectations outlined (0); the LOR addresses the criterion in a
poor or confusing way (1); the answer meets the criterion in an average or expected way (3); the
LOR meets the criterion in an exceptional way (5).
o The letter writers demonstrate knowledge of the student and their abilities;
o the letter writers speak to the leadership potential, confidence, maturity, and self-direction
of the student;
o the letter writers provide evidence of the student’s willingness and flexibility to tackle
issues beyond their area of expertise and an openness and capacity to expand
experiences;
o the letter writers provide evidence of the student’s ability to convey scientific knowledge
in broader, non-scientific contexts.
Overall application cohesion Maximum Points: 10
For the Knauss Fellowship program, consider all aspects of the application materials (CV, Personal
education and career development responses, Relevant Coursework and Future Year Plans, Letters of
Recommendation, Director’s Letter). The application does not adequately address the expectations
outlined (0); the application addresses the criterion in a poor or confusing way (1); the application meets the
criterion in an average or expected way (5); the application meets the criterion in an exceptional way (10).
• The application materials complement each other;
• the application materials provide a clear picture of what the student would gain from receiving
the Knauss Fellowship;
• the application materials provide a clear picture of what the student would bring to the Knauss
Fellowship.
Evaluation Criteria
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**The Knauss Fellowship is a learning opportunity. All applicants will be provided with BLINDED review
comments. This will include reviews of the Letters of Recommendation. Applicants will not receive a copy
of the letters.**
At the state level, applications will be reviewed out of 100 points, since Criteria 1 will not be included in
the state level review. At the national level, applications will be reviewed out of 110 points. The value of
each section and subsequent subsection is outlined below. Additionally, a point scale is provided for each
section.
At the national review, evaluation criteria are identical to those at the eligible Sea Grant program level,
except that in criteria (4), the letter of endorsement from the eligible Sea Grant program director will also
be considered.
Review and Selection Process
State-level/individual Sea Grant program review:
An initial administrative review is conducted to determine compliance with requirements and
completeness of the student application.
After submission to the eligible Sea Grant program, and if the application meets the minimum
requirements, the student application will be reviewed at the eligible Sea Grant program level. Each
student application must receive a minimum of three separate written reviews based on the
evaluation criteria listed above. Programs have the option to hold a review panel. If a program opts to
hold a panel, the panelists may be the same as the written reviewers.
Based on the scores provided by reviewers, each eligible Sea Grant program may select and forward
to the National Sea Grant Office up to six student applications from that program’s state/territory
based on the evaluation criteria. In addition, up to six additional student applications from each non-
Sea Grant state/territory may be submitted by the eligible Sea Grant program handling those
applications.
National Level Review:
An initial administrative review is conducted to determine compliance with requirements and
completeness of the application.
For applications that meet minimum requirements, the application will be individually ranked based
on the evaluation criteria listed above by individual reviewers.
The selecting official shall award in the rank order unless the application is justified to be selected
out of rank order based upon any of the selection factors provided below. The selecting official shall
make final recommendations for award to the grants officer, who is authorized to obligate the funds
and execute the award.
The program manager, NEPA staff lead, or grants specialist may contact the applicants to discuss
questions about the merit or administrative correctness of the application and may delay approval of the
application or impose conditions on the award, preventing funding or execution of certain activities, until
all questions are satisfactorily answered.
Selection Factors
The Selecting Official shall recommend awarding in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be
selected out of rank order based on one or more of the following factors:
1. Availability of funding.
2. Balance/distribution of funds:
a. geographically
b. by type of institution
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c. by type of partners
d. by research priority
e. by project types
3. Student applicant score as submitted as part of the LOI.
4. Duplication of other projects funded or considered for funding by NOAA/Federal agencies.
5. Program priorities and policy factors.
6. Applicant’s prior award performance
7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a NEPA determination and draft necessary
documentation before recommendations for funding are made to the Grants Officer.
Consequently, awards may not necessarily be made to the highest-scored applications. Investigators may
be asked to answer questions and/or modify objectives, work plans, and/or budgets (including overall
funding level) to address the issues raised by the reviewers, the competition manager, the Selecting
Official, or the Grants Officer before an award is made. Subsequent administrative processing will be in
accordance with current NOAA grants procedures.
Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
It is anticipated that successful applicants will be notified in September 2026 that the Selecting Official is
recommending them for funding to the NOAA Grants Officer. Subject to the availability of funds, projects
are expected to start no earlier than February 1, 2027. The anticipated start date for awards made under
this competition will be dependent on funding availability, acceptable completion of all NOAA/applicant
negotiations, including NEPA and environmental compliance analysis and permit requirements, and the
provision of other supporting documentation as requested. It is anticipated that unsuccessful applicants
will be notified in September 2026 that their application is not recommended for funding. Unsuccessful
applications submitted to this competition will be retained for three years and then destroyed.
After final selection and announcement of Knauss Finalists, the Selecting Official will place student
applicants into either the legislative or executive cohort. Selection of executive and legislative cohorts will
be informed by selected student applicants’ (finalists’) stated preference (solicited after the
announcement of the selected student applications), recommendations from the eligible Sea Grant
program director and independent reviewers, as well as the selection factors.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
PRE-AWARD COSTS. Per 2 CFR 200.458, NOAA authorizes award recipients to expend pre-award costs
up to 120 days before the period of performance start date at the applicant’s own risk without approval
from NOAA and in accordance with the applicant’s internal policies and procedures. Such costs are
allowable only to the extent that they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the Federal
award. This does not include direct proposal costs (as defined at 2 CFR 200.460). In no event will NOAA
or the Department of Commerce be responsible for direct proposal preparation costs. Pre-award costs
will be a portion of, not in addition to, the approved total budget of the award. Pre-award costs expended
more than 120 days prior to the period of performance start date require approval from the Grants
Officer. This does not change the period of performance start date.
GRANTS OFFICER SIGNATURE. Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation are not considered
awards until the Grants Officer has signed the grant agreement. Only Grants Officers can bind the
Government to the expenditure of funds. The Grants Officer’s digital signature constitutes an obligation of
funds by the federal government and formal approval of the award.
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LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the availability
of funds. Applicants are hereby given notice that funds may not have been appropriated yet for the
programs listed in this notice. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any
specific project or to obligate any available funds.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS.
Through 2 C.F.R. § 1327.101, the Department of Commerce adopted Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, which
applies to awards in this program. Refer to http://go.usa.gov/SBYh and http://go.usa.gov/SBg4.
RESEARCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS. For awards designated on the CD-450 as Research, the
Commerce Terms, and the Federal-wide Research Terms and Conditions (Research Terms) as
implemented by the Department of Commerce, currently, at
https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/rtc.jsp, both apply to the award. The Commerce Terms and the
Research Terms are generally intended to harmonize with each other; however, where the Commerce
Terms and the Research Terms differ in a Research award, the Research Terms prevail, unless otherwise
indicated in a specific award condition.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PRE-AWARD NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS. The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register notice of December 30, 2014 (79
FR 78390) are applicable to this solicitation and may be accessed online at
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-30/pdf/2014-30297.pdf.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (DOC) TERMS AND CONDITIONS. Successful applicants who accept a
NOAA award under this solicitation will be bound by the DOC Financial Assistance Standard Terms and
Conditions. This document will be provided in the award package in eRA at
https://www.commerce.gov/oam/policy/financial-assistance-policy.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. Department of Commerce regulations implementing the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552, are found at 15 C.F.R. Part 4, Public Information. These
regulations set forth rules for the Department regarding making requested materials, information, and
records publicly available under the FOIA. Applications submitted in response to this Notice of Funding
Opportunity may be subject to requests for release under the Act. In the event that an application
contains information or data that the applicant deems to be confidential commercial information that
should be exempt from disclosure under FOIA, that information should be identified, bracketed, and
marked as Privileged, Confidential, Commercial or Financial Information. In accordance with 15 CFR §
4.9, the Department of Commerce will protect from disclosure confidential business information
contained in financial assistance applications and other documentation provided by applicants to the
extent permitted by law.
NOAA SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE POLICY. NOAA
requires organizations receiving federal assistance to report findings of sexual harassment, or any other
kind of harassment, regarding a Principal Investigator (PI), co-PI, or any other key personnel in the award.
NOAA expects all financial assistance recipients to establish and maintain clear and unambiguous
standards of behavior to ensure harassment free workplaces wherever NOAA grant or cooperative
agreement work is conducted, including notification pathways for all personnel, including students, on the
awards. This expectation includes activities at all on- and offsite facilities and during conferences and
workshops. All such settings should have accessible and evident means for reporting violations and
recipients should exercise due diligence with timely investigations of allegations and corrective actions.
For more information, please visit: https://www.noaa.gov/organization/acquisition-grants/noaa-
workplace-harassment-training-for-contractors-and-financial.
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SCIENCE INTEGRITY. 1. Maintaining Integrity. The non-Federal entity shall maintain the scientific integrity
of research performed pursuant to this grant or financial assistance award including the prevention,
detection, and remediation of any allegations regarding the violation of scientific integrity or scientific and
research misconduct, and the conduct of inquiries, investigations, and adjudications of allegations of
violations of scientific integrity or scientific and research misconduct. All the requirements of this
provision flow down to subrecipients. 2. Peer Review. The peer review of the results of scientific activities
under a NOAA grant, financial assistance award or cooperative agreement shall be accomplished to
ensure consistency with NOAA standards on quality, relevance, scientific integrity, reproducibility,
transparency, and performance. NOAA will ensure that peer review of "influential scientific information" or
"highly influential scientific assessments" is conducted in accordance with the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review and NOAA policies on peer review, such
as the Information Quality Guidelines. 3. In performing or presenting the results of scientific activities
under the NOAA grant, financial assistance award, or cooperative agreement and in responding to
allegations regarding the violation of scientific integrity or scientific and research misconduct, the non-
Federal entity and all subrecipients shall comply with the provisions herein and NOAA Administrative
Order (NAO) 202-735D, Scientific Integrity, and its Procedural Handbook, including any amendments
thereto. That Order can be found at https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-202-735d-2-
scientific-integrity. 4. Primary Responsibility. The non-Federal entity shall have the primary responsibility
to prevent, detect, and investigate allegations of a violation of scientific integrity or scientific and research
misconduct. Unless otherwise instructed by the grants officer, the non-Federal entity shall promptly
conduct an initial inquiry into any allegation of such misconduct and may rely on its internal policies and
procedures, as appropriate, to do so. 5. By executing this grant, financial assistance award, or cooperative
agreement the non-Federal entity provides its assurance that it has established an administrative process
for performing an inquiry, investigating, and reporting allegations of a violation of scientific integrity or
scientific and research misconduct; and that it will comply with its own administrative process for
performing an inquiry, investigation, and reporting of such misconduct. 6. The non-Federal entity shall
insert this provision in all subawards at all tiers under this grant, financial assistance award, or
cooperative agreement.
REVIEW OF RISK. After applications are proposed for funding by the Selecting Official, the Grants Office
will perform administrative reviews, including an assessment of risk posed by the applicant under 2 C.F.R.
200.206. These may include assessments of the financial stability of an applicant and the quality of the
applicant’s management systems, history of performance, and the applicant’s ability to effectively
implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities. Special
conditions that address any risks determined to exist may be applied. Applicants may submit comments
about any information concerning organizational performance listed in the Responsibility/Qualification
section of SAM.gov for consideration by the awarding agency.
REVIEWS AND EVALUATION. The applicant acknowledges and understands that information and data
contained in applications for financial assistance, as well as information and data contained in financial,
performance and other reports submitted by applicants, may be used by the Department of Commerce in
conducting reviews and evaluations of its financial assistance programs. For this purpose, applicant
information and data may be accessed, reviewed and evaluated by Department of Commerce employees,
other Federal employees, and also by Federal agents and contractors, and/or by non-Federal personnel,
all of whom enter into appropriate conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements covering the use of
such information. As may be provided in the terms and conditions of a specific financial assistance
award, applicants are expected to support program reviews and evaluations by submitting required
financial and performance information and data in an accurate and timely manner, and by cooperating
with the Department of Commerce and external program evaluators. In accordance with §200.303(e),
applicants are reminded that they must take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally
identifiable information and other confidential or sensitive personal or business information created or
obtained in connection with a Department of Commerce financial assistance award.
Executive Order 14173: Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity
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Pursuant to Executive Order 14173, 90 FR 8633 (Jan. 21, 2025), Ending Illegal Discrimination and
Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, each recipient that accepts a U.S. Department of Commerce financial
assistance award: (1) agrees that compliance in all respects with all applicable Federal antidiscrimination
laws is material to the government’s payment decisions for purposes of section 3729(b)(4) of Title 31
United States Code; and (2) certifies to the Department that it does not operate any programs promoting
diversity, equity, and inclusion that violate any applicable Federal anti-discrimination laws.
C. Reporting
In accordance with 2 CFR 200.328-9 and the terms and conditions of the award, financial reports are to
be submitted semi-annually and performance (technical) reports are to be submitted semi-annually.
Reports are submitted electronically through eRA.
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 note, includes a requirement
for awardees of applicable Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive
compensation under Federal assistance awards. All awardees of applicable grants and cooperative
agreements are required to report to the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at
https://www.fsrs.gov/ on all subawards over $30,000. Refer to 2 CFR Part 170.
Fellows must submit via email a mid-year and a final performance report (summary of accomplishments
and activities) to their Sea Grant program. Fellows must submit their mid-year report to their home Sea
Grant program via email no later than six months from the start of the fellowship. Fellows must submit
their final report to their home Sea Grant program via email within two weeks of the final day of the
fellowship.
VII. Agency Contacts
The National Sea Grant Office mailing address is:
NOAA Sea Grant
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Contact the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager, National Sea Grant College Program; Tel:
(240) 507-4825; E-mail: oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov
VIII. Other Information
For the Student:
Health Care
While health care is not required by the NOFO, selected fellows are expected to follow all federal laws for
health insurance per the Affordable Care Act Individual Mandate Rules.
For the submitting Sea Grant Program:
Sea Grant 90-2 Project Summary Form
Once applications have been recommended for funding, applicants must submit a Sea Grant 90-2 Project
Summary Form (for each project within the application) through the 90-2 Webform portal. This is due
within 30 calendar days after the applicant has been notified via email that their application has been
recommended for award. A detailed step-by-step guide for completing the web-based 90-2 Form is
available on the Sea Grant Implementation page, under the PIER Information tab. Once the project is
approved and funded, that information will be publicly available and searchable on the National Sea Grant
College Program public website.
National Sea Grant Planning Implementation and Evaluation Reporting (PIER)
Recipients are required to use the National Sea Grant Planning Implementation and Evaluation Reporting
(PIER) project database to communicate with the National Sea Grant Office on activities relating to this
award. This includes tracking progress and impacts, in addition to performance metrics.
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Section 508 Compliance
All public-facing products produced with funding from the award(s)/project(s) must ensure compliance
with Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The grant application and final report of all funded grants are public documents, except for privileged
information or material that is personal, proprietary or otherwise exempt from disclosure under law.
Appropriate labeling in the application will aid in the identification of what may be specifically exempt.
The applicant acknowledges and understands that information and data contained in applications for
financial assistance, as well as information and data contained in financial, performance and other
reports submitted by applicants, may be used by the Department of Commerce in conducting reviews and
evaluations of its financial assistance programs. For this purpose, applicant information and data may be
accessed, reviewed and evaluated by Department of Commerce employees, other federal employees, and
also by federal agents and contractors, and/or by non-federal personnel, all of whom enter into
appropriate conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements covering the use of such information. As
may be provided in the terms and conditions of a specific financial assistance award, applicants are
expected to support program reviews and evaluations by submitting required financial and performance
information and data in an accurate and timely manner, and by cooperating with Department of
Commerce and external program evaluators. In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.303(e), applicants are
reminded that they must take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable
information and other confidential or sensitive personal or business information created or obtained in
connection with a Department of Commerce financial assistance award.
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