NFWF and NOAA Announce Release of Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund 2024 Request for Proposals
The program will award approximately $6 million in funds to support projects to assess, remove, and dispose of marine debris in and around coastal communities impacted by hurricanes and other episodic storm events.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 23, 2024) – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program today announced the release of the 2024 Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund.
This year, the program will award up to $6 million in grants to projects that reduce marine debris from coastal habitats and nearshore waters of coastal counties in Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Puerto Rico and South Carolina impacted by the 2022 hurricanes Fiona, Ian and Nicole and Typhoon Merbok. This program will prioritize projects that provide dual benefits – both benefit for human communities and benefits for fish and wildlife. The program will use assessment and prioritization efforts conducted by local, state and federal response agencies or their designees to prioritize projects that will address marine debris in areas of greatest impact and most critical to prevent communities and ecosystems from further harm.
Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund grant proposals are due Friday, July 26, 2024, and the full RFP can be found here. An applicant webinar will be held Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 3:00 pm ET.
Severe storms can cause significant debris in the way of capsized vessels, moved and lost fishing gear, large terrestrial debris such as structures washed out to sea and torn up coastal infrastructure like docks or piers. This debris can cause both immediate and prolonged harm to already impacted coastal communities in navigation safety, coastal and marine economic and cultural services, and potentially human safety and health. Marine debris can also have immediate and prolonged impact on wildlife through entanglement and ingestion and on habitats from scouring and smothering.
Funding for the Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund 2024 RFP is provided by the NOAA Marine Debris Program. Additional information about the fund can be found here.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) works with the public and private sectors to sustain, restore and enhance the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats for current and future generations. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation’s largest conservation foundation. Since its founding, NFWF has supported more than 6,800 grantee organizations and funded more than 22,100 projects that have generated a total conservation impact of more than $10 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.
About NOAA
Climate, weather, and water affect all life on our ocean planet. NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict our changing environment, from the deep sea to outer space, and to manage and conserve America’s coastal and marine resources. See how NOAA science, services, and stewardship benefit your community: Visit noaa.gov for our latest news and features, and join us on social media.
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Contact:
Rob Blumenthal, 202-857-0166, rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org