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Offer to partner in a grant application to NOAA’s Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency program
State of New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection
Coastal & Land Use Planning
Opportunity to participate in a Project Partnership to seek project funding available through Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency grant program offered by NOAA
As part of its national effort to build resilient coastal ecosystems, communities and economies, NOAA has announced the availability of up to $8.5 million in funding for coastal and marine habitat restoration projects in 2016.
In response to this Federal funding opportunity, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Coastal and Land Use Planning (OCLUP), is offering to enter into partnerships with eligible entities submitting proposals for the NOAA Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency Grant Program. The Department is offering to provide support within a partnership of entities seeking funding for projects in New Jersey that propose to create, restore, or enhance healthy and sustainable coastal ecosystems and provide socioeconomic benefits through on-the-ground habitat restoration actions.
The Department is offering project proposal support, with technical and regulatory compliance assistance and in kind match through staff support for projects that meet the eligible applicant requirements and demonstrate that they clearly address the NOAA project evaluation criteria. The entities seeking funding and wishing to partner with the Department must administer any funding awarded and act as the grant funds administrator.
The NOAA funding opportunity seeks project proposals from non-federal partners to implement habitat restoration actions that will restore coastal ecosystems and improve resiliency. The primary focus of this grants program is to develop healthy and sustainable coastal ecosystems through on-the-ground habitat restoration actions. Priority for the funding will be given to projects that:
- restore habitat to support healthy fish populations and provide ecosystem functions that reduce hazards and risks associated with extreme weather events and a changing climate;
- provide sustainable and lasting ecological benefits and resiliency to extreme weather events, a changing climate, and allow for adaptation to known or potential climate change impacts;
- implement on-the-ground restoration actions that result in immediate beneficial impacts;
- demonstrate collaboration among multiple stakeholders through projects that implement ecosystem-based restoration recommendations and site-specific strategies outlined in existing coastal vulnerability or resiliency studies and comprehensive planning efforts;
- receive approval from the state governor; and
- Result in socioeconomic benefits associated with restoration of healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems.
NOAA will accept proposals requesting between $100,000 and $2 million. More information can be found online at grants.gov or from NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation. The deadline for applications for the Coastal Ecosystem Resiliency funding opportunity is August 16.
Factors considered by the Department in selecting a partnership to pursue the NOAA funding opportunity
- The extent to which a project directly addresses the stated goal of the funding to restore habitat to support healthy fish populations and provide ecosystem functions that reduce hazards and risks associated with extreme weather events and a changing climate; and
- The extent to which a project is likely to provide sustainable and lasting ecological benefits and resiliency to extreme weather events, a changing climate, and allow for adaptation to known or potential climate change impacts; and
- Whether the project is likely to result in socioeconomic benefits associated with restoration of healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems, and
- Whether the project is likely to leverage the benefits of other shoreline creation, restoration and/or enhancement projects that have already been completed, and
- Whether the project is likely to implement on-the-ground restoration actions that result in immediate beneficial impacts, and
- The experience of the perspective grantee or grantee partnership successfully implementing other similar projects that have created or enhanced coastal shorelines and adjacent wetlands and uplands or restored previously developed shorelines, and
- Whether Federal and State permit authorizations requisite to conduct the project have been obtained, or existing permits can be modified to reflect the project elements and remain valid, or
- Where no proposed project permits are currently valid, whether project activities requiring permit authorizations are included within current Federal and State Nationwide and General Permits, or
- Where no proposed project permits are currently valid, whether the proposed project activities requiring an Individual permit authorization under either or both Federal and State jurisdictions are likely to gain approvals that will enable the project to be completed by December 1, 2019.
Required Information
Entities seeking to partner with the Department must provide the following information to the Office of Coastal and Land Use Planning on or before July 15, 2016. The Department will notify eligible entities of its acceptance of their offer to partner on or before July 27, 2016.
Proposal/Applicant Information
- Qualifying entity’s name, mail address, and phone number;
- Qualifying entity’s primary contact person’s name, mail address, phone number, and e-mail address;
- Names, mail addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of all qualifying project partners, subcontractors or agents serving as a contact for the proposed project;
Proposed project details that:
- Present an overview of the project scale and scope
- Includes site location maps that provide both regional and site specific details
- Includes a sketch plan or engineered designed drawing that details’, to the extent possible, the proposed project elements and location of the project elements within the project site
- Provides a narrative description of how the proposed project addresses each of the NOAA application evaluation criteria
- Provides a budget for the project.
- Presents a proposed plan to ensure pre and post construction site monitoring plan
- Describes Federal and or State permit authorizations currently valid for the project or the readiness and feasibility of the project obtaining such requisite permits in a timely fashion
- Includes a Statement of Qualifications of the lead perspective grantee which details the experience of the entity or grantee partnership successfully implementing ecological creation, restoration or enhancement projects and/or coastal hazards resiliency projects.
Partnership offerings submissions shall be provided:
Elizabeth Semple, Manager
Office of Coastal and Land Use Planning
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
401 East State Street, 7th Floor
PO Box 420, Mail Code 401-07C
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0420
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