Funding Opportunities

The NOAA Marine Debris Program will award up to $28 million across two funding opportunities and through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for projects that remove marine debris to benefit marine and Great Lakes habitats and communities. Funding will be administered through two competitions:  

• Fiscal Year 2024 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with Letters of Intent due on October 27, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and an applicant webinar will be offered on September 12, 2023 at 3:00pm Eastern Time. Register for the webinar.
• Fiscal Year 2024 NOAA Marine Debris Interception Technologies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with Letters of Intent due on November 15, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and an applicant webinar will be offered on September 13, 2023 at 3:00pm Eastern Time. Register for the webinar. 

For more information on these notices of funding opportunity visit the Removal and Interception Technologies opportunities on Grants.gov.

Please visit the following links for applicant resources for each competition:

• FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Removal under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Applicant Resources
• FY24 NOAA Marine Debris Interception Technologies under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Applicant Resources

 View projects funded in fiscal years 2022 and 2023.

With financial support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking applications for $3 million in grants to remove marine debris from coastal communities in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and the western Florida Panhandle impacted by the 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons. The program will primarily fund marine debris assessment, removal, restoration, and disposal activities in coastal communities in the Gulf of Mexico. View removal projects funded in fiscal year 2022.

This funding opportunity has closed.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers funding that supports locally driven, community-based marine debris removal projects. These projects benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and wildlife including migratory fish. View removal projects funded in fiscal year 2022.

This funding opportunity has closed. No competition is anticipated for 2023 due to a reduction in funding. The next competition date has not been determined.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers funding that supports marine debris prevention projects that actively engage and educate a target audience in hands-on programs. These projects raise awareness, reduce barriers to marine debris prevention, and encourage and support changes in behaviors to ensure long-term prevention of marine debris. View prevention projects funded in fiscal year 2022.

This funding opportunity has closed. No competition is anticipated for 2023 due to a reduction in funding. The next competition date has not been determined.

Marine debris is a relatively new field of research, and there are many opportunities to advance understanding of how debris impacts the environment. The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers funding for original, hypothesis-driven research projects focused on the ecological risk assessment, exposure studies, and fate and transport of marine debris. View projects funded in fiscal year 2021.

No competition is anticipated for 2023 due to a reduction in funding. The next competition date has not been determined.

The NOAA Marine Debris Program supports marine debris projects through its Fishing for Energy partnership. You can read more about the program and find open grant opportunities here.