FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 4, 2015

Through this solicitation, NOAA seeks to openly compete funding available for multi-year Great Lakes regional habitat restoration partnerships (Partnerships). Partnerships will result in implementation of a wide-range of individual habitat restoration projects focused in U.S. Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs) with funds provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Priority projects in AOCs have been identified and continue to be identified for GLRI funding each fiscal year. The Partnership should be flexible related to which AOCs they may work in, and be able to work with NOAA and other federal and state agencies to continue to identify and implement priority projects in targeted AOCs. Note: This is NOT a request for individual habitat restoration project proposals.

Funding of approximately $5,000,000 is expected to be available to establish habitat restoration Partnerships in 2016, with annual funding anticipated to maintain them for up to three years. Individual awards are anticipated to range between $1,000,000 and $40,000,000 in federal funds for the entire three-year partnership. Typical Partnership awards are expected to range from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 per year.

States available: llinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

Dealine: February 2, 2016