2024 SOUTH FLORIDA PROGRAM

Background
The EPA South Florida Program provides competitive grants to address the immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to south Florida waters including fresh waters, estuaries, bays, and coral reef, central to south Florida’s economic and ecological wellbeing. Aquatic ecosystems play a vital role supporting healthy and resilient estuaries, coastal, inland, and near-shore infrastructure by providing food, habitat, nutrient removal, water filtration, storm attenuation, carbon storage, shoreline stabilization, and other financial and tangible benefits.

Grant Details
The EPA Region 4 anticipates awarding $8,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) to approximately twenty applicants with funding ranging from a minimum of $250,000 to a maximum of $750,000 per application. The NOFO supports the Special Studies/Research component for the South Florida Program. Special Studies are projects that provide information specific to management questions and concerns, inform policy, and provide understanding of south Florida aquatic ecosystems.

Examples of eligible projects include supporting monitoring, research or innovative restoration efforts for key species (e.g. coral, seagrass, sponges, mangroves), research and management strategies to address contaminants of emerging concern; identifying and understanding cause-effect relationships of pollutants in the environment; research on regional water quality impacts from pollution sources.

Eligibility Requirements
Applications will be accepted from States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and private non-profit organizations. Proposed projects benefitting underserved communities will be evaluated as per part V of this announcement.

Period of Performance
The project start date is recommended in the timeframe of January 1, 2025 to June 1, 2025. Proposed project and budget periods can range from two to five years for this funding announcement.

Grant Value
The total estimated funding expected under this competitive announcement is approximately $8,000,000 including both regular appropriations and IIJA funds. The funding will range from $250,000 to a maximum of $750,000 per grant award.

Place of Performance
The South Florida Program region includes the 16-county area covered by the South Florida Water Management District as well as the Florida Keys, Florida Reef Tract,
Caloosahatchee Estuary,
Indian River Lagoon,
St. Lucie Estuary,
Florida Bay,
and Biscayne Bay.