Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Tribal Engagement in Regional Ocean Partnership Priorities

Background
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) aims to enhance and sustain the efforts of established Regional Ocean Partnerships (ROPs) in coordinating interstate and intertribal management of ocean and coastal management issues. The program focuses on encouraging or enhancing tribal involvement in or engagement with established ROPs, and/or tribal activities related to ROP priority actions.

Grant Details
The program priorities include capacity building for tribal engagement in ROPs, ocean and coastal data sharing, accessibility, application to inform management, intertribal ocean and coastal coordination, and specific activities related to ROP priorities. Proposals must directly relate to priorities of established ROPs, either through tribal engagement in or with ROPs, or tribal activities closely aligned with ROP priorities. Ineligible project proposal types and activities include construction, large scale restoration projects, land acquisition (fee or easement), activities not related to ROP priorities, and staffing/capacity for tribal work not related to engaging in, coordinating with, and/or partnering with an established ROP.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants are U.S. federally-recognized Indian Tribes that have current and/or ancestral interests in a region with an established Regional Ocean Partnership. Tribal-serving organizations may apply on behalf of one or more tribes but must include a letter(s) from the tribe(s) confirming tribal leadership support for the application and describing how the tribe will be involved in the proposed work.

Period of Performance
Proposals must be received by 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 13, 2022. The award period can be up to two years with an anticipated start date for awards of January 1, 2023. The funding instrument for these awards will be a cooperative agreement.

Grant Value
NOAA anticipates approximately $1 million will be available under this opportunity in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, with typical federal funding awards ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 per year. NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of more than $400,000 for a 2-year award.

Place of Performance
The specific geographic locations where the grant will be performed are regions with established Regional Ocean Partnerships including the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, West Coast Ocean Alliance, Northeast Regional Ocean Council, and Mid Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean.