Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Funds | NOAA NMFS WCRO 2023 2007769

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS WCRO 2023 2007769

The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Funds opportunity is a discretionary grant program run by NOAA (within the U.S. Department of Commerce) through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). It makes federal funding available for on-the-ground work tied to the restoration and long-term recovery of Pacific salmon populations, with a strong emphasis on conserving salmon and steelhead that are already listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, as well as populations that states have identified as at risk of becoming listed. The funding is backed by multiple federal laws, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), plus the Consolidated Appropriations Acts for 2022 and 2023, which collectively provide resources for the kinds of habitat and recovery investments that are often too large or complex to support through smaller annual programs.

Eligibility is targeted rather than open-ended. Funds are intended for the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska, along with federally recognized Tribes of the Columbia River and the Pacific Coast, including Alaska. In practical terms, the program is designed to support state and Tribal recovery priorities across the West Coast and Alaska where salmon and steelhead are culturally, ecologically, and economically central. A notable purpose of the program is to support conservation actions that help sustain populations necessary for the exercise of Tribal treaty fishing rights and for native subsistence fishing, in addition to broader habitat conservation and restoration goals.

Project types supported under this opportunity revolve around "necessary expenses" for salmon restoration and habitat conservation. That includes efforts focused on protecting, restoring, and improving Pacific coastal salmon and steelhead habitat and implementing actions that directly contribute to the survival, productivity, and recovery of affected runs. While the notice does not list specific project categories in the excerpt provided, the framing makes clear that NOAA expects proposals to align with PCSRF priorities and guidelines, and to be grounded in recovery needs for listed, at-risk, or treaty and subsistence-relevant populations. The opportunity announcement is meant to lay out those priorities and the rules applicants must follow so that awards are consistent with recovery objectives and regional needs.

From a funding and competition standpoint, this is a substantial grant opportunity. The award ceiling is listed at $30,000,000, with an expected 25 awards, indicating NOAA anticipated making multiple large investments rather than a high volume of small grants. The funding instrument is a grant, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary, and the activity focus is in environment and natural resources, specifically tied to IIJA investments. The CFDA (assistance listing) number associated with the program is 11.438. Key administrative details include an opportunity number of NOAA NMFS WCRO 2023 2007769, a creation date of January 4, 2023, and an original closing date of March 6, 2023.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted federal investment stream meant to accelerate Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery by funding state and Tribal projects that protect and restore habitat and support the persistence and rebuilding of vulnerable populations, while also honoring and sustaining fishing rights and subsistence needs that depend on healthy salmon runs.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, infrastructure investment and jobs act (iija), natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Funds" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.438.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 04, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 06, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $30,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NMFS WCRO 2023 2007769

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: