NOAA Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Up to $11M total program (no per-award cap published)
Up to $11M in grants for marine debris assessment, removal, and disposal in coastal communities impacted by 2023-2024 hurricanes and typhoons.
The Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund is a partnership between NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) that awards grants to assess, remove, and dispose of marine debris caused by hurricanes and other episodic storm events. The 2027 funding round will award up to $11 million in grants for projects in coastal communities of Guam, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina impacted by the 2023-2024 hurricanes and typhoon.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- Up to $11M total program (no per-award cap published)
- Realistic amount
- Project-dependent; proposals should request funding appropriate to project scale and impact
- Deadline
- Full proposals due October 21, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT
- Status
- active
- States
- FL, GA, NC, SC, GU
Who qualifies
- Commercial (for-profit) organizations with expertise in a field related to marine debris
- Non-profit 501(c) organizations
- State and territorial government agencies
- Local and municipal governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Educational institutions
Who is not eligible
- Federal agencies or employees of federal agencies
- Foreign organizations
- Foreign public entities
- Unincorporated individuals
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Marine debris assessment
- Marine debris removal and proper disposal
- Permitting and compliance costs
- Community engagement and outreach
- Equipment rental or purchase where justified and pre-approved
Ineligible expenses
- Political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, or litigation
- Terrorist activities or Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations
- Ongoing baseline legal compliance or mitigation obligations
- Profit or loaded rates for for-profit recipients
How to apply
-
1
Review the RFP and eligible geography
Read the 2027 Request for Proposals and confirm your project is in an eligible coastal county/area impacted by the named storms.
~2 hrs
-
2
Register in Easygrants
Create or log in to the NFWF Easygrants online system at easygrants.nfwf.org.
~1 hrs
-
3
Prepare full proposal
Complete the online application with project narrative, budget, spatial data, metrics, permits/logistics, and letters of support as needed.
~40 hrs
-
4
Submit before deadline
Submit the full proposal by October 21, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT.
~1 hrs
For-profit applicants cannot apply loaded rates or realize profit from federal financial assistance funds; budget actual costs only. Priority goes to projects ready for direct cleanup with permits and disposal logistics already in place.
Deadline & timing
Informational webinar recording available. Review period October 2026 – February 2027; award announcement March 2027. Grants cannot start prior to March 1, 2027 and should end no later than February 28, 2030.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
GrantCompass tracks NOAA Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund’s application windows in the live catalog. Leave an email and we’ll warn you before this window closes — and tell you when the next round opens.
Free. One email when the window moves, deadline warnings on your watchlist, and the monthly closing-soon digest. Unsubscribe anytime.
Required documents
- Full proposal via Easygrants
- Project narrative and work plan
- Budget and budget narrative
- Spatial data mapped in NFWF tool
- Letters of support from relevant state/territorial marine debris lead agency if applicant is not the lead
- Permit and compliance documentation
Related programs
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Alternatives computed from the live GrantCompass catalog on August 25, 2026 — all 183 open grant programs · filter the database.
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Researched and verified 2026-08-24 against the official program source. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.