NOAA National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) — FY 2026/27
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA Fisheries
$50,000–$400,000
NOAA cooperative agreements of $50K–$400K for fishing-gear innovators and marine businesses to reduce bycatch and protect fisheries.
BREP provides competitive cooperative agreements to non-federal researchers and businesses that develop improved fishing practices and innovative gear technologies to minimize bycatch and post-release mortality in U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries. For-profit small businesses are explicitly eligible alongside individuals, universities, nonprofits, and state/local/tribal governments. Projects must directly benefit U.S. fishermen and fisheries, including aquaculture, and address NOAA's National Bycatch Reduction Strategy priorities.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $50,000 – $400,000
- Realistic amount
- Most BREP awards fall between $75,000 and $250,000, with smaller technology-testing projects at the lower end and multi-year gear-development projects near the cap.
- Deadline
- Full proposals due January 22, 2027
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
Who qualifies
- U.S. citizens, institutions of higher education, nonprofits, commercial organizations (including small businesses), and state/local/U.S. territorial/Alaska Native/Indian tribal governments
- Federal agencies or instrumentalities are ineligible
- Project must develop or test fishing gears or approaches that reduce bycatch and post-release mortality in U.S. fisheries
- Must directly benefit U.S. fishermen, fisheries, or aquaculture operations
- Active SAM.gov/UEI registration required at time of application
Who is not eligible
- Federal agencies and federal instrumentalities
- Foreign entities (not explicitly listed as eligible)
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Development and testing of bycatch-reduction gear or technologies
- Field trials on commercial or recreational fishing vessels
- Engineering design, prototyping, and materials
- Data collection and analysis to measure bycatch/post-release mortality
- Technology transfer activities to fishing industry end-users
Ineligible expenses
- Activities not tied to bycatch or post-release mortality reduction
- Federal employee salaries or travel
- Costs incurred before the award start date
- Land acquisition or vessel purchase not integral to the research
How to apply
-
1
Confirm fit with BREP priorities
Review the FY 2026/27 BREP NOFO and NOAA's National Bycatch Reduction Strategy. Ensure your project addresses technological devices or conservation-engineering changes that minimize bycatch or habitat impacts.
~2 hrs
-
2
Register in SAM.gov and Grants.gov
Obtain or renew your UEI and active SAM.gov registration, then complete Grants.gov applicant registration. Start at least 4–6 weeks before the deadline.
~4 hrs
-
3
Prepare full proposal package
Write the project narrative, budget, budget justification, and supporting forms. Tie the proposed gear or practice to a specific U.S. fishery and quantify expected bycatch or habitat-impact reductions.
~30 hrs
-
4
Submit via Grants.gov by January 22, 2027
Upload SF-424, project narrative, budget, and all required attachments through Grants.gov. Submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to resolve validation issues.
~2 hrs
-
5
Respond to NOAA requests and negotiate award
NOAA may request clarifications. Successful applicants receive a cooperative agreement with active NOAA programmatic involvement.
~4 hrs
Partner early with a commercial fishing operation willing to host gear trials — NOAA scores projects on real-world applicability, and a vessel letter of commitment is often the difference between a funded and an unfished proposal.
Deadline & timing
Posted August 24, 2026. Applications are submitted through Grants.gov. SAM.gov/UEI registration is required and can take several weeks.
Deadline: January 22, 2027 — put it in your calendar before you close this tab.
Includes reminders one week and one day before. Verify on the official program page — funders move dates.
Applications are open — don’t lose the window
GrantCompass tracks NOAA National Bycatch Reduction Engineering Program (BREP) — FY 2026/27’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
- SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance
- Project narrative addressing bycatch-reduction objectives and methods
- Line-item budget and budget justification
- CVs or biographical sketches for key personnel
- Letters of support from fishery partners or industry stakeholders
- Active SAM.gov UEI and registration proof
Related programs
Also open right now
Alternatives computed from the live GrantCompass catalog on August 25, 2026 — all 183 open grant programs · filter the database.
Explore more funding
Last updated August 24, 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.