Closed · NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239 · CFDA 11.420 · Discretionary
National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2026
Federal grant opportunity posted by DOC NOAA - ERA Production, cataloged on Grants.gov.
- $500K-$3M
- Award range
- Closed
- Status
- September 18, 2026
- Close date
- 20
- Expected awards
The verdict
National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) Land Acquisition and Construction Program for Fiscal Year 2026 is a closed discretionary listing from DOC NOAA - ERA Production that offered $500,000 -- $3,000,000 across 20 expected awards. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number. PlainGrants indexes 116 other opportunities from DOC NOAA - ERA Production.
- $500K-$3M
- award range
- Closed
- application status
- 20
- expected awards
- 11.420
- CFDA program
Recently closed NOFO
This listing closed on September 18, 2026. CFDA 11.420 may re-announce under a new opportunity number. Historical award band was $500,000 -- $3,000,000.
According to Grants.gov (extract vintage 2026-08-10), this record reflects the officially published listing. See methodology.
Deadline tracker
Application window closed
Closed September 18, 2026
Est. Total Funding
$8,500,000
Expected Awards
20
Instrument
Grant
Cost Sharing
Required
Description
The National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) consists of estuarine areas of the United States and its territories designated and managed for research and educational purposes (Reserve) as specified in 15 C.F.R. Part 921. By funding Reserve lead agencies and universities to conduct land acquisition and construction projects that support the NERRS mission, NOAA will strengthen protection of key land and water areas, enhance long-term protection of Reserve areas for research and education, and provide for facility and exhibit construction activities that meet the highest sustainable design standards possible. Each Reserve was designated to ensure its effectiveness as a conservation unit and as a site for long-term research and monitoring. In maintaining their effectiveness, the Reserves may find it necessary to expand their boundaries through strategically planned land acquisitions and/or to develop or enhance their reserve facilities, including their in-situ monitoring infrastructure, to meet the demands of research, monitoring, and education program objectives. NOAA anticipates approximately $8.5 million in Fiscal Year 2026 will be available to designated lead Reserve agencies or universities in coastal states. NOAA anticipates funding between 5-20 construction, acquisition, and/or planning & design projects. Project periods are expected to range from 12–36 months. Complex construction projects may request extended project periods, but the cumulative must not exceed 60 months. Final project selections are subject to availability of funds and negotiation with NOAA. Acquisition or construction projects have a $3,000,000 federal funding cap . Stand-alone planning and design projects have a $500,000 federal funding cap. At the discretion of NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, up to 10% of the Fiscal Year 2026 funds will be reserved for critical reserve vehicle or vessel needs. These funds will be awarded noncompetitively to stand-alone vehicle or vessel project applications that address a critical reserve need.
Catch-all / unrestricted eligibility mark · NOAA-NOS-OCM-2026-33239
Grants.gov marks National Estuarine Research Reserve System with a catch-all / unrestricted eligibility code (Others (see official listing text)). Read the official announcement text for the real applicant filter — the code alone is not a door list. Applicant cost-sharing is required on the Grants.gov extract. Instrument: Grant. Funding-activity codes span Environment · Natural Resources · Science and Technology / R&D (ENV;NR;ST). This eligibility-code string dominates the DOC NOAA - ERA Production book (91 peers, 78% of 117).
- Code 25
- Others (see official listing text)
Codes are Grants.gov eligibility category values from the extract vintage 2026-08-10. Confirm the full eligibility statement on the official listing or the Grants.gov eligibility reference.
Official Listing on Grants.gov
View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.
Agency Contact
For administrative and technical questions regarding the program and application process, please contact Matthew Chasse, Program Coordinator, via phone: 240-628-5417, or via email: contact Matt.Chasse@noaa.gov.
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What to do next
National Estuarine Research Reserve System is closed; use the parent program and agency catalog for the next funding cycle.
- Browse open federal opportunities in the same category when this listing is closed. Open opportunities
- Look up CFDA 11.420 across all indexed listings before you commit to this opportunity alone. Eligibility finder
- Compare award ranges across federal categories before you pick a single CFDA. All categories
Opportunity deadlines and eligibility change on Grants.gov; PlainGrants mirrors the extract and is not the submission system.
Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
| Publisher | PlainGrants |
| Sources | the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov |