Funding Opportunities

Volunteers pull a derelict vessel out of vegetation.
Volunteers remove a derelict vessel. Photo: American Littoral Society

The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers several nationwide, competitive funding opportunities for marine debris projects. These include: removal, prevention, and research grants.

Open Opportunities

  • The NOAA MDP's FY19 Marine Debris Removal federal funding opportunity is now open to new proposals. For more information, visit Grants.gov.
  • The NOAA MDP's FY19 Marine Debris Research federal funding opportunity is now open to new proposals. For more information, visit Grants.gov.

Community-based Marine Debris Removal Grants

The Marine Debris Program offers funding that supports locally driven, community-based marine debris removal projects. These projects benefit coastal habitat, waterways, and wildlife including migratory fish.

View removal projects funded in fiscal year 2018.

Marine Debris Prevention Grants

The NOAA MDP offers funding to support activities to educate the public about the issue of marine debris that: 1) encourage changes in behavior to reduce and address marine debris; 2) develop and implement activities to reduce and prevent marine debris working with students, teachers, industries, and the public, and, 3) engage the public in active, personal participation (e.g. a small-scale shoreline cleanup with students or other hands-on activities, etc.). This grant’s purpose is to involve audiences in measurable behavior changing activities and limit the increase of marine debris in the world's oceans.

View prevention projects funded in fiscal year 2018.

Marine Debris Research Grants

Marine debris is a relatively new field of research, and there are many opportunities to advance understanding of how debris impacts the environment. The MDP offers funding for original, hypothesis-driven research projects focused on the ecological risk assessment, exposure studies, and fate and transport of marine debris.

View projects funded in fiscal year 2017.

Fishing for Energy Grants

The NOAA MDP supports marine debris projects through its Fishing for Energy partnership. You can read more about the program and find open grant opportunities here.

View projects funded in fiscal year 2015.