John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program

Eligible applicants are currently active, authorized participants or researchers in the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Eligible applicants must be:

1. Stranding Agreement holders or their designee organizations.

2. Co-Investigators (CI) authorized as Level 3,4, or 5 large whale entanglement
   responders under the MMHSRP’s MMPA/ESA scientific research and enhancement permit
   (permit no. 18786-04); or

3. Holders of researcher authorization letters issued by a Fisheries Regional Administrator and/or of scientific research or enhancement permits under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and/or Endangered Species Act, including co-investigator authorizations.

4. Eligible federal, state, or local government personnel or tribal personnel (pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act section 109(h) [16 U.S.C. 1379(h)]).

5. Diagnostic or service organizations performing services for the stranding network.

An applicant cannot be a current full-time or part-time Department of Commerce or Department of the Interior employee.

Proposals should be submitted through Grants.gov, the online portal to all federal grant opportunities. Please note that you must be registered with Grants.gov in order to apply for funding online, and the registration process can take several days. See further information  on how to register with Grants.gov. For more information about Grants.gov and NOAA grants, visit the NOAA Grants Management Division website.

Detailed guidance on how to prepare proposals is provided in the federal funding opportunity. This document should be read carefully to ensure that proposals meet eligibility requirements and are complete upon submission. Complete instructions for preparing and submitting proposals are also available through Grants.gov.

Only submit your proposal by mail if you have extenuating circumstances and are unable to submit it online. The address for mail submissions is:

NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources (F/PR2)
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13623
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-3283

This nationwide competition opened on July 15, 2020 and closes on October 13, 2020.  The grant schedule below provides additional information about the timing of the grant cycle stages.

2020

July 14: Announcement of federal funding opportunity posted on Grants.gov.

July 13-October 13, 2020: Submission period. Applications must be received by October 13, 2020.

October – January 2021 (12 weeks): Proposals screened for eligibility and required elements; reviewers solicited and assigned to proposals; proposals undergo technical review.

2021

March (2 days): Program Review Panel meeting convened; funding recommendations made.

March/April (1–2 weeks): Deputy Director reviews proposals and makes final recommendations for Fiscal Year 2021.

April – June (2–3 months): Pre-award negotiations with recommended applicants; award files submitted to NOAA Grants Management Division.

July – September (2-3 months): NOAA Grants Officer finalizes Fiscal Year 2021 awards. Award recipients notified via e-mail. Prescott Program Office also notifies non-recipients (via e-mail) after all recipients have been notified.