Fiscal Year 2022 - FY2023 Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowships for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System | NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006941

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006941

The Fiscal Year 2022 to FY 2023 Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship opportunity is a competitive federal funding program run through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), within the Department of Commerce, under NOAA's National Ocean Service Office for Coastal Management. It supports graduate-level research tied to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), a network authorized by the Coastal Zone Management Act and focused on protecting estuaries while also meeting the needs of coastal communities. The fellowship is designed to develop the next generation of professionals in estuarine science and coastal management by combining real-world, reserve-based research with structured mentoring and professional development.

At its core, the program funds masters and doctoral students to carry out applied, collaborative projects that directly support management needs at a specific NERRS reserve. Every proposal must be conducted in coordination with a named reserve and must address one of that reserve's priority management questions, meaning the work is expected to have practical value for on-the-ground decision-making and stewardship. The opportunity is intentionally broad in terms of subject matter and methods: projects can come from natural sciences, social sciences, or a mix of both, and cross-disciplinary approaches are explicitly encouraged. Alongside the research itself, fellows participate in mentoring and professional development activities aimed at building the skills and experience needed for coastal and estuarine careers, while also creating a cohort-style network among fellows that can extend into their early professional years.

Awards are structured so that one fellow is selected for each of the 29 research reserves, resulting in an anticipated 29 total awards. Each fellowship lasts two years (a 24-month project period) and is funded through a cooperative agreement, with the award made to the fellow's graduate institution rather than directly to the student. Cooperative agreements also signal that NOAA and the reserve system expect an active partnership during the project rather than a hands-off grant relationship. The anticipated overall funding level is about $1.74 million per year across all awards, contingent on the availability of FY 2022 and FY 2023 appropriations.

The budget limits are clearly defined. The federal award is capped at $60,000 per year when counting both direct and indirect costs, and direct costs are limited to $45,000 per year. Allowable direct costs are geared toward typical graduate research needs and may include items such as a student stipend, research supplies, travel, and tuition support. This setup is intended to provide enough funding for a student to make meaningful progress on a reserve-relevant research project while remaining anchored within their graduate program and academic advising structure.

Eligibility is focused on individuals who are positioned to complete graduate research at a high level and who can legally work and participate in U.S. federal funding programs. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of U.S. states or territories and must be admitted to or enrolled full-time in a masters or doctoral program at an accredited U.S. university. The opportunity also highlights inclusion goals: minority students are encouraged to apply, and the Office for Coastal Management emphasizes that its fellowship programs aim to be accessible, reduce barriers to participation, and support fellows being comfortable in their identities while fully engaging in the fellowship experience.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using the cooperative agreement instrument, categorized under environment, natural resources, and science and technology/research and development activities, and associated with CFDA number 11.420. The opportunity listing includes a creation date of June 8, 2021, and an original application closing date of December 10, 2021, with an award ceiling of $60,000 per year and an expected 29 awards. Additional program details and guidance are available through NOAA's NERRS Davidson Fellowship webpage at https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/research/davidson-fellowship.html.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2022 - FY2023 Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowships for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.420.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 08, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 10, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $60,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 29 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA NOS OCM 2021 2006941

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