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Biennial Research Request for Proposals

Every two years, the Consortium asks researchers to submit proposals for the funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the National Sea Grant College Program.

Each project undergoes a rigorous peer review. The selected projects support critical research goals for South Carolina and the surrounding region.

The next RFP will be in 2027.

About the Proposal Process

Projects should take 1-2 years and address important questions in coastal conservation, resilience, sustainable development, fisheries and aquaculture, and education and workforce development.

Successful projects are generally supported in the range of $30,000 to $80,000 per year.

Only faculty from Consortium member institutions are eligible to submit proposals, though they may include Co-PIs from other institutions. Partnership is encouraged.

The Consortium’s member institutions include: Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University, College of Charleston, Francis Marion University, Medical University of South Carolina, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, S.C. State University, The Citadel, and University of South Carolina.

Match Requirement

Proposal budgets must provide at least 50% non-federal matching dollars (that is, non-federal match of at least $1 is required for every $2 requested from the Consortium).

In the spirit of cooperation among Consortium member institutions, and to attain the maximum benefit from funds available for its programs, it is the long-standing policy of the Consortium Board of Directors not to use Sea Grant funds to pay indirect costs to its member institutions; however, importantly, indirect costs may be used to satisfy the 50% matching fund requirement.

Requirements for All Proposals

Keys to Sea Grant funding:

  • Formal engagement of targeted stakeholders (e.g., resource management entities, local communities, businesses, and industry members, etc.) in both the development of Concept Letters and proposals and in the projects, if funded, is expected.
  • Interdisciplinary projects involving the natural, physical, and social sciences are appropriate and strongly encouraged.
  • Project results must:
    • Provide environmental, economic, and/or social benefits to an identified and engaged target constituency.
    • Identify how information will be transferred to engaged stakeholders and others.
    • Address management needs of local, state, regional, and federal agencies and institutions (e.g., SCDNR, SCOR, SCDES, NERRs, CoGs).
    • Keep in mind that both resource managers and community groups are important to engage if both are relevant to the work.
  • Multi-institutional and regional efforts also are encouraged, as are collaborations with non-Consortium members, including S.C.-based historically Black colleges and universities, and colleagues in business, industry, and government agencies.
  • Principal Investigators (PIs) are strongly encouraged to support the careers of undergraduate and graduate students, and to publish project results in scholarly journals.
  • PIs should contact the project-relevant Consortium research, extension, education, and communications staff to discuss cooperators and stakeholders in the public and private sectors, as well as engagement and outreach plans (check the Consortium’s staff directory for contact information)

Contacts

About the RFP and submission of documents: proposals@scseagrant.org.

Or contact:

About community engagement, question identification, and extension and education: contact Extension or Education staff, or Assistant Director for Development and Extension, Matt Gorstein, matthew.gorstein@scseagrant.org.

About budgets and university finance questions: contact Director for Administration, Ryan Bradley, ryan.bradley@scseagrant.org.

Other questions: contact Executive Director, Emily Osborne, emily.osborne@scseagrant.org.