Charting Seas of Change

FY 26-27 Biennial Sea Grant Request for Proposals

FY26-28-RFP

Important Dates, Registration, and Contact Information

Contact: proposals@scseagrant.org

Register to use S.C. Sea Grant’s Online Proposal and Reporting System, eSeaGrant

Concept Letters Due in eSeaGrant: February 21, 2025

Full Proposals Due in eSeaGrant: May 16, 2025

Project Period of Performance: February 1, 2026 – January 31, 2028

General Information Webinars

You must register to receive the link to join.

• Monday January 27 at 1pm
• Friday January 31 at 3pm

About the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium

The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium (Consortium) member institutions are 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.

Our member institutions serve as our partners in research and outreach, and the executive officer of each institution serves on our board of directors. Only faculty from Consortium member institutions are eligible to submit proposals though they may include Co-PIs from other institutions. Partnership is encouraged.

Proposals should address important questions in coastal conservation, resilience, sustainable development, fisheries and aquaculture, and education and workforce development. These are one- to two-year projects.

The National Sea Grant College Program seeks to recruit, retain, and prepare a talented workforce, and proactively engage and serve the diverse populations of coastal communities. Sea Grant is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication, and education programs that are made up of and serve people with unique backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives, and ways of thinking. The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium expects to fund research and outreach projects that respond to the needs of all people and communities in our state and encourages proposals from PIs of all backgrounds.

Available Funding

The Consortium anticipates having a minimum of $500,000 available for new projects starting on February 1, 2026. Because this RFP covers two years, two-year projects will start February 1, 2026, and one-year projects may be scheduled to begin February 1 in either 2026 or 2027, dependent on FY2026 and FY2027 federal appropriations. Successful projects are generally supported in the range of $30,000 to $80,000 per year (somewhat higher for multi-investigator, multi-institutional proposals).

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.

eSeaGrant

All applicants must register and submit Concept Letters and Full Proposals in eSeaGrant. Do not leave this to the last minute. It is important to do this in advance of the submission deadline as the Consortium will not be responsible for last-minute user errors. All forms needed for submission are found in this system. Please contact proposals@scseagrant.org for help with registration.

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)

Priorities for Research in this Cycle

Consortium program priorities fall within the context of the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program Strategic Plan and the Consortium’s FY 24-27 Strategic Plan and focus on critical marine and coastal resource-related needs and opportunities for South Carolina and the region. PIs are strongly encouraged to submit Concept Letters that directly address one or more of these priorities. Concept Letters that address other topics may be submitted; however, the burden of justifying the need for the effort proposed lies entirely with the investigator(s).

HEALTHY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS

Priorities:

1. Evaluate the impact of climate variability and predicted future conditions of climate and land use on South Carolina’s coastal ecosystems and resources, including living marine resources and/or drinking water resources, and identify recommended strategies to address the effects.
2. Evaluate and assess the extent to which contaminants that are captured in stormwater ponds travel to receiving waters.
3. Estimate social, economic, and cultural values for ecosystem services (e.g., water quality enhancement, flood protection, value of coastal wetlands in supporting fisheries) provided by coastal habitats, including sand dunes, wetlands, salt marshes, oyster reefs, and beaches, to inform coastal zone management decision making.
4. Evaluate and compare coastal habitat restoration strategies to identify those that best improve the functionality of coastal creeks and streams with changes in sea level and increased weather variability.
5. Develop decision-support tools that illustrate possible changes in land use and land cover in response to projected population growth and changing climate and weather patterns. 6. Evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and durability of water and stormwater management techniques, including existing and sustainable development practices, and inform target audiences, such as individual landowners and community planners, of the results.
6. Assess viability and use of blue carbon capture as a management tool.

SUSTAINABLE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMY

Priorities:

1. Characterize the social, economic, cultural, and demographic factors that impact South Carolina’s traditional water-dependent activities and identify options for sustaining these uses.
2. Assess how climate variability and land use change may affect working waterfronts.
3. Identify avenues for rural, island, and small-town coastal communities to engage in the tourism economy in sustainable economic, environmental, and culturally diverse ways.
4. Co-produce planning and policy with coastal communities to evaluate current and future needs for sustainable coastal access.
5. Generate and distribute information, management tools, and technologies on beach, marsh, and dune systems that can help communities manage coastal environments for recreation, tourism, maritime heritage, and cultural history.
6. Evaluate the impacts of sea level rise and climate variability on various Low Impact Development (LID) and other innovative systems.
7. Evaluate culturally significant sites in coastal communities to determine how environmental changes and related anthropogenic actions have impacted these sites, and document those that are vulnerable to future impacts in order to maximize conservation potential

WEATHER AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Priorities:

1. Assess the effects of the interaction of short-term weather and long-term climate change on urban and rural communities, critical infrastructure, built and natural environments, cultural resources, and economies of South Carolina’s diverse coastal communities.
2. Engage in meaningful information exchange and knowledge co-production with historically marginalized communities and neighborhoods in order to support science- based and place-based adaptation actions that enhance community resilience to climate change.
3. Conduct case studies to examine climate hazard and adaptation scenarios within estuarine and shoreline environments and find solutions to implement adaptation measures in rural and low-capacity communities.
4. Develop co-produced science-based timelines for climate change and sea level rise impacts and effects on ecosystems and communities, outlining socioecological tipping points.
5. Assess and predict long-term and episodic trends in beachfronts and tidal marsh shorelines accounting for anthropogenic responses (e.g., nourishment, hard structures, and dune alterations) under changing climate conditions, including shifts from high marsh to low marsh and feasibility of marsh to propagate into different types of inland systems.

SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE

Priorities:

1. Build upon proven technological advancements in fish population studies, such as molecular genetics, infrared spectroscopy, remote video and audio monitoring, and other methods as a means for fiscal efficiency and improved accuracy in estimating marine resource stocks.
2. Assess and characterize the natural (e.g., climate change) and human (e.g., encroachment) threats to the long-term status, distribution, and/or viability of wild fish populations and/or aquaculture species.
3. Develop methods to estimate the level of recreational harvest of key shellfish and crustacean species in South Carolina (e.g., oysters, clams, shrimp, crabs) to inform sustainable fisheries management.
4. Develop novel and alternative gear and system designs and materials to support sustainable fisheries and aquaculture industries such as methods for blue crab harvesting.
5. Identify value-added opportunities to diversify revenue streams for fisheries and aquaculture businesses.
6. Document and assess changes in the demographic and socioeconomic dynamics of South Carolina’s commercial, for-hire, and recreational fisheries, including examination of (a) shifts in the average age of fishermen, (b) changes in operational expenses and regulations, (c) how the fisheries will change relative to offshore vs. inshore fishing, increased shore-based fishing, targeting different species, etc., and (d) economic incentives and policy alternatives that could be implemented to reserve waterfront access for such uses.
7. Conduct research to identify economically viable and environmentally sustainable aquaculture practices and operations at a variety of scales, including examining novel commercial species.

SCIENTIFIC LITERACY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Priorities:

1. Develop sustainable K-12 student marine education and stewardship programs that incorporate the Consortium’s priority research topic areas, are accessible and equitable throughout the diverse communities of the state, and align with the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready State Science Standards.
2. Develop professional development opportunities for formal and nonformal educators that provide content and resources for incorporating ocean sciences concepts into their place of instruction.
3. Create novel environmental stewardship-focused programs that incorporate participatory science and are inclusive for youth and adults across a range of ages and abilities.
4. Enhance educational and workforce development opportunities in coastal- and marine- fields of study to a diverse cadre of undergraduate and graduate students at South Carolina universities and colleges through research support and fellowship and internship experiences.
5. Evaluate current and potential workforce needs and opportunities in the Southeast.
6. Enhance the level of environmental health literacy, especially in high-exposure communities, to determine effective strategies for raising awareness of the connection between a healthy environment and human well-being.

The Proposal Process, Guidelines, and Timelines

All Consortium member faculty are eligible to be Principal Investigators (PI) and may include investigators from non-member institutions, businesses, organizations, and communities as co-PIs and subawardees. The Concept Letters are reviewed for applicability to Consortium objectives, engagement (including planning), and outreach, as found in the strategic plan. Proposers are then encouraged or discouraged to submit a Full Proposal. The Full Proposal is reviewed for significance, technical excellence, community impact, and likelihood of success in achieving the objectives.

Selected proposals will be included in the Consortium’s FY 26-27 Omnibus Request to the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. After review and pending approval, projects will start on February 1, 2026, unless otherwise notified. The start date of some approved one-year projects submitted by investigators in response to the Consortium’s Sea Grant RFP may be deferred to February 1, 2027.

Reporting is required on a semi-annual basis.

Contact with Consortium management, research, extension, education, or communications staff is required and advantageous during the Concept Letter development process (see the Consortium staff directory for contact information). Projects under consideration for Concept Letter development should be discussed concerning significance, scope, engagement, and outreach activities.

Proposal and Review Dates

Timetable for Proposal Submission and Review

Concept Letters

The first step in the proposal process is the preparation and submission of a Concept Letter. PIs should register with the Consortium’s eSeaGrant grants management system prior to submitting a Concept Letter. It is important to do this ahead of time, as the Consortium will not be responsible for last-minute user errors.

Competitive research and outreach projects should be outcome-oriented; address societal problems, issues, and opportunities; engage users from the outset; support economic gains and/or savings; and result in the application of science-based information to foster decision-making.

All projects should take an inclusive approach for research participants, end users, and communities. Prospective PIs are expected to contact the Consortium’s Management, Extension, Education, and/or Communications staff for assistance in identifying users/stakeholders, developing outreach plans, and engaging Consortium staff in the proposed work.

Concept Letters will be reviewed internally and evaluated by an external advisory panel consisting of state, federal, and out-of-state scientists, outreach specialists, coastal community representatives as well as coast- and ocean-related organization leaders. The Concept Letters will be reviewed for:

• Suitability to the Consortium’s strategic plan and research priorities.
• Engagement of target audiences in developing research questions.
• Descriptions of how results from the proposed efforts will be translated into information, tools, and documentable outcomes for coastal decision-makers and end users.
• An applicable outreach and education approach.
• A reasonable approach to research question(s).

Prospective investigators with Concept Letters will be notified by March 24, 2025, of the review and evaluation results as well as the process for Full Proposal submission. PIs will be encouraged or discouraged to prepare and submit Full Proposals. Any PI that submits a Concept Letter is allowed to submit a Full Proposal; however, encouraged proposals have a much higher likelihood of being selected during the Full Proposal process.

Structure of Concept Letters

All Concept Letters are to be submitted through the eSeaGrant grants management system and are due by 5:00 p.m. on February 21, 2025. Concept Letters have a maximum of five pages.

Up to three pages can be used for the following narrative:

Problem Statement: Describe in concise terms the problem and/or opportunity to be examined, identify the targeted stakeholders and constituencies involved in the issue and the project, and specifically reference the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium RFP priority(ies) it addresses.

Objectives: Clearly list the overall objectives and hypotheses for the proposed project, and list specific objectives by year if proposing a two-year project. Projects are expected to be completed within two years of implementation.

Expected Outcomes: The PI should outline planned outcomes and the timeframes in which they will be achieved. Expected outcome statements should address how the proposed project is expected to contribute to the economic, environmental, social, and/or educational sectors of South Carolina and/or the region. The following list provides some examples of the types of outcomes the Consortium is seeking:

• New tools/technologies to be developed for specific use by communities, decision-makers, and organizations.
• Number of jobs to be created and/or sustained.
• Changes in community, government, and/or industry “behavior” (e.g., passage of new ordinances, adoption of new policies, etc.) that may result.
• Economic value (e.g., revenues and/or savings) of expected benefits to target audiences.
• Number of new or adapted curricula and educational products used in formal and nonformal education settings.
• Number of patent applications to be filed.
• Number of undergraduate and graduate students supported and trained.
• Number of expected articles in scholarly journals.

Targeted Audiences, Outreach, and Education: Identify the users, organizations, and groups that will be involved in the project and benefit from the work. Describe how the project will engage communities and managers in the proposed work. Briefly identify the information products to be generated and the mechanisms that will be used to deliver the resulting information to the target audiences. PIs are strongly encouraged to contact their target audiences prior to submission of Concept Letters to solicit their interest and seek their involvement (co-production, see Resources section) in the proposed project.

Prospective PIs are expected to contact the Consortium’s Sea Grant Management, Extension, Education, and/or Communications staff for assistance identifying users/stakeholders and developing outreach plans as well as to engage Consortium staff in the proposed work.

Note that Consortium staff may participate in a proposal if the work fits well into their planned activities, and they agree to participate in the project if funded. There is no funding needed for staff participating in the proposal; however, PIs will still need to include funding for meetings, workshops, extended travel for Consortium staff collaborators and community partners, supplies, etc. needed engagement and outreach activities.

Methods: Provide an overview of the research plan—reviewers should be able to make a preliminary determination about the appropriateness and innovativeness of the proposed approach for achieving the stated objectives. PIs must indicate their willingness to include a data-sharing plan in their Full Proposals.

On a separate 4th page include:

Personnel, Collaborators, and Stakeholders: The Consortium strongly encourages PIs to include support for undergraduate and/or graduate students in their work, involve targeted stakeholders throughout the project, and include extension and/or education specialists to assist with information exchange and delivery with stakeholders. PIs may contact any of the Consortium’s program staff for their assistance; the involvement of extension and/or education specialists from other state institutions or organizations is encouraged. Extension and education specialists should be included on the project team.

List the names and affiliations of all investigators, cooperators, senior staff, and students (if appropriate), and briefly describe their roles in the proposed effort. Also describe all stakeholder partners, user interactions, extension and/or education program staff involvement, and other details on those individuals who will contribute to the project. Both partners and investigators can be added after the submission of a Concept Letter if the addition strengthens the work.

Budget/Duration: Include a rough budget estimate of requested funds, (broken down into salaries, wages, fringe benefits, travel, equipment (value of $5,000 or higher), supplies, and other costs for each year of the project. Indicate the length of the proposed effort (in years one and/or two) (example below). Note items that you would like reviewers to know such as a subaward to another university, participant costs, number of students supported, etc.

Literature cited may be included on a 5th page.

Optional: Conceptual may be included on a 4th or 5th page.

Preparation and Submission of Concept Letters

Please prepare your Concept Letter using the following guidelines:

• The narrative of the Concept Letter should be no longer than three (3) 8.5” x 11” pages.
• Do not use a font smaller than 11 point, or margins less than moderate, 1-inch top and bottom and 0.75 inches on each side.

Evaluation of Concept Letters

RUBRIC FOR SCORING

The following criteria and rating scales will be used to rate Concept Letters. Please note that the Concept Letter evaluation is weighted to Significance, Engagement, Products and Impact, Education, and Student Training. Those that score well will be invited to submit Full Proposals. Full Proposals will be weighted to scientific and technical merit, products and impacts, and budget.

Full Proposals Overview

Full Proposals are due in eSeaGrant by 5:00 p.m. on May 16, 2025.

Full Proposals should be prepared carefully with respect to clarity and conciseness including:

• Suitability to Consortium strategic plan and research needs.
• Clarity of objectives.
• Approach and methods for obtaining results.
• Inclusive engagement of target audiences and resource managers in developing the research question(s).
• Descriptions of how results from the proposed efforts will be translated into information, tools, and documentable outcomes for the intended audience.
• Dissemination of results.

Structure of Full Proposals

Prior to initial submission, all Proposals must be reviewed by the sponsored program office and endorsed (on the Proposal Endorsement form) by the designated signatory authority at your institution for accurate budget and matching funds commitment. We strongly suggest that the Proposal be sent to your institution’s research/business office for endorsement and signatures well before it is due to eSeaGrant (eSG). Instructions for submission via the Consortium’s online proposal and project management system will be provided when Concept Letter reviews are sent to investigators. If administrative personnel require access to eSG for proposal submission, please contact Susannah Sheldon.

The following sections are to be included in the Full Proposal. Detailed information is below.

1. Proposal Endorsement Form
2. Project Summary
3. Introduction/Background/Significance
4. Objectives
5. Detailed Methods
6. Engagement, Outreach, and Education
7. Expected Outcomes, Anticipated Benefits, and Products
8. Related Work
9. Data Sharing and Management Plan
10. References
11. Milestone Chart
12. Vitae (Consortium form, no more than two pages per PI)
13. Budget
14. Detailed Budget Justification
15. OPTIONAL: OMB-approved demographic question

Important Notes:

• Do not use a font smaller than 11 point, or margins less than moderate, 1-inch top and bottom and 0.75 inches on each side.
• The page limit for the narrative is 8 pages which includes #3-8. Items 1-2 and 9-14 are excluded from the page limit.
• Forms needed for proposal preparation will be found in the Consortium’s eSeaGrant online grants management system.

Section Details

1. Proposal Title, Project Leaders, and Endorsement (Consortium forms)

The proposal endorsement serves as the official cover sheet for the proposal. This page includes the project title, principal investigator’s name and affiliation, and the total amount requested for the duration of the proposed effort. It also serves as the signature page for institutional endorsements; all Full Proposals should be reviewed by and endorsed, on

the Proposal Endorsement page, by the Sponsored Programs office at your institution for accurate budget and matching funds commitment. Investigators are encouraged to submit their Full Proposals to their institution’s research/business office for review and signatures well before they are due.

The title should accurately reflect the nature of the proposal project and be free of technical jargon. Choose words to which the designated users of the project can relate. The name(s) and affiliation(s) of the key project investigator(s) should follow underneath the title.

2. Project Summary

The project summary is a document of up to one page that consists of an overview of the proposed activity, a statement on its intellectual merit, and a discussion of broader impacts. Each of these three sections is required to be present and must be clearly defined.

3. Introduction/Background/Significance

The introduction/background should be a well-developed rationale for the proposed and should emphasize the importance of the work to the target audience(s). The problem or need should be stated succinctly and should clearly define the audience who desires the solution or will benefit from the work, and should briefly describe how the audience will be engaged. If the proposed research and/or outreach effort has economic importance, state the nature of the potential economic payoff in an objective fashion. This section also should provide a summary of the current literature as it relates to the project. Finally, the Consortium priority(ies) that the proposal addresses should be identified.

4. Objectives

The objectives section should begin with a statement of the overall goal of the project. The goal should be followed by a succinct set of measurable objectives and, for quantitative research proposals, one or more testable hypotheses. Proposals should include a set of concisely stated measurable objectives for each year of work.

Objectives clearly state what the project will accomplish, and realistically identify the proposed outcome and application of project results. For example, “increase our knowledge of …” is not measurable language; rather “to determine the role of [X] in the [Y] system” is much more appropriate and allows for the determination of whether or not the project, in fact, has done so. A short paragraph should follow each objective to support its rationale and a protocol to determine success

5. Detailed Methods

Technical procedures and the development and analyses of data should be fully detailed in the methods section. Use the objectives as subheadings and describe the procedures and methods to be used to ensure success. Provide a timetable that identifies the sequence and duration by which objectives will be completed; refer to the guidance on milestone charts below.

6. Engagement, Outreach, and Education

Describe the engagement of community members, organizations, and managers that direct or are affected by the research outcomes. Does the engagement include all relevant people or representatives? As identified in the Concept Letter, expand on the extent to which a proposal specifically identifies and involves its user groups and what outreach and education efforts will be used to develop and/or share project results. Identify information products that will be generated and the mechanisms, including outreach personnel, who will deliver results and information to the target audience(s).

Describe the education and/or outreach plan and information products to result from the proposed project. These products will depend on the audiences to be reached as identified in the introduction. Journal articles and technical reports are geared to the professional community and are expected to be generated by Sea Grant PIs; other forms of communication materials (e.g., website, social media, booklets, and brochures) are geared to community stakeholders and the end users of the research. If Consortium Extension, Education, or Communications staff will play a role in the proposed effort in terms of disseminating resultant information, describe the participation.

Any workshops and meetings proposed should adhere to the Sea Grant Association policy for meetings, which has been adopted by the Consortium: www.scseagrant.org/wp-content/ uploads/SGA-meetings-policy.pdf

7. Expected Outcomes, Anticipated Benefits, and Products

As in the Concept Letter, the PI should identify specific expected outcome(s) for each year of the proposed work. The PI should outline planned outcomes and the timeframes (on an annual basis, for each year of the proposed effort) in which they will be achieved. Expected outcome statements should address how the proposed project is expected to contribute to the economic, environmental, social, and/or educational sectors of South Carolina and the region. The following list provides some examples of the types of statements the Consortium is seeking:

• New tools/technologies to be developed for specific end users.
• Number of jobs created and/or sustained.
• Changes in community, government, and/or industry “behavior” (e.g., passage of new ordinances, adoption of new policies, etc.)
• Economic value (e.g., revenues and/or savings) of benefits to target audiences.
• Number of new or adapted curricula developed and used in schools.
• Number of patent applications to be filed.
• Number of undergraduate and graduate students supported and trained.
• Number of expected articles in scholarly journals.

The anticipated benefits section should concisely state how the results of the proposed project would improve or change the current situation based on the information and products produced. How will the target audience(s) and stakeholders benefit from the work, and to what degree? What economic benefits might result from the successful completion of the proposed work?

8. Related Work

Finally, relationships to other studies and programs being performed both by the PIs and others related to the proposed work should be described in a brief related work section. This section should identify other ongoing and related work in the proposed area of study and state how the proposal complements and/or augments this other work.

9. Data Sharing and Management Plan

All environmental data and information collected and/or created under NOAA grants and cooperative agreements must be made visible, accessible, and independently understandable to general users, free of charge, and in a timely manner (typically no later than two years after the data are collected or created), except where limited by law regulation, policy, or by security requirements. Please review the NOAA Sea Grant data sharing directive (link below) prior to preparing your plan.

To comply with this requirement, prospective Principal Investigator(s) must include a Data Sharing and Management Plan in the Full Proposal stage, explaining how data and metadata will be offered and shared. Funds may be budgeted in the Full Proposal for this task. The Sea Grant Data Management Policy and Framework is available (www.scseagrant.org/ wp-content/uploads/NOAA-Data-Sharing-Directive.pdf) for guidance in developing the data management plan and includes a fillable template for submission with the Full Proposal.

Please keep in mind the following when drafting your plan:

• The Data/Information Sharing Plan (and any subsequent revisions or updates) will be made publicly available at the time of award and, thereafter, may be posted with the published data.
• Environmental data and information produced under this award and which are made public must be accompanied by the following statement: “These environmental data and related items of information have not been formally disseminated by NOAA and do not represent and should not be construed to represent any agency determination, view, or policy.”
• NOAA may at its own discretion use information from the Data/Information Sharing Plan to produce a formal metadata record and include that metadata in a catalogue to indicate the pending availability of new data.
• Failing to share environmental data and information in accordance with the submitted Data/Information Sharing Plan may lead to disallowed costs and be considered by NOAA when making future award decisions.

10. References

References citing appropriate background and method-based literature should be listed according to the standards established in the field of study.

11. Milestone Chart

Milestone charts must be completed to illustrate the timetable for the completion of all tasks necessary to meet the proposed objectives. This will allow the Consortium to track the progress of the project. www.scseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/Milestone-Report.pdf

This schedule should include a mechanism for interacting with users, such as the engagement of an advisory committee or presentations at appropriate professional meetings. Time for preparing the final report must also be included.

12. Vitae (Consortium form, maximum two pages per PI)

Biographical data should be provided on the vitae form (two pages maximum) for each principal and associate investigator. Please be sure to include your phone number and email address as part of your professional address. Long resumes in lieu of this form are not acceptable as substitutes. www.scseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/Vitae-Form.pdf

13. Budget

The budget should detail and accurately reflect the actual annual and cumulative costs of carrying out the project. Therefore, an individual budget form for each year as well as a cumulative budget form spanning the duration of the project must be provided. An inadequate budget causes just as many problems as one that is inflated; please plan the budget request carefully. There are several federal provisions to be aware of—these are presented in the budget justification section below.

14. Detailed Budget Justification

The budget justification should detail the need for Sea Grant funds for each and all line items, and outline matching fund use. It must explain the major duties of personnel and percentages of time for all participants, including undergraduate and graduate students. All capital and permanent equipment requests must be itemized along with the cost and specific justification of need. Permanent equipment requests of more than $5,000 should be made on a 50-50 match basis. Funding for construction and the purchase of vessels and vehicles are not eligible for Sea Grant funding. Requests for travel funds must be described via the formula used for calculation (e.g., number of miles at cost per mile for so many trips to some destination). If you are requesting travel funds for a national meeting, indicate the

importance of the meeting to the proposed work. In the same regard, provide a detailed list of the types of supplies to be purchased. It is important that the funds requested truly reflect the costs of the project and be thoroughly justified. A budget justification must be completed for each budget year of proposed work, and submitted as separate documents from the main body of the proposal.

We suggest that you use the budget justification template in eSeagrant to ensure that all figures are included.

Evaluation of Full Proposals

Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by external reviewer researchers and an external advisory panel. These will consist of in-state and out-of-state government and organization researchers and outreach specialists as well as out-of-state university scientists and government officials. A standard professional review form, below, provides a listing of the criteria used in the review process covering both conceptual content appropriate to Sea Grant and the technical merit of the plan of work, however, in this review, the weighting is toward technical merit. The reviews are then evaluated and proposals are either accepted or rejected and rankings are discussed. The S.C. Sea Grant leadership team will conduct a final review of

the proposals and consider the review panel’s recommendations. The Sea Grant director has final discretion to recommend projects based on the panel recommendations, diversity and balance of proposals, availability of funding, and programmatic objectives, needs, and priorities.

The following criteria and rating scales will be used to rate Full Proposals:

Programmatic Justification – The degree to which the proposed project addresses the priorities outlined in the guidance provided by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium. (Weight: 5%)

Rationale – The degree to which the proposed project addresses an important state and/or regional issue, problem, or opportunity in the development, use, and/or conservation of marine or coastal resources. (Weight: 10%)

Clarity of Objectives – The degree to which the proposed objectives address the problem or opportunity identified in the Rationale and Programmatic Justification sections and, in the case of research proposals, the relevance of the hypotheses upon which the objectives are based. (Weight: 15%)

Scientific/Outreach Methods – The degree to which (1) the feasibility of the proposed methods and design of the proposed project will address stated objectives, (2) the use and extension of innovative, state-of-the-art methods to be used in the proposed project will advance the scientific or outreach discipline, and (3) the data sharing plan will meet the needs of the public. (Weight: 25%)

Expected Outcomes – The degree to which the planned outcomes are clearly defined, in terms of interim and final measurable results and products, and with a reasonable timeframe for completion and delivery. Outcomes should be identified for each year, be measurable, and have a positive impact on the systems, technology, or management practices under study (e.g., cost savings, revenue generation, jobs created, new products/tools developed, workforce development, etc.). (Weight: 20%)

User Engagement – The degree to which targeted users of the results of the proposed activity have been brought into the planning of the activity, will be brought into the execution of the activity, and will be kept apprised of progress and results, the adequacy of the methods to be used to engage the users, and whether resources have been allotted for stakeholder engagement. (Weight: 10%)

Dissemination of Results – The degree to which the proposed project includes specific strategies for information delivery to and product development for identified targeted users (e.g., through the scientific literature, Sea Grant Extension and Communications products, educational efforts, etc.). (Weight: 10%)

Adequacy of Budget – The degree to which the proposed budget will adequately support the proposed work and provide the necessary and appropriate amount and distribution of funding across budget categories. (Weight: 5%)

Submit Suggested Reviewers

Please submit the names, institutional affiliations, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of five or more prospective peer reviewers from outside the state of South Carolina that you feel are highly qualified to make substantive comments on the technical and conceptual merits of the proposal. They may or may not be requested to provide reviews. Please send these to proposals@scseagrant.org.

Resources

• Co-Production Examples and Tools
• National Strategy for a Sustainable Ocean Economy
• The National Ocean Biodiversity Strategy · National Aquatic Environmental DNA Strategy
• S.C. Sea Grant Consortium dynamic document: Environmental Equity Checklist for Projects and Programs
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Current Conditions and Best Practices across the National Sea Grant Network
• “A Seat at the Table: Training for Whole-Community Climate Resilience Planning” NOAA Digital Coast
• “Introduction to Stakeholder Participation” NOAA Digital Coast
• “Why Am I Always Being Researched?” Guidebook: Chicago Beyond
• SCDHEC Environmental Justice Community Tool. This resource was developed to provide a visualization of environmental, demographic, and resource information at locations throughout South Carolina. This tool is intended to support initiatives spearheaded by community residents and other stakeholders as they develop and implement community awareness projects, community action plans, educational programs, grant proposals, revitalization efforts, technical assistance centers, etc.

Funded Projects – Responsibilities and Reporting

Successful Full Proposals that address Consortium program priorities and meet constituent needs; formally engage targeted stakeholders/users; have a strong technical, scientific, and methodological approach; and fit within the available budget are included in the Consortium’s proposed program plan. Investigators will be asked to prepare and submit a letter addressing reviewers’ comments in early September. The proposals themselves cannot be revised. PIs will also be required to complete NEPA forms during this time.

Additional Content Needed

1. Prospective investigators whose proposals are accepted will be asked to address reviewers’ comments by preparing a statement that will be attached to the original proposal; no revisions to the proposal itself will be allowed. Any subsequent revisions in the budget MUST be endorsed by the investigator’s institutional signatory official. The due date is September 12, 2025.

2. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires that Federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of major Federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human or natural environment. All research projects must furnish sufficient information to assist Sea Grant in assessing the environmental consequences of supporting the projects. Applicants will be required to cooperate with Sea Grant in identifying feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. An abbreviated environmental compliance (NEPA) form will be required if the application is selected for funding. The due date is September 12, 2025.

Reporting

The Principal Investigator of a Sea Grant project is responsible for all technical reporting and, in conjunction with the institutional business office, all fiscal reporting to the Consortium. In turn, the Consortium is responsible for technical and fiscal reporting to the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP). Consortium professional staff frequently communicate with Sea Grant PIs to discuss project progress and needs. Questions regarding budgetary matters and programmatic requests should be directed to the Consortium’s Director for Administration Ryan Bradley and Research and Fellowships Manager Susannah Sheldon. (See staff directory).

This Section includes information on the following policies and procedures:

• Formal Award Agreements
• Changes in Project Scope, Duration, or Budget
• Disposition of Permanent Equipment
• Patent Policy
• Prior Approval of Survey Instruments and Brochures
• Reimbursement Conditions
• Fiscal Reporting
• Project Reporting
• Submission of Publications
• Citation and Acknowledgement Requirements

These and other conditions of the grant award are stipulated in the formal award announcements and agreements sent to the Institution’s Sponsored Programs Office. We will cc: the PI; please read through these documents carefully.

FORMAL AWARD AGREEMENTS

The Sea Grant fiscal year begins February 1 with formal award announcements sent to the investigators and their respective institution’s business office. The Award Agreements must be read and endorsed by both the appropriate signatory authority and the Principal Investigator of the Sea Grant project. The institution must then forward copies of the

executed documents back to the Consortium for its records. The project can formally begin on the date listed in the documentation.

CHANGES IN PROJECT SCOPE, DURATION, OR BUDGET

Among the provisions of the Agreements is a set of special conditions of which the investigators should be aware. Significant changes in projects subsequent to the formal awards, whether budgetary or programmatic, require prior formal approval by the Consortium and, in some cases, the NSGCP as well. If you are unsure, please contact your Sponsored Programs office or the Consortium’s Director for Administration for clarification.

• Any proposed changes affecting the following categories require prior written approval:
• Any budget changes across line items that exceed ten (10) percent of the total federal budget amount.
• The purchase of any item of permanent equipment (any single item costing $5,000 or more) not specifically identified, justified, and approved in the proposal and budget.
• Any foreign travel not previously identified, justified, and approved in the proposal and budget.
• A change in the Principal Investigator.
• Significant change in Engagement and End Users/Collaborators (for instance, a Key Partner).
• Significant changes in time devoted to a project by a PI.
• Any change in the scope of objectives of the approved project.
• Principal Investigators must obtain such approval before making any substantive changes in project objectives, methods, budget, or schedule. Requests for changes must be submitted in writing through the institution’s Sponsored Programs office to the Consortium. Recipients are not authorized to proceed with any changes until final written approval is received from the Consortium

Requests for no-cost time extensions must include sufficient justification and be submitted at least 30 days prior to the end of the grant year, along with a budget for all remaining funds to be expended. Such extensions may be approved when any one of the following applies:

• Additional time beyond the established expiration date is required to ensure completion of the original approved project scope or objectives; or
• Continuity of Sea Grant support is required while a competing application is under review; or
• The extension is necessary to permit an orderly phase-out of a project that will not receive continued support.

Approval of no-cost time extensions by the Consortium is based on an adequate reason for not meeting the project deadline. Unexpended funds are not, by themselves, justification for an extension. In addition, all projects supported with federal funds must comply with the following:

• The recipient is subject to the provisions of the Fly America Act and must comply with the Act when scheduling transportation for travel paid for with federal funds.
• The recipient is encouraged, to the greatest extent practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and products with funding provided under a Sea Grant award.
• The Consortium must have on file a copy of each institution’s approved indirect cost rate (IDC) agreement for proposals submitted for funding that include IDC costs as match (per Consortium policy).

PURCHASE AND DISPOSITION OF PERMANENT EQUIPMENT

The Consortium strongly encourages joint funding support for the purchase of permanent equipment. Thus, any PI who requests one or more items of permanent equipment (defined as any single object costing $5,000 or more) should seek to match such a purchase with an equal amount of funding from her/his institution.

Permanent equipment purchased under a Consortium project is and remains the property of the Consortium, but can remain with the investigator’s institution pending approval from NSGO. The Consortium does reserve the right to transfer use of this equipment upon completion of the project. However, if the investigator and/or institution desires to obtain title to equipment purchased under an existing agreement, a formal written request must be made to the Consortium Executive Director at the end of the project. Final disposition of the equipment will then be determined under existing statutes.

PATENT POLICY

The policy and procedures set forth in the U.S. Department of Commerce regulations (37 CFR 401), “Rights to Inventions made by Nonprofit Organizations and Small Business Firms Under Government Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative Agreements,” published in the Federal Register on March 18, 1987, shall apply to all grants and cooperative agreements made for which the purpose is experimental, developmental, or research work.

The Consortium’s Assistant Director for Administration should receive with the final expenditure report a completed final invention statement if anything patentable was developed during the project. Three copies of the statement should be submitted within six months after conception or the first actual reduction to practice during the course of work. These forms are available from your institutional research/business office.

REIMBURSEMENT CONDITIONS

Final reimbursement to institutions for expenses incurred under a Sea Grant project award may not be made until the Annual/Final Project Report is received from the PI and accepted by the Consortium office. The final invoice or at least ten (10) percent of the funds of any project will be held until the Annual or Final Report (whichever applies) is received and deemed complete.

FISCAL REPORTING

In addition to the official Award Agreement, fiscal documents that reflect the approved budgets are mailed to the respective institutional fiscal officers. The federal and match expenditure report should be provided upon submission of every reimbursement request or annually (if no such requests have been submitted) and accurately reflect expenditures. Reports must be sent to the Consortium’s Assistant Director for Administration by the institutional business office, with the appropriate endorsement. All payments by the Consortium are handled on a reimbursement basis. Future funding to the institution and/or investigator may be withheld if annual or final project reports are not received on a timely basis. If any problems concerning expenditure reporting arise, contact the Consortium’s Assistant Director for Administration.

Final Fiscal Reports are due 60 days after the close of the project.

PROJECT REPORTING

Please note that all PIs are expected to document and report their outputs and outcomes in semi-annual and final reports. The Consortium will collectively use these statements to: (1) report on progress in achieving its performance targets as outlined in its strategic plan as required by the National Sea Grant College Program and (2) evaluate the progress of each Sea Grant project on an annual basis based on, among other things, success in achieving outcomes.

The project reporting form will be provided in the Consortium’s online proposal and reporting management system. A project report “reminder” is sent to all PIs 30 days prior to the due dates of the reports, which are as follows:

• Semi-annual Reports are due every six months from the start of the project grant period.
• Final Project Reports are due 60 days after the close of the project grant period.
• If a Principal Investigator requests and receives a no-cost time extension for her/his project, (s)he must submit an Annual Report 30 days after the original end date of that project year. A Final Report will then be required 60 days after the last day of the extension period at the end of the project.

SUBMISSION OF PUBLICATIONS

Principal Investigators must furnish to the Consortium a PDF copy of all publications, technical reports, all thesis and dissertation abstracts, and other formal documents that are based on information generated through Sea Grant projects and intended for publication and/or public distribution. Complete electronic PDF copies of any theses or dissertations should be submitted along with the other materials.

CITATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

All PIs must note and adhere to the following:

The financial assistance award number (provided in the Award Package) will be acknowledged in writing as the basis for funding the publication.

For journal publications and videos that are produced based in whole or in part on the work funded by the Award Agreement, the PIs should ensure that the publication (including websites) bears the following notation:

“This (report, video, website) was prepared (‘in part’ if appropriate) as a result of work sponsored by the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and the State of South Carolina through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program, U.S. Department of Commerce financial assistance award [number to be provided]. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce, or the State of South Carolina. Additionally, the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and NOAA may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and was developed, or for which ownership was purchased, under financial assistance number [to be provided]. The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and NOAA reserve a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the work for Federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so.”

All non-journal article publications or reports shall bear the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, and State of South Carolina logos on the cover of the first page, and include the following: “A publication (or report) sponsored by the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and the State of South Carolina pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award [number to be provided].” These requirements do not apply to routine reports submitted to the Consortium and are not intended for public distribution, such as project progress reports and financial reports.

Contacts

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

Or contact:

• Research and Fellowships Manager, Susannah Sheldon, susannah.sheldon@scseagrant.org.
• Grants Manager, Badriah Diab, badriah.diab@scseagrant.org.

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, Susan Lovelace, susan.lovelace@scseagrant.org. S.C. Sea Grant Staff Directory

NOAA Guidance for Completing Budgets and Justifications

See Appendix A.