Grants ranging from $15,000 to $25,000 to USA and territories organizations for innovative projects that engage the public in compelling ocean stewardship issues and that motivate effective and focused action to benefit national marine sanctuaries. Letters of Inquiry must be submitted by October 15 for consideration. To be considered, proposed projects should meet the following criteria:

-Increase public awareness of timely and relevant ocean and Great Lakes conservation issues, including but not limited to marine debris, human interaction with marine mammals, non-point source pollution and runoff, the ocean and human health, ocean acidification, and sustainable fisheries.

-Perform or promote on-the-ground action to address timely and relevant ocean and Great Lakes conservation issues, including but not limited to marine debris, human interaction with marine mammals, non-point source pollution and runoff, the ocean and human health, ocean acidification, and sustainable fisheries.

-Establish or build on connections with the business community, private sector actors, and commercial enterprises.

-Include a program evaluation methodology to gauge progress on specific and defined activities against targeted milestones.

-NMSF will also consider projects that specifically address ensuring the productivity and sustainability of fisheries and fishing communities through science-based decision making and compliance with regulations; and recover and conserve protected resources through the use of sound natural and social sciences.

Projects should focus on sanctuary issues in at least one of the following ways:

-Direct partnership with a national marine sanctuary site, region, or headquarters;

-Project activities physically take place within the National Marine Sanctuary System;

-Project activities leverage the expertise and resources of national, regional, or local offices of NOAA, particularly National Marine Sanctuaries or Fisheries Service; or

-Substantially increase public awareness of the value of sustainable fisheries and fisheries management.