Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Notice of Funding Opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act | NOAA NMFS HCPO 2023 2008074

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2023 2008074

The NOAA Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Notice of Funding Opportunity is a discretionary federal grant program, offered as a cooperative agreement through the U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA/NMFS). Its central goal is to provide both financial support and hands-on technical assistance to help Indian tribes restore fish passage by removing or addressing barriers that block migratory fish from reaching important habitat. The program is rooted in the understanding that healthy, accessible fish populations are not just an environmental priority, but a core part of many tribes living culture, including food systems, community well-being, and cultural and subsistence practices tied to fisheries.

The funding is intended to support on-the-ground fish passage work that reopens access to spawning and rearing habitat and helps rebuild productive, sustainable fisheries over time. Projects supported under this opportunity are also expected to contribute to broader ecological outcomes such as recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, improved watershed health, and stronger ecosystem and community resilience. A key emphasis is also on building tribal capacity so tribes can more fully participate in fish passage barrier removal efforts now and in the future, while improving opportunities connected to tribal commercial, recreational, subsistence, and cultural uses of fish.

In terms of where projects can happen, proposals may be located on tribal lands, within traditional use areas, or in coastal watersheds that support fish populations that are, or historically have been, integral to tribal living culture. The program specifically requires that proposed work benefit U.S. migratory fish as described in the program objectives. For projects in the Great Lakes region, there is an additional geographic requirement: eligible work must be within the Great Lakes basin and located in one of the eight U.S. Great Lakes states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, or Minnesota).

Eligibility is limited to federally recognized Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304(e), including Alaska Native villages and certain Alaska Native corporations recognized for federal services) and to organizations that formally represent Indian tribes through legal agreements, such as tribal commissions, tribal consortia, tribal conservation districts, or tribal cooperatives. If an applicant is an organization representing tribes rather than a tribe itself, the application is expected to clearly explain and document the formal relationship with the tribe or tribes being represented. The notice highlights examples of acceptable supporting materials, such as letters of support or memoranda of understanding, and indicates that this documentation should be included as part of the application package following the instructions in the announcement.

Other entities such as universities, nonprofits, for-profit firms, state or local governments, U.S. territories, and groups that identify as tribes but do not meet the federal definition (including state-recognized tribes) cannot apply as the primary applicant under this specific opportunity. However, they are allowed to participate as partners to an eligible tribal applicant, including through subawards, contracts, informal collaboration, or other forms of engagement. Federal agencies and federal employees are not eligible to submit applications, and federal agencies interested in the work are encouraged to collaborate with eligible applicants instead.

This opportunity is funded and authorized under two major recent federal laws: the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Public Law 117-58) and the Inflation Reduction Act (Public Law 117-169). The listing information provided for the opportunity includes the funding opportunity number NOAA NMFS HCPO 2023 2008074, CFDA/Assistance Listing number 11.463, and an award ceiling of up to $12,000,000 per award. The original application closing date shown is November 8, 2023, and the program is categorized under environment/natural resources-related activities, delivered through cooperative agreements, which typically means NOAA may remain involved in the project through substantial technical engagement compared with a standard grant.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, iij, natural resources, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Notice of Funding Opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.463.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-07-31.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-08. (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 $12,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Others.

Apply for NOAA NMFS HCPO 2023 2008074

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