Closed
California state funding opportunity
Competitive Call for Research Projects to Explore the MPA and Climate Resilience Nexus
Ocean Protection Council
- Portal ID17591
- StatusClosed
Competitive proposals usually start 6+ weeks out.
Program summary
Synopsis
The overall goal of this solicitation is to understand the role that California’s MPA Network plays in the face of climate change, climate variability, and marine heatwaves in the lives of key species, habitats, or human activities. Projects must be research-based. Applications submitted in response to this solicitation should advance implementation of the OPC’s Strategic Plan to Protect California’s Coast and Ocean 2020-2025.
Research projects that are designed with scalable and replicable methods and linked with research questions or monitoring components to inform future projects will be prioritized. Projects must inform adaptative management of the MPA Network and be able to directly link research outcomes to potential management tools. Projects should also be responsive to priorities outlined in the Climate Resilience and California’s MPA Network report. Projects should advance scientific understanding of the intersection of California’s MPA Network and climate change, including potential areas of refuge, vulnerability, and resilience. It is anticipated that proposals will focus on one of the three project types outlined below, however proposals that include components of multiple project types will be considered. The following three project types will be prioritized for funding. Projects that: Characterize local vulnerability of MPAs across multiple stressors to evaluate the potential of the MPA Network to provide ecological resilience through climate refugia. Projects should investigate and identify physical, ecological, and biological characteristics of climate refugia in California coastal systems and assess whether MPAs include or promote these conditions. Projects should investigate the spatial distribution of MPAs relative to historic and current stressor exposures and how those stressors are likely to evolve in the future. Model habitat and species distributions in current and future conditions to inform risk assessments of species, ecosystems, and habitats within MPAs. Projects should model future species and habitat distributions while considering important conditions that affect focal taxa of MPA monitoring, including but not limited to: physiological tolerances, tipping-point thresholds, species and ecological community range shifts, and genetic diversity. Projects can also feature risk assessments that focus on key managed species or culturally important species and identify those that are most at risk from climate change. Refer to the list of species targeted for long-term MPA monitoring in the 2018 MPA Monitoring Action Plan (Tables 7 - 10, pages 33 - 40). Projects that propose to assess culturally important species should be able to describe how the lead investigators will engage with Tribes and other communities to determine cultural importance. Assess social values and outcomes relating to MPAs and climate resilience in California. Projects should aim to understand social resilience outcomes of MPAs in California specifically. Proposed projects could assess the state of the knowledge to identify and assess important gaps in our understanding of the interactions between MPAs and social resilience under a changing climate. Projects should investigate the role that MPAs play in protecting or rehabilitating species or ecosystems that are considered culturally important to different societal groups, or what species or ecosystems are considered important to society (beyond economic or consumptive uses).
Timeline
Key dates
-
February 7, 2023
Opportunity posted to California Grants Portal -
October 7, 2022
Applications close -
February 2023
Expected award date
Who may apply
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types as published by the awarding agency:
- Business
- Public Agency
- Tribal Government
- Additional info on eligibility
- • Local, state, and federal agencies; • Public or private universities; • Nonprofit organizations (must be a 501(c)(3) as verified by the Internal Revenue Service) • Private entities • California Native American Tribes, including federally recognized Native American Tribes and non-federally recognized Native American Tribes included on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission
- Geography
- Grant funds must be used within California.
Awarding agency
Additional information
- Agency name
- Ocean Protection Council
- Full announcement
- View the full announcement ↗
- Grantor contact
-
1-916-902-6366
prop68ch9@resources.ca.gov
Funding
Funding source
- Source
- State
- Funding method
- Reimbursement(s)
- Notes
- The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68 or “Prop 68”) was approved by voters in June 2018. Funding from Prop 68 is intended to support projects that provide Californians with access to safe natural spaces and to continue investments in the state’s diverse ecosystems to ensure high quality of life for all Californians.
Government Grants Consulting
Federal, state, and local grant funding is highly competitive, and the gap between a complete application and a winning one usually comes down to strategy, compliance, and execution. GTC 360° Advisors supports organizations across the entire grant lifecycle — from identifying the right opportunities to managing the award long after it is won. The questions below cover how our grant consulting practice works and the organizations we serve.
What is government grant consulting, and how does GTC 360° Advisors help?
Government grant consulting means guiding an organization through the full grant lifecycle — research, eligibility review, strategy, writing, submission, and post-award compliance. GTC 360° Advisors manages this end to end, pairing grant writers, project managers, financial analysts, and compliance analysts to maximize the odds of an award and keep it in good standing afterward.What types of organizations can GTC 360° Advisors help win grants?
GTC 360° Advisors supports municipalities, state agencies, nonprofits, school districts, tribal governments, higher education institutions, and private companies pursuing grant funding. Clients have included the City of Los Angeles, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, Virginia Commonwealth University, and nonprofit partners such as the Walton Family Foundation and Blue Meridian Partners.What federal agencies has GTC 360° Advisors secured funding from?
GTC 360° Advisors has secured funding from agencies including the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Commerce (EDA and NIST), Education, and State, as well as FEMA, EPA, NSF, NIH, HRSA, SAMHSA, and the CDC. The firm has won over $860 million and counting in federal and state contracts and grants for its clients.Does GTC 360° Advisors handle state and local grants, or only federal?
GTC 360° Advisors pursues grant funding at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The firm’s advisor network is positioned in every state to help clients identify and compete for regional and state-level funding in addition to federal opportunities.What is GrantSignal AI, and how does it help find grant opportunities?
GrantSignal AI is GTC 360° Advisors’ AI-powered funding intelligence platform. It aggregates federal, foundation, and other public funding sources into a single dashboard, then uses AI to match opportunities to an organization’s mission, eligibility, and capacity — rather than relying on simple keyword search — and sends alerts as new, winnable opportunities appear.Does GTC 360° Advisors provide grant compliance and post-award management?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors manages grants through close-out, including compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), Davis-Bacon labor standards, Section 3, environmental review requirements, and funder reporting obligations. The firm builds compliance systems and reporting frameworks so clients stay in good standing with federal and state grantors.What is GTC 360° Advisors’ track record on grant applications?
GTC 360° Advisors has historically maintained an 88%-plus win rate on the grant applications it has submitted, including a 100% win rate in 2024 across several highly competitive programs. Recent wins include $180 million in EDA Tech Hubs funding for three consortia and $20 million in EDA Recompete funding for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.Can nonprofits and higher education institutions work with GTC 360° Advisors on grants?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors regularly supports nonprofits and universities with grant strategy, writing, and administration, including current work with the Walton Family Foundation, Blue Meridian Partners, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Working With GTC 360° Advisors
Every engagement is scoped around the organization in front of us — its goals, its deadline, and the internal capacity it already has. Pricing, team assignments, and project milestones are agreed before any work begins, so there are no surprises mid-project. Below are the questions prospective clients and partners ask us most often.
How much does it cost to work with GTC 360° Advisors?
Pricing is customized to the scope, timeline, and budget of each engagement, with both hourly and fixed-fee options available depending on the deliverable. GTC 360° Advisors prices transparently, with no hidden fees for administrative or incidental work, and structures fees so clients gain a full team of senior professionals for less than the cost of a single in-house hire.What is the process for getting started with GTC 360° Advisors?
Engagements typically start with a conversation about your organization’s goals, funding needs, or growth targets, followed by a scoped proposal outlining services, team, and pricing. From there, GTC 360° Advisors assigns team members matched to the work and begins with research, strategy, or capture planning, depending on the engagement.How long does it take to see results from a grant or contract engagement?
Timelines vary by opportunity: some grant or contract cycles run a few months from research to submission, while others (large infrastructure or multi-year programs) take longer and continue through post-award management. GTC 360° Advisors sets clear project timelines and milestones at the start of every engagement so clients know what to expect.Does GTC 360° Advisors work with organizations outside the United States?
GTC 360° Advisors primarily supports U.S.-based government contracts, grants, and business development, but its public affairs and business development services extend internationally through its global partner network for clients running cross-border campaigns.Can I join the GTC 360° Advisors Network as a consultant or subject matter expert?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors welcomes applications from experienced firms and freelancers who align with its mission and values to join the GTC 360° Advisors Network, giving members access to mutual marketing, referrals, and new client opportunities.How do I contact GTC 360° Advisors to discuss a project?
You can reach GTC 360° Advisors at info@gtc360.com or through the contact form at gtc360.com/join-our-network. The firm typically responds to discuss goals, funding needs, or growth targets and outline next steps for an engagement.
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