Closing soon
Federal funding opportunity
Fiscal Year 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
DOC NOAA - ERA Production
- OpportunityNOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433
- Agency codeDOC-DOCNOAAERA
- CategoryDiscretionary (D)
Competitive proposals usually start 6+ weeks out.
Program summary
Synopsis
The National Sea Grant College Program was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966 (amended in 2020, Public Law 116-221) to support leveraged federal and state partnerships that harness the intellectual capacity of the nation’s universities and research institutions to solve problems and generate opportunities in coastal communities.
This notice announces that applications may be submitted for the 2027 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program). Pending the availability of federal funding, the National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) anticipates funding not less than 35 applications. Application packages will each propose a total of $97,200 in funding. A detailed breakdown of this funding is described in Sections II.A and III.F of this announcement.
Student applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to the Sea Grant program in their state/territory at least one to two months before the state application deadline to receive application support and provide notification of intent to apply. Following student application submission, the student should allow sufficient time to schedule an interview with the eligible Sea Grant program at the program’s request.
Applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. These registrations include SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. All registrations must be completed before submitting the application. The complete registration process for all three systems can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants should begin this activity as soon as possible. If an eligible applicant does not have access to the internet, please contact the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII for submission instructions. NOAA has created a guide to aid applicants in formatting application packages to eRA, linked here.
Prior to registering with eRA Commons, applicant organizations must first obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov, if needed (refer to Section IV. Applications and Submission Information, Section C). Organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their full SAM and Grants.gov registrations; however, all registrations must be in place by the time of application submission. eRA Commons requires organizations to identify at least one Signing Official (SO) and at least one Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) account to submit an application.
This document sets out requirements for submitting to NOAA-OAR-SG-2027-32433
Timeline
Key dates
-
June 8, 2026
Opportunity posted to grants.gov -
August 21, 2026
Today — 5 days of the window remain -
August 26, 2026
Applications close -
September 25, 2026
Opportunity archived
Who may apply
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types as published by the awarding agency:
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Additional info on eligibility
- A student is eligible to submit application materials listed in Section IV.B.3.b.1-4 of this NOFO to an eligible Sea Grant program if: Page 3 of 21 NOAA NOFO (1) The student is a U.S. Citizen (born or naturalized), a U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), or a dual national with at least one citizenship as the U.S.; (2) The student is enrolled towards a degree in a graduate program at any point between the onset of the 2025 Fall Term (quarter, trimester, semester, etc.) and June 3, 2026; (3) The graduate degree will be awarded through an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S. Territories, and; (4) The student has an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. Student application submission is through an application to the Sea Grant program in the state in which the student is earning their degree. If there is no Sea Grant program in a student’s state, a Sea Grant program will be assigned (see Section IV.D.). A written statement from the National Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship Program Manager referring the student to the most appropriate eligible Sea Grant program will be provided to the student and must be submitted to the State Sea Grant program through which they are applying. Students are not eligible to submit full application materials to Grants.gov. The following entities are eligible to submit full proposals to this NOFO opportunity via Grants.gov: Sea Grant College Programs, Sea Grant Institutional Programs, and Sea Grant Coherent Area Programs. To be eligible to apply or receive an award, applicant organizations must complete and maintain three registrations: SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. For each, the complete registration process can take 4 to 6 weeks, so applicants must begin this activity as soon as possible and well before the proposal due date. For more information on how to meet these registration and application submission requirements without errors, we advise all to carefully review relevant Applicant and Grantee Training modules: https://www.commerce.gov/ocio/programs/gems/applicant-and-grantee-training. Additionally, we advise that all carefully read ‘Additional Application Package Forms’ within the ‘Full Proposal Required Elements’ section below.
- Cost sharing or matching
- Not required
Awarding agency
Additional information
- Agency name
- DOC NOAA - ERA Production
- Grantor contact
-
Laura Hansen
GMS
240-653-9028
oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov
Assistance listing
CFDA program(s)
-
11.417Sea Grant Support
Government Grants Consulting
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What is government grant consulting, and how does GTC 360° Advisors help?
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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?
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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.
5 days is enough time — if you start now.
Tell us the opportunity and we will come back with an honest read on fit, the partners you would need, and what a compliant submission takes.