Fiscal Year 2020 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Marine Resource Economics | NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006261

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006261

The Fiscal Year 2020 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Marine Resource Economics (Funding Opportunity Number NOAA-OAR-SG-2020-2006261) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity run through the U.S. Department of Commerce under NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and the National Sea Grant College Program. Sea Grant, originally established by Congress in 1966 and later amended in 2008 (Public Law 110-394), is designed to strengthen federal-state partnerships that draw on universities and research institutions to address real-world challenges and create opportunities in coastal communities. In this specific notice, Sea Grant and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are seeking to support advanced academic work that directly informs the conservation and management of living marine resources.

The fellowship is aimed at Ph.D. students who want careers centered on developing and applying quantitative economic methods to marine resource issues. The program is focused on marine resource economics in a practical, management-relevant sense: fellows are expected to work on dissertation or thesis problems that are of public interest and clearly relevant to NMFS priorities. A defining feature of the opportunity is the close linkage to NMFS itself, since fellows work under the guidance of NMFS mentors based at participating NMFS Science Centers or NMFS Offices. In other words, the fellowship is structured not just as academic support, but as a way to connect doctoral research to applied fisheries and ecosystem management needs inside NOAA.

This opportunity also ties explicitly to NOAA's broader mission, particularly the Healthy Oceans goal of sustaining marine fisheries, habitats, and biodiversity through healthy and productive ecosystems. The intention is that funded research helps decision-makers understand the economic dimensions of conservation and management, such as the tradeoffs, incentives, and impacts associated with fisheries regulation, resource allocation, habitat protection, and broader marine policy decisions. By emphasizing quantitative methods, the fellowship signals an interest in rigorous analytical approaches that can be integrated into assessment and management frameworks.

Funding is provided through a cooperative agreement, reflecting the expectation of active engagement and collaboration among the fellow, Sea Grant, and NMFS mentors. Sea Grant anticipated making one new award in 2020. The expected level of support is about $48,000 per year per fellow, which is described as the combined total of federal funds plus required matching funds, and the award is jointly funded by NMFS and Sea Grant. The fellowship can support a fellow for up to three years, implying a potential total support level up to the stated award ceiling of $120,000 depending on the duration and structure of the award.

For timing and process, the notice lists a creation date of November 13, 2019, with an original application closing date of January 30, 2020. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Sea Grant program in their state or territory well in advance of the deadline (ideally one to two months prior) both to get application support and to signal their intent to apply. The notice also points applicants to a separate Sea Grant General Application Guidance Document that provides additional tips and detailed instructions for preparing a competitive application package.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2020 NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship in Marine Resource Economics" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.417.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 13, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 30, 2020. (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 $120,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NOAA OAR SG 2020 2006261

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