NOAA Sea Grant — National Sea Grant College Program

Helps NOAA Sea Grant National Sea Grant College Program for practical innovation and measurable outcomes.

NOAA Sea Grant is the National Sea Grant College Program, a federal-university partnership under NOAA. It works with 34 university-based programs across every coastal and Great Lakes state, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and it has supported marine, coastal, and Great Lakes work since the program was established in 1966. In FY2024, it invested $94M in federal funding.

Sea Grant backs research, extension, and education in healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient coastal communities and economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development. The portfolio includes the Sea Grant National Aquaculture Initiative, Young Fishermen's Career Development Projects with awards up to $400,000, and the National Sea Grant BIL Marine Debris Challenge Competition.

Sea Grant works through state programs and university partners, so the strongest applicants are usually local or regional coalitions that can show practical impact. Its model favors applied research, extension networks, and workforce outcomes, and the FY2024 return on federal investment was reported at $1.59B, which underscores how closely the program ties research to industry and community use.