Opportunity Information: Apply for GR RCE 19 001
The RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program is a U.S. Department of the Treasury funding opportunity created under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (the RESTORE Act). This program draws from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, which was established in the U.S. Treasury to support Gulf Coast recovery and long-term resilience after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A key feature of the Trust Fund is that 80 percent of certain civil penalties paid under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (linked to the spill and paid after July 6, 2012) are deposited into the fund and invested, then later distributed through several RESTORE Act components. Treasury issues multiple funding notices tied to the different components, and this specific notice is focused only on the Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program.
At its core, this opportunity supports the establishment of one or more Centers of Excellence through a competitive process. Rather than funding general restoration construction or routine operations, the program is explicitly research-focused. Funds are provided via grants (a discretionary grant program) and are intended to flow as competitive subawards to nongovernmental entities, including colleges and universities, that will operate as Centers of Excellence. The research supported must be focused on the Gulf Coast region, reflecting the program's mission to produce usable scientific, technical, and economic knowledge that helps the region recover, manage risk, and build sustainable prosperity.
The eligible research areas cover five major disciplines that mirror the region's most urgent environmental and economic priorities. First is coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection, including practical solutions and technologies that allow communities to live safely and sustainably in vulnerable coastal delta environments. Second is coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring, emphasizing the health, recovery, and long-term management of living resources and habitats across the Gulf Coast. Third is offshore energy development, supporting research and technology that improves the safety and sustainability of energy production in the Gulf of Mexico. Fourth is sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development, recognizing that restoration is also about jobs, industries, and community stability, not only ecology. Fifth is comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico, which underpins all the other categories by improving the data, baselines, and tracking systems needed for informed decision-making.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number GR-RCE-19-001) listed under CFDA 21.015, with an activity category that includes environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development. Eligible applicants include state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and certain nonprofit entities (including nonprofits that may not have 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education). The issuing agency is the U.S. Department of the Treasury through its RESTORE Act Program. The opportunity record shows a creation date of November 16, 2018, an original closing date of January 31, 2020, and an award ceiling listed at $8,312,327. The notice also indicates that awards were expected, though the exact number is not specified in the provided data.
Overall, the program is designed to turn Deepwater Horizon-related penalty revenue into targeted, Gulf-specific research capacity by creating and supporting Centers of Excellence. The intent is to generate sustained expertise and actionable research outputs across environmental restoration, ecosystem monitoring, offshore energy safety, economic resilience, and large-scale Gulf observation and mapping, all aimed at helping the Gulf Coast region recover and thrive over the long term.Apply for GR RCE 19 001
- The U.S. Dept. of Treasury RESTORE Act Program in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 21.015.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-11-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-01-31. (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 $8,312,327.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program FAQs
What is the RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program?
The RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program is a U.S. Department of the Treasury funding opportunity created under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (the RESTORE Act). It supports research focused on the Gulf Coast region by establishing one or more Centers of Excellence through a competitive process.
Which federal agency administers this opportunity?
The issuing agency is the U.S. Department of the Treasury, through its RESTORE Act Program.
What is the purpose of the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund behind this program?
The Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund was established in the U.S. Treasury to support Gulf Coast recovery and long-term resilience after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The program described in this notice is one of several RESTORE Act components that distribute funds from the Trust Fund.
Where does the Trust Fund money come from (as described in the notice)?
A key feature described is that 80 percent of certain civil penalties paid under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (linked to the Deepwater Horizon spill and paid after July 6, 2012) are deposited into the Trust Fund, invested, and later distributed through RESTORE Act components.
Is this notice for all RESTORE Act funding, or only a specific component?
This specific notice is focused only on the Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program, not the other RESTORE Act components.
What type of funding is this (grant vs. other types)?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity. Funds are provided via grants and are intended to be used to support research-focused activities through Centers of Excellence.
Is this program meant to fund construction or routine operations?
No. The program is explicitly research-focused and is described as not intended for general restoration construction or routine operations.
What is a "Center of Excellence" in the context of this opportunity?
In this notice, a Center of Excellence refers to an entity (or entities) selected through a competitive process to operate as a research center focused on Gulf Coast needs and priorities. The overall goal is to build sustained research capacity that produces usable scientific, technical, and economic knowledge for the region.
Who is expected to carry out the research work?
While the grant is administered as a discretionary grant program, the notice indicates that funds are intended to flow as competitive subawards to nongovernmental entities, including colleges and universities, that will operate as Centers of Excellence.
What region must the research focus on?
The research supported must be focused on the Gulf Coast region, aligned with the program mission to support recovery, risk management, and sustainable prosperity in that region.
What are the eligible research areas under this program?
The notice lists five major eligible research areas (disciplines):
- Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection
- Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring
- Offshore energy development
- Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development
- Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico
What kinds of topics fit under coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection?
This area includes practical solutions and technologies that help communities live safely and sustainably in vulnerable coastal delta environments, with an emphasis on sustainability, restoration, and protection.
What does the program emphasize for fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring?
This area emphasizes the health, recovery, and long-term management of living resources and habitats across the Gulf Coast, including ecosystem research and ongoing monitoring.
What does "offshore energy development" research mean in this notice?
It refers to research and technology that improves the safety and sustainability of energy production in the Gulf of Mexico.
How does the program address economic recovery and resilience?
One of the eligible research areas is sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development. The notice frames restoration broadly, including jobs, industries, and community stability, not only ecological outcomes.
Why is observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico included as a major research area?
The notice describes comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping as foundational because it improves the data, baselines, and tracking systems needed for informed decision-making across the other categories.
Who can apply as an eligible applicant (based on the notice)?
Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Certain nonprofit entities (including nonprofits that may not have 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education)
Are colleges and universities involved in this program?
Yes. The notice specifically notes that competitive subawards are intended to go to nongovernmental entities, including colleges and universities, that will operate as Centers of Excellence.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this notice?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is GR-RCE-19-001.
What is the CFDA number shown for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 21.015.
What activity categories are associated with this funding opportunity?
The activity category includes environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development.
When was the opportunity record created, and what was the original closing date shown?
The opportunity record shows a creation date of November 16, 2018, and an original closing date of January 31, 2020.
What is the award ceiling listed in the notice?
The award ceiling listed is $8,312,327.
How many awards were expected?
The notice indicates that awards were expected, but the exact number is not specified in the provided information.
What is the overall goal of this program in plain terms?
The program is designed to turn Deepwater Horizon-related penalty revenue into targeted, Gulf-specific research capacity by creating and supporting Centers of Excellence. The intended outputs are actionable scientific, technical, and economic knowledge that helps the Gulf Coast recover, manage risk, and build long-term resilience and prosperity.
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