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The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers competitive funding opportunities for marine debris projects. To be alerted when a new Notice of Funding Opportunity is published, sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Hurricane Response Marine Debris Removal Fund
A special funding opportunity administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking proposals for up to $11 million in grants to support projects that will assess and remove marine debris in communities in Florida, Georgia, Guam, North Carolina, and South Carolina impacted by Hurricanes Idalia, Helene, Milton, and Typhoon Mawar. Proposals should clearly identify how the project will prevent further damage to sensitive coastal habitats and species and reduce the impacts of marine debris on communities, infrastructure, assets of economic and cultural importance, and/or navigation safety. Priority will be given for projects that demonstrate clear marine debris removal and disposal outcomes and coordination with relevant state or territorial marine debris agencies.
Full proposals are due on October 21, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT. An informational webinar for potential applicants will be held by NFWF on Thursday, August 20, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT.
For more information and to register for the webinar, please visit the NFWF website.
A special funding opportunity administered by Ocean Conservancy with funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
In April 2026, Ocean Conservancy requested applications for their Large Marine Debris Removal Project to provide up to $2.2 million in grants to remove large marine debris and derelict fishing gear throughout coastal waterways of the United States. Projects applicants are under review for this funding competition and the opportunity has closed.
A special funding opportunity from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Round One Competition
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) awarded $1,475,000 in grants to remove derelict fishing traps throughout coastal waterways of the United States while collecting data to prevent future gear loss. Projects could range from $50,000 to $200,000. Funding is administered by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science through the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program.
This funding opportunity has closed. Check out the 11 new marine debris projects under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program.
Round Two Competition
In October 2025, VIMS announced over $1.8 million in federal funding for a second round of subawards under the Nationwide TRAP Program. The 13 organizations awarded are removing derelict fishing traps from coastal waterways in California, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Washington.
This funding opportunity has closed. Check out the 13 new marine debris projects under the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention (TRAP) Program.
Round Three Competition
Projects applicants are under review for this funding competition and the opportunity has closed.
A special funding opportunity administered by BoatUS Foundation with funding from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The BoatUS Foundation is seeking applications for up to $7.5 million in grants to remove abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) across coastal and marine areas of the United States. Projects may range from $50,000 to $1 million and funding will be administered by BoatUS Foundation through the abandoned and derelict vessel removal grant program.
A special funding opportunity from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers federal funding to remove large marine debris. A future competition has not been determined at this time.
This funding opportunity has closed. Check out the fiscal year 2025 awarded projects.
A special funding opportunity from the NOAA Marine Debris Program provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The NOAA Marine Debris Program offers federal funding to install interception technologies to remove marine debris from the environment. A future competition has not been determined.
This funding opportunity has closed. Check out the fiscal year 2025 awarded projects.
For citation purposes, unless otherwise noted, this article was authored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program.