2026 Alaska Marine Education and Training Mini-Grant Program

The 2026 Alaska Marine Education and Training Mini-Grant Program, under solicitation NOAA-NMFS-AK-2026-33268, is a federal financial assistance opportunity administered by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service to advance workforce development, technological innovation, and supply chain resilience in Alaska’s marine and seafood sectors. Projects must be conducted entirely within Alaska and align with Executive Order 14276, focusing on training for marine science, aquaculture, and maritime operations; improving seafood safety and management practices; promoting consumer education on sustainable seafood; integrating local knowledge into regional fishery management; and fostering partnerships among industry, researchers, and community organizations. The program offers individual awards ranging from $15,000 to $75,000, with a total of $600,000 available over three years, subject to annual congressional appropriation. Applicants must submit a complete application package through Grants.gov, including required federal forms, a five-page project narrative, a two-page budget narrative, and supporting attachments not exceeding ten pages in total, all compiled into a single flattened PDF under 100 MB. Proposals are evaluated on a 75-point scale, with the highest weight given to Technical/Scientific Merit and Overall Qualifications of Applicants, each worth 25 points, followed by Outreach and Education (15 points) and Project Costs (10 points). Awards are made through a merit-based trade-off process, not based on lowest price, and may consider geographic balance, program priorities, and prior performance. Key requirements include registration in SAM.gov with a valid Unique Entity Identifier, compliance with 2 CFR Part 200, adherence to NOAA’s Scientific Integrity Policy, and submission of semi-annual performance and financial reports via eRA Commons. Recipients must also comply with FFATA reporting for subawards exceeding $30,000 and demonstrate organizational capacity to manage federal funds, report harassment incidents, and maintain transparency in all research activities. Submission deadlines occur on June 22, 2026, May 3, 2027, and May 1, 2028, with project performance periods beginning no earlier than September 1 of the award year and lasting one to two years. No contract clauses, packaging, or inspection requirements from the FAR apply, as this is a grant, not a procurement, and all administrative oversight is governed by federal grant regulations.