Research Funding

Virginia Sea Grant offers a range of funding opportunities for researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students. We support sound scientific research that is consistent with Virginia Sea Grant’s Strategic Plan to benefit the Commonwealth.

National Competitions

Since 1966, Sea Grant has invested in the development of sustainable marine and Great Lakes aquaculture to help coastal communities maintain a safe and sustainable local seafood supply. The National Sea Grant College Program is continuing to invest in aquaculture in 2020 by building upon the foundation laid by recent investments and continuing to draw on the aquaculture expertise contained within the broader Sea Grant network.

The National Sea Grant College Program announces two federal funding opportunities to advance U.S. aquaculture. Proposals for both opportunities must be submitted with and through a Sea Grant program and include Sea Grant extension and/or communications personnel as collaborates. If you intend to apply you should contact VASG prior to the notice to submit deadline in November.

Marine Finfish Aquaculture: Juvenile Production Technologies

NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007054 (click for Notice of Funding Opportunity)

Sea Grant anticipates approximately $5,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will advance marine finfish juvenile production technologies for aquaculture, focusing on 19 marine finfish species of interest. Proposals are sought that support broad, non-proprietary research to address critical gaps with respect to marine finfish juvenile production technologies; make that information available to U.S. coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and also preferably industry stakeholders. All proposals to this competition must be submitted by a Sea Grant program. Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through a relevant Sea Grant Program.

Informational webinar on October 15, 2021 at 2 pm ET (Link to join webinar here)
Notices of intent to submit are due November 9, 2021 (see formal announcement for details).
Full proposals are due January 27, 2022 (see formal announcement for details).

ALL APPLICANTS MUST CONTACT VIRGINIA SEA GRANT PRIOR TO SUBMITTING NOTICES OF INTENT.

Early Stage Propagation Strategies for Aquaculture Species

NOAA-OAR-SG-2022-2007053 (click for Notice of Funding Opportunity)

Sea Grant anticipates approximately $4,000,000 will be available for research projects and programs that will develop and refine early stage propagation strategies for aquaculture species excluding selected marine finfish species for food. Proposals are sought that support broad, non-proprietary research to develop and refine early stage propagation strategies, such as reproduction, hatchery, and/or nursery strategies, for aquaculture species; make that information available to U.S. coastal and Great Lakes aquaculture businesses; and include Sea Grant aquaculture extension personnel and also preferably industry stakeholders. All proposals to this competition must be submitted by a Sea Grant program. Other interested entities must submit proposals in partnership with and through a relevant Sea Grant Program.

Informational webinar on October 15, 2021 at 3 pm ET (Link to join webinar here)
Notices of intent to submit are due November 16, 2021 (see formal announcement for details).
Full proposals are due February 3, 2022 (see formal announcement for details).

ALL APPLICANTS MUST CONTACT VIRGINIA SEA GRANT PRIOR TO SUBMITTING NOTICES OF INTENT.

Further information is available at seagrant.noaa.gov/funding

BUDGETING FOR THE VASG COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

If your proposal includes a communications component involving the Virginia Sea Grant Communications Center, please include this in your budget. The Center offers services like science writing, copy editing, photography, videography, drone footage, graphic design, web design, and web hosting. For more information, contact Jay Clark, communications center manager, or Stacy Keating, VASG business manager.

Webinar accessibility: If you would like a plain text version of the presentation sent to you ahead of time, or would like the National Sea Grant College Program to provide live captioning of this event or require any other special assistance to participate in this webinar, please email oar.hq.sg.aquaculture@noaa.gov at least 24 hours ahead of the scheduled start time of the webinar. For more information on Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, please visit www.ada.gov.

Regional Research Competitions

To address broader regional priorities, Virginia Sea Grant periodically partners with other Sea Grant programs throughout the mid-Atlantic region to bring together innovative research teams with high levels of integration, those who demonstrate synergistic benefits, and mechanisms for transferring knowledge to end-users.

Please check back in the future for available funding opportunities.

Program Development Awards

One of the most valuable aspects of a Sea Grant program is its capacity to bring university, governmental, or private resources to bear upon various emerging problems or opportunities. Program Development funds are provided by Virginia Sea Grant to achieve four primary goals: support high-impact students, cultivate innovation through collaborative proof-of-concept projects, nurture strategic initiatives, and to examine pressing or emerging problems. Proposals to convene multi-institutional or partnership-focused meetings that explore opportunities for collaboration, help advance integration across partners, or address pressing or emerging needs are encouraged.

For more information, contact VASG Fellowship and Research Program Coordinator Sam Lake at sjlake@vaseagrant.org or 804-684-7436.