NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2023-2008056: NOAA's Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants Under the BIL and IRA
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: DARRP Restoration Implementation Grants (2026) (NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2026-33781). Status: Closes November 18, 2026 (11 days left). It is in our archive of Department of Commerce notices from 2023.
Department of Commerce offered grants of up to $20.0 million (at least $1.0 million) to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. It expected to make $175 million in total. Applications closed on October 16, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed July 31, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$20.0 million
- Award floor$1.0 million
- Total funding$175 million
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | July 31, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | October 16, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | November 15, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.
All 15 applicant types the notice lists
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, non-profits, commercial (for profit) organizations, U.S. territories, and state, local, and Native American and Alaska Native tribal governments. Applications from federal agencies or employees of federal agencies will not be considered. Federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with applicants who are eligible to apply. Applicants must propose work in areas that benefit United States migratory fish as defined in the Program Objective (Section I.A). Eligible applicants for Great Lakes projects must propose work within one of the eight U.S. Great Lakes states (New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota), within the Great Lakes basin. Eligible applicants that propose projects in the Commonwealth and Territories of the United States must propose work in American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past Habitat Conservation awards averaged $4.3 million; this notice allows up to $20.0 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (52% over five years) went to nonprofits.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The principal objective of NOAA’s Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Notice of Funding Opportunity is to provide federal financial and technical assistance to fish passage through the removal of dams and other in-stream barriers for native migratory or sea-run fish. Funding will be used for fish passage that rebuilds productive and sustainable fisheries, contributes to the recovery and conservation of threatened and endangered species, enhances watershed health, promotes resilient ecosystems and communities, especially in underserved communities, and improves economic vitality, including local employment. This funding opportunity announcement is authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Public Law 117-58) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, Public Law 117-169). See full announcement.
Who has won Habitat Conservation grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Habitat Conservation (11.463) awarded $1.3 billion across 299 grant awards, an average of $4.3 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nature Conservancy | Virginia | 27 | $166 million |
| Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority of Louisiana | Louisiana | 7 | $108 million |
| Trout Unlimited, Inc. | Virginia | 9 | $47.9 million |
| California Trout, Inc. | California | 6 | $42.1 million |
| Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife | Washington | 4 | $35.5 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2026-33781, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2023-2008056 still open?
No. It closed on October 16, 2023. A newer notice is open: NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2026-33781, closes November 18, 2026 (11 days left).
Who can apply for NOAA's Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants Under the BIL and IRA?
Department of Commerce accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for NOAA's Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal Grants Under the BIL and IRA?
Closed October 16, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $20.0 million each. About $175 million in total.
Who has won Habitat Conservation grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Nature Conservancy, Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority of Louisiana, Trout Unlimited, Inc. The program made 299 awards worth $1.3 billion in that time.
Similar open grants
- Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Funding Opportunity for Indian Tribes and Intertribal Consortia for Nonpoint Source Management Grants Under Clean Water Act Section 319
- WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH ACT PROGRAM NATIONAL COMPETITIVE GRANTS FY2026 (104g General)
- FY26 US DOT Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grants (DIIG) Program
- Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Small Research Grant (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
- Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)