# Marine Debris Program (11.999)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/11-999-marine-debris-program/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

Marine Debris Program is run by Department of Commerce. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $147 million in 89 grants, about $1.7 million per award.

## Objectives

To provide grants and cooperative agreements to help identify, determine sources of, assess, reduce, and prevent marine debris and its adverse impacts on the marine environment and navigation safety within the coastal United States, territories, and Freely Associated States. Awards that are made under this program from annual appropriations, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Supplemental Appropriations Act, Inflation Reduction Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, American Relief Act will remove and assess marine debris from coastal habitats, including through interception technologies; explore non-regulatory incentives to reduce the quantity and impacts of derelict fishing gear, abandoned and derelict vessels, and other large debris; support regional coordination among marine debris practitioners, states, and tribes; conduct outreach and education activities aimed at preventing marine debris; develop interagency plans to respond to “severe marine debris events” and other natural disasters; assess debris composition, volume, and trajectory in different marine and coastal ecosystems; conduct research and development on marine debris impacts and distribution; and estimate the potential impacts of marine debris on coastal resources, habitats, and economies.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $7.1 million | 26 |
| 2022 | $8.1 million | 18 |
| 2023 | $69.0 million | 18 |
| 2024 | $33.3 million | 17 |
| 2025 | $30.0 million | 16 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Marine Sanctuary Foundation | Maryland | $15.2 million |
| National Fish and Wildlife Foundation | District of Columbia | $15.1 million |
| Boat/U.S. Foundation | Maryland | $10.0 million |
| Pacific Coastal Research & Planning | Northern Mariana Islands | $8.9 million |
| Virginia Institute of Marine Science | Virginia | $8.0 million |
| Gulf of Mexico Alliance | Mississippi | $7.7 million |
| Ocean Conservancy Inc | District of Columbia | $7.6 million |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | Alaska | $5.8 million |
| Washington State Department of Natural Resources | Washington | $4.6 million |
| North Carolina Coastal Federation, Inc | North Carolina | $4.5 million |
| Isla Mar Research Expeditions LLC | Puerto Rico | $4.0 million |
| Gulf of Alaska Keeper | Alaska | $3.8 million |
| City of Oakland | California | $3.2 million |
| Department of Port Administration | American Samoa | $3.0 million |
| Lynnhaven River Now | Virginia | $2.9 million |
| Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Florida | Florida | $2.9 million |
| California Department of Parks & Recreation | California | $2.9 million |
| Center for Coastal Studies, Inc. | Massachusetts | $2.9 million |
| Natural Resources Rhode Island Bureau of | Rhode Island | $2.3 million |
| New York City Dept-Parks-Rec | New York | $2.3 million |