Geographic Programs - Gulf of America Program (66.475)
Geographic Programs - Gulf of America Program (Assistance Listing 66.475) is run by the Environmental Protection Agency. It awarded $77.8 million in 85 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $915,182 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $700,000. Half of the 85 awards fell between $487,197 and $1.0 million, and they ranged from $12,566 to $3.0 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$77.8 million
- Grant awards85
- Typical award$700,000
- Awarded in FY 2025$16.2 million
- Size rank880 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceCooperative agreements
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $11.0 million in fiscal 2021 to $16.2 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 880th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 72% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 14 states and territories.
What the program funds
The objectives of the Gulf of America Program, housed within the Gulf of America Division (GAD), are (1) To assist States, Indian Tribes, interstate agencies, and other public or nonprofit organizations in developing and demonstrating innovative approaches relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution; and (2) To expand and strengthen cooperative efforts to restore and protect the health and productivity of the Gulf of America through research, studies, experiments, and training, in ways consistent with the economic well-being of the region. In Fiscal Year 2026 priorities include projects that will: 1) deliver significant results to achieve the environmental outcomes of improved health of the Gulf of America by restoring, protecting and enhancing habitat, improving water quality, improving the region’s ability to withstand storm events, and furthering environmental awareness; and 2) assisting communities adversely affected by environmental and human health harms or risks. Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding, the GAD will also prioritize projects focused on water quality, ecosystem and wetland restoration, stormwater treatment and control, nature-based infrastructure, restoration due to storm events, resilient shorelines, and environmental awareness.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
What the money can and cannot pay for
Assistance will be targeted to States, Tribes, interstate agencies, and other public or nonprofit organizations that commit to specific activities. The Gulf of America Program seeks to fund projects that address water quality improvement; coastal habitat and ecosystems enhancement, restoration and/or protection; environmental awareness and outreach; and community resilience in the Gulf of America region and its watersheds. Eligible activities should be of a relatively short time frame (6 months to 3 years) and all projects should achieve and demonstrate results. Assistance agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved surveys, studies, investigations, research, and demonstrations plus allowable indirect costs, in accordance with established EPA policies and regulations. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: https://www.epa.gov/geospatial The following projects are generally not permitted: 1) Actions required to settle a formal enforcement action or included in a court order; or specified as a required mitigation measure under a state, local, or federal permit for a specific project; however, grant funding may be used to enhance or expand such projects beyond minimum requirements for compliance.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Award range and average, in the agency's words
FY24 $25,000 - $2,499,800; Average: $1,794,785. In FY25, GAD has issued one Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) totaling approximately $20,000,000 in EPA funding. Awards will range between $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. The NOFO closed January 28, 2025.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Collaborative projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to reducing nutrient pollution including through financial and technical assistance for farmers. Coordination and support of existing water quality monitoring programs and the development of a centralized online dashboard to improve accessibility and understanding of water quality. Microbial and nutrient source tracking approaches to assess water quality and improve understanding of water quality dynamics and pollutant sources. Work with farmers to demonstrate the benefits of natural infrastructure projects that boost agronomic resilience, improve water quality, and enhance habitat while also being economically feasible. Comprehensive synoptic monitoring and modeling that improves understanding and quantification of nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, and suspended sediment loading on water bodies.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Geographic Programs - Gulf of America Program (66.475) awarded $77.8 million across 85 grant awards, an average of $915,182 per award.
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 44% of the money, colleges and universities 44% and state and local governments 12%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 30 | $34.4 million | 44% |
| Colleges and universities | 41 | $34.0 million | 44% |
| State and local governments | 12 | $9.4 million | 12% |
| Other | 1 | $39,172 | less than 0.1% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 1 | $25,000 | less than 0.1% |
By state
10 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 15 | $13.6 million |
| Louisiana | 13 | $11.7 million |
| Alabama | 12 | $10.4 million |
| Texas | 13 | $9.2 million |
| Florida | 13 | $8.4 million |
| Iowa | 4 | $5.5 million |
| Wisconsin | 5 | $5.5 million |
| Virginia | 3 | $4.0 million |
| District of Columbia | 2 | $3.9 million |
| Arkansas | 1 | $3.0 million |
| Oklahoma | 1 | $877,569 |
| Kansas | 1 | $750,000 |
| Missouri | 1 | $499,757 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $485,559 |