Geographic Programs - South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program (66.484)
Geographic Programs - South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program (Assistance Listing 66.484) is run by the Environmental Protection Agency. It awarded $37.0 million in 71 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $520,976 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $400,000. Half of the 71 awards fell between $381,831 and $649,978, and they ranged from $25,016 to $2.7 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$37.0 million
- Grant awards71
- Typical award$400,000
- Awarded in FY 2025$10.6 million
- Size rank1,120 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceGrant
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $990,000 in fiscal 2021 to $10.6 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 1120th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 91% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 4 states and territories.
What the program funds
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) was created through Public Law 101-605, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act of 1990. The Sanctuary includes 2,900 square nautical miles of nearshore waters and coral reefs extending from Biscayne Bay to the Dry Tortugas. Recognizing the critical role of water quality in maintaining Sanctuary resources, Congress directed the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Florida, in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to develop a Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for the Sanctuary. The Act directs the WQPP to develop corrective actions and compliance schedules to address point and nonpoint sources of pollution to maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Sanctuary. This includes restoration and maintenance of a balance, indigenous population of corals, shellfish, fish and wildlife, and recreational activities in and on the water. In addition to corrective actions, the 1990 Act requires public participation developing and implementing the program. Section 528(f) of the Water Resources and Development Act of 1996 establishes the Administrator (or designee) as a member of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force and directs member agencies to “coordinate the development of consistent policies, strategies, plans, programs, projects, activities, and priorities for addressing the restoration, preservation, and protection of the South Florida ecosystem.” In 1998, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) was established by Executive Order 13089 to lead U.S. efforts to restore and protect coral reef ecosystems. In October 2002, the USCRTF implemented a National Action Plan to conserve coral reefs. The Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI) characterizes the existing condition of the coral reef ecosystem; quantifies and characterizes the land-based sources of pollution, identifies how sources of pollution impact the coral reef; develops strategies to reduce the impact of land-based sources of pollution; and increases public awareness and understanding of the effects of land-based sources of pollution on water quality and coral reefs. The statutory authority for this action is the Clean Water Act (Section 104(b)(3)), which authorizes the award of assistance agreements for Water Quality and Watershed Management: Experiments, Studies, Surveys, Demonstrations, Research, Trainings, and Investigations. A demonstration project must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the project. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however, worthwhile the project might be, is not a demonstration. The South Florida Program competitive grants are supported by the 2024 Congressional Explanatory Statement which provides the following: The Committees recommend at least $2,000,000 to monitor coral health in South Florida; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Lake Okeechobee discharges and harmful algal blooms; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Everglades Restoration projects and harmful algal blooms; and $1,000,000 for the expansion of the water quality and ecosystem health monitoring and prediction network which will use vetted, modern procedures for long-term monitoring of Florida waters, including Molecular, Algal, Ocean Floor, and Seagrasses. Congress provided an additional $3.1 million to the South Florida Program through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Funding Priorities – Fiscal Year 2025 The EPA South Florida Program provides competitive grants to address the immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to south Florida waters including fresh waters, estuaries, bays, and coral reef, central to south Florida’s economic and ecological wellbeing. Aquatic ecosystems play a vital role supporting healthy and resilient estuaries, coastal, inland, and near-shore infrastructure by providing food, habitat, nutrient removal, water filtration, storm attenuation, carbon storage, shoreline stabilization, and other financial and tangible benefits.
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.
Past notices
Of 5 notices posted under this program since 2021, most went up in June (2), January (1) and May (1).
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia); public and private universities and colleges; hospitals; laboratories; public or private nonprofit institutions; and intertribal consortia. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Grants and cooperative agreements are available to support recipients' allowable direct costs incident to approved cooperative agreements 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: Geospatial Resources at EPA (https://www.epa.gov/geospatial). Generally, this program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. A discretionary award means an award in which the Federal awarding agency, in keeping with specific statutory authority that enables the agency to exercise judgement (“discretion”), selects the recipient and/or the amount of Federal funding awarded through a competitive process or based on merit of proposals. A discretionary award may be selected on a non-competitive basis, as appropriate. For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.
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 NOFO.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Fiscal Year 2023: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announced May 18, 2023, included Base South Florida annual appropriated funds and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. The total estimated funding under the NOFO was $8,000,000. EPA awarded 20 assistance agreements under this announcement ranging in value from approximately $250,000 to a maximum of $650,000. Fiscal Year 2024: NOFO announced June 7, 2024, included Base South Florida annual appropriated funds and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding. The total estimated funding under the NOFO is $8,000,000. EPA anticipates awarding approximately 10-15 assistance agreements under this announcement ranging in value from approximately $250,000 to a maximum of $750,000.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Geographic Programs - South Florida Geographic Initiatives Program (66.484) awarded $37.0 million across 71 grant awards, an average of $520,976 per award.
Who usually wins
Colleges and universities received 66% of the money, state and local governments 17% and nonprofits 16%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges and universities | 44 | $24.2 million | 66% |
| State and local governments | 13 | $6.3 million | 17% |
| Nonprofits | 13 | $6.1 million | 16% |
| Tribal governments and organizations | 1 | $400,000 | 1.1% |
By state
1 state has a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards. It is Florida.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 68 | $35.2 million |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $649,148 |
| New York | 1 | $648,903 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $449,943 |