Special Focus Awards
The California Sea Grant College Program is now soliciting full proposals for projects to begin on/after February 1, 2019. New faculty* from universities throughout California are invited to apply.
California Sea Grant continues to focus on the following integrated themes (or Strategic Focus Areas):
- Healthy Coastal Ecosystems
- Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
- Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies
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OUR ALTERNATING YEAR POLICY:
CA Sea Grant is managing its core research proposals and awards under an “alternating year plan.”
(1) For proposals submitted in even-numbered years (e.g. in effect this year, for 2019 funding consideration), we solicit requests for comparatively small, targeted 1-year awards. These smaller awards will be issued as Special Focus Awards.
(2) For proposals submitted in odd-numbered years (e.g. last year’s call), we solicit proposals for “Standard Core Awards” of 2-years duration and at levels of funding up to a maximum of $125,000/year, plus (optionally) one graduate trainee.
CURRENT CALL:
This year we are soliciting applications for Special Focus Awards of 1-year duration, with a maximum budget of $70,000 (to include indirect costs, if any). Proposals must and can only be submitted by, and support the research of, a new faculty member employed at a California-based university to address any area of interest to California Sea Grant.
We anticipate issuing four New Faculty Awards for FY2019, contingent upon receipt of anticipated funds from NOAA. Because of this limited call, we are expecting fewer applications than normal. Thus, we are by-passing the normal pre-proposal process and are asking applicants to submit full proposals to us in response to this call.
Because we wish to encourage younger scientists working in California, a proposal submitted by a new faculty member* (defined below) can propose to conduct research falling under any area of relevance to California Sea Grant. We therefore encourage proposals that would carry out research to address any of our primary goals under one of our three Strategic Focus Areas:
HEALTHY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS (HCE)
- HCE Goal 1: Support research and provide information to understand the dynamics and functioning of coastal and marine ecosystems. Prioritize obtaining information valuable to the conservation, restoration and management of these ecosystems to ensure their long-term health and productivity.
- HCE Goal 2: Understand sources and sinks of, and help reduce, water and sediment contamination, and their impacts, on the coastal and marine environment.
- HCE Goal 3: Support research to understand the impacts of climate change on coastal and marine species and environments
- HCE Goal 4: Support research to understand and forecast harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their impacts on coastal ecosystems and coastal communities.
- HCE Goal 5: Document the introduction and spread of invasive, non-native plants and animals in estuarine and coastal marine environments, their impacts on local ecosystems, and help manage established invading populations.
SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE (SFA)
- SFA Goal 1: Provide information to promote the sustainable use of living coastal and marine resources and associated communities.
- SFA Goal 2: Provide science-based information to support and grow a sustainable California aquaculture industry to help meet the growing demand for seafood, and minimize negative socio-economic and environmental impacts of aquaculture.
- SFA Goal 3: Obtain and provide science-based information on probable anthropogenic impacts, including climate change, on key commercial and recreational fish and shellfish populations, and associated human communities.
RESILIENT COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES (RCCE)
- RCCE Goal 1: Support communities and stakeholders to sustainably use, and policy makers to effectively manage, coastal and marine resources.
- RCCE Goal 2: Work with communities to improve coastal environmental quality and the quality of human life on coasts.
- RCCE Goal 3: Assist communities in reducing vulnerability to coastal hazards.
- RCCE Goal 4: Work with communities and partners to plan for and adapt to the effects of climate change, including changes in the frequency and intensity of storms and waves, sea-level rise, ocean acidification and hypoxia.
Applicants are encouraged to look at the California Sea Grant Strategic Plan and National Sea Grant Strategic Plan for more information on research priorities, and then focus on the specific issue(s) of interest to them.
For purposes of this call for proposals, a scientist qualifies as a new faculty member if both of the following criteria are met:
- The faculty member currently holds his/her first faculty position (ever), and the university at which the faculty member is employed is based in California, AND
- The position started no earlier than January 1, 2016 (to be certified by a letter from the faculty member’s dean or department chair)
To be eligible as new faculty a candidate must hold an academic position at his/her university. Either “hard money” faculty (i.e. holding state-supported, Assistant Professor-level positions, or equivalent) or “soft money” faculty (i.e. holding Assistant Researcher, or Research Assistant Professor-level positions, or equivalent) are eligible to apply. Post-docs or staff (vs. academic) employees with PI status are not eligible to apply. Persons who have transitioned to state-supported faculty positions after holding research faculty positions similarly are not eligible to apply unless the research faculty position began later than January 1, 2016.
If you have questions about your eligibility for these awards, please contact the California Sea Grant Director (Jim Eckman, 858-534-4440, jeckman@ucsd.edu)
New faculty proposers are encouraged to describe how stakeholders or interested groups will learn about and benefit from research outcomes through outreach, communications, or education activities.
A potential applicant is welcome to contact California Sea Grant personnel to receive more specific feedback concerning particular research issues.
TIMELINE:
- April 10, 2018 (5:00 pm Pacific time) – Proposals due
- April-July 2018 – Review of Proposals
- October 2018 (approximate) – Proposal applicants notified of recommendations
- On/after February 1, 2019 – Projects begin
Proposal Review Process
Criteria for Proposal Evaluation
Proposal Format
How to Submit a Full Proposal
Contents of a Full Proposal
