North Carolina Sea Grant
is seeking research preproposals until 5 p.m. Jan. 11 that address problems affecting coastal ecosystems, economies and communities.
Lead investigators must be at an institution of higher education in North Carolina, but collaborators can come from other avenues for academic, industry, government and other expertise. Multi-campus and interdisciplinary teams are encouraged.
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“This opportunity provides funding to tackle real-world problems,” said Susan White, Sea Grant executive director, in a statement. “We welcome proposals from researchers with a diverse range of experiences and backgrounds, who will bring strategies to consider coastal, marine and watershed issues important to North Carolina.”
North Carolina Sea Grant uses a two-step process for its core funding. Researchers must submit preproposals that outline the research topic, its need within the state, the approach and strategy, and the team to be assembled. The second step, full proposals, will take place in 2021.
“Researchers must relate their topics to the current North Carolina Sea Grant Strategic Plan, which has been updated to cover through 2023,” said John Fear, deputy director. “Go to our website — go.ncsu.edu/Sea-Grant-Plan — to help you ensure that your project ideas align with our focus areas.”
A preproposal is required before a full proposal can ben submitted for the final competitive review. he proposals also should fit one or more of four primary focus areas: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems; Resilient Communities and Economies; Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture; and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development.
Preproposals are reviewed on the following three aspects:
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- Relevancy and need: Will the project help address a high priority coastal issue?
- Approach: Are the proposed methods appropriate to complete the work?
- Transferability: Is it clear the results of the work will be provided to end-users, and do they want the research and results?
North Carolina Sea Grant strongly encourages proposals from faculty researchers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, minority serving institutions or from traditionally underserved and underrepresented communities, as well as faculty who can demonstrate how their work and related outreach will benefit underserved and underrepresented communities.
“Sea Grant is committed to building inclusive research, extension, communication, and education programs that serve people with unique backgrounds, circumstances, needs, perspectives, and ways of thinking. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply for this competitive research opportunity,” White added.
Proposals should incorporate Sea Grant’s multidisciplinary, integrated program of applied research, outreach and education.
The 2022–2024 North Carolina Sea Grant Biennial Competitive Research Funding Cycle will fund research to begin Feb.1, 2022, and be completed by Jan. 31, 2024.
North Carolina Sea Grant uses the proposal management system, eSeaGrant, at go.ncsu.edu/ncesg, for all parts of the proposal cycle. Detailed instructions are included with the application materials at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/core-funding.
For questions, contact John Fear at jmfear@ncsu.edu or Susan White at snwhite3@ncsu.edu. Email is the preferred first contact at this time, and follow-up phone calls can be scheduled.
