Maine Sea Grant
Setting the Course: From Discovery to Action
2010-2011 Biennial Request for Proposals
Deadline for Preliminary Proposals: Monday, March 2, 2009, 4:30 p.m.
Late applications will not be accepted

Maine Sea Grant invites preliminary project proposals for consideration for funding starting in February 2010. Proposals may be for one or two years of funding. The amount of research funding available will depend upon the federal Sea Grant appropriation and the requirements of the non-research components of our program. Assuming no changes in any of these, we estimate that about $300,000 will be available to support research projects in each of grant years 2010 and 2011. Average awards from Maine Sea Grant for the past three years have been about $65,000 per year (exclusive of match) and most have been two-year projects. Although the University of Maine administers Maine Sea Grant, the research competition is open to all faculty and staff at any public or private research or higher education institution.

Recognizing that some issues are best addressed at the regional scale, the Sea Grant Programs in the Northeast (New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, MIT, Woods Hole, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine) have set aside funds (approximately $250,000) for research proposals that have regional relevance with principal investigators from multiple states and that can be funded cooperatively by multiple Sea Grant programs.  Investigators interested in submitting a regional research proposal MUST contact the Maine Sea Grant Director to ensure that the process is well understood.  The guidance for submission of regional research projects can be found at the following link NE Regional Research Submission Guidelines.

Maine Sea Grant invites proposals that contribute to the understanding of four cross-cutting issues: community-based natural resource management, the future of coastal communities, sustainable seafood, and stewardship through citizen science. Maine Sea Grant strives to have a balanced portfolio of research projects in the natural and social sciences addressing those issues. The goal is to provide information useful to decision-makers and citizens affected by those decisions. Priorities for natural- and social-scientific research during this biennium, from the current Strategic and Implementation Plans, are outlined in Section I of the preproposal submission guidance document which can be found at the following link: www.seagrant.umaine.edu

Maine Sea Grant seeks to foster the highest quality marine research, so only the most creative and rigorously conceived proposals will receive consideration. All proposals must contribute to the improved understanding, utilization, sustainability, conservation, or management of coastal and marine resources. Each research project must include an outreach component designed to extend the research findings to the potential information users. Applicants are urged to read the document “Towards a strategic research portfolio for Maine Sea Grant” which can be accessed at the Maine Sea Grant web site  or obtained by contacting the Maine Sea Grant office.  Please note, the first step is a review of preliminary proposals by an in-state ad-hoc review panel of stakeholders, with the primary criteria being relevance to the state of Maine and region and the potential for impact.

Sea Grant funding requires 50% non-federal match.  All preliminary proposals must indicate source and level of available non-federal match.  Proposals without sufficient match will not be considered.

The Development and review of Sea Grant proposals is a three-step process:

    First, short preliminary proposals are to be submitted to Maine Sea Grant by 4:30pm on Monday, March 2, 2009.  Preliminary proposals must follow the guidelines available from the Maine Sea Grant office found at www.seagrant.umaine.edu or by calling 207-581-1435.  One electronic copy and 16 paper copies are required.
    Second, applicants who submit the most promising preliminary proposals will be invited to submit full project proposals, due by 4:30 pm on Monday, June 1, 2009.
    Third, after a comprehensive merit review by mail and by a technical panel, the most promising full proposals will be submitted to the National Sea Grant Office with a recommendation for funding.

Guidelines for preparing Preliminary Proposals (including regional proposals) and copies of the Strategic Plan and Implementation Plan are available on this web site or from the address below:

Paul S. Anderson, Director, Maine Sea Grant College Program, 5784 York Complex, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5784; (207) 581-1536; sgresearch@maine.edu

Proposal Development Calendar (2009)

Monday, March 2. Preliminary proposals due in Sea Grant office by 4:30 p.m.

March 30 (approximate). Stakeholder advisory panel reviews preliminary proposals and makes recommendations to Maine Sea Grant Management Team.

April 10. Applicants receive recommendations regarding development of full proposals.

Friday, May 15. List of suggested reviewers due in Sea Grant office by 4:30 p.m.

Monday, June 1. Full proposals due in Sea Grant office by 4:30 p.m.

June 8-12. Mail proposals to scientific reviewers.

July 31. Reviews due in Sea Grant office; blind copies provided to applicants.

Friday, August 14. Rebuttal letters due in Sea Grant office by 4:30 p.m.

September 14-18 (approximate). Technical advisory panel reviews proposals and makes recommendations to Management Team, which makes final decisions on which projects will be included in the 2010 proposal to the National Sea Grant office.

September 25. Selected projects and rationale submitted to the National Sea Grant office for approval.

By October 2. Applicants informed of decisions.

October.  Production of proposal to National Sea Grant office. 

November 1. Final proposal mailed to the National Sea Grant office.

February 1, 2010.  Anticipated 2010-2011 awards begin