The Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms Program, administered by the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Competitive Research Program, solicits proposals to develop and transition technologies and strategies for preventing, controlling, or mitigating harmful algal blooms and their impacts.

Overview

The Prevention, Control, and Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms (PCMHAB) program seeks to advance technologies and strategies that address harmful algal blooms. For this announcement, the program prioritizes proposals focused on the comprehensive testing of harmful algal bloom control technologies within two focal areas: (1) promising control technologies that require further testing to prove feasibility; and (2) proven control technologies that need large-scale field testing or are already approved related control technologies (e.g., for freshwater harmful algal blooms or oil spills) that could be transferable to harmful algal blooms in the marine environment.

Funding and Benefits

Funding is contingent upon the availability of Federal appropriations. Approximately $2,500,000 may be available to support the first year of three to five projects.

• Focal Area 1: Proposals may request up to $500,000 per year for up to 3 years.
• Focal Area 2: Proposals may request up to $1,000,000 per year for up to 5 years.
• Award Minimum: $1
• Award Maximum: $1,000,000
• Expected Number of Awards: 5
• Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative agreement
• Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

Eligibility

Eligible applicants for Federal financial assistance in this competition include U.S. institutions of higher education, non-profits, state and local governments, tribal government entities, U.S. Territories, U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands institutions, and for-profit organizations. Federal applicants (including NOAA) are eligible provided legal authority exists for the Federal applicant to receive funds from another agency.

• Principal investigators must be employees of an eligible entity; applications must be submitted through that entity.
• Non-Federal researchers affiliated with NOAA-University Cooperative Institutes will be funded through cooperative agreements.
• Foreign researchers must apply as subawards or contracts through an eligible U.S. entity.
• Federal applicants are eligible to submit applications for intra- or inter-agency funds transfers. Non-NOAA Federal applicants must provide certifications or documentation showing specific legal authority to accept funds for this type of research.
• An eligible U.S. entity may propose Federal agency researchers as funded or unfunded collaborators.
• NOAA NCCOS researchers may apply through an eligible U.S. entity as funded or unfunded collaborators but cannot be the lead principal investigator. Federal employees, including NOAA (with the exception of NCCOS employees), may serve as lead principal investigator. NOAA Federal salaries will not be paid.

Research Areas and Activities

The PCMHAB program prioritizes proposals focused on the comprehensive testing of harmful algal bloom control technologies that fit one of two focal areas:

• Focal Area 1: Promising control technologies that are in need of further testing to prove feasibility.
• Focal Area 2: Proven control technologies that are still in need of large-scale field testing, or technologies that are already approved for related applications (e.g., freshwater harmful algal blooms, oil spills) that could be transferable to harmful algal blooms in the marine environment.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants for Federal financial assistance in this competition include U.S. institutions of higher education, non-profits, state and local governments, tribal government entities, U.S. Territories, U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands institutions, and for-profit organizations. Federal applicants (including NOAA) are eligible provided legal authority exists for the Federal applicant to receive funds from another agency.

Deadline and Timeline

• Closing Date: July 9, 2026
• Posted Date: March 13, 2026
• Archive Date: August 10, 2026
• Informational Webinar: March 26, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Contact Information

Technical Program Information: Felix Martinez, NCCOS/CRP PCMHAB Program Manager

Email: felix.martinez@noaa.gov

Additional information regarding this announcement, including the webinar and background materials, is available on the NCCOS PCMHAB webpage.