Act Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program
🏛 U.S. Dept. of Treasury RESTORE Act Program
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 17, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions and nonprofit organizations conducting applied research on environmental remediation, restoration, and resilience in the Gulf of Mexico region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon spill. Eligible applicants include academic institutions, research organizations, and consortia focused on Center of Excellence designation to conduct multi-disciplinary research. Geographic scope is limited to the five Gulf Coast states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas) and their coastal waters. Funding supports research, training, and workforce development activities that address long-term environmental recovery, coastal protection, economic diversification, and community resilience in Gulf Coast communities.
Not the right fit? Find grants for your organization in 5 questions →
Program description
Treasury is publishing multiple funding opportunity notices for its RESTORE Act grant programs. This announcement applies only to the Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program.Trust Fund amounts are available to establish one or more Centers of Excellence through competitive subawards to nongovernmental entities and consortia in the Gulf Coast Region, including institutions of higher education. Funds may be used to establish Centers of Excellence, and by those Centers of Excellence for science, technology, and monitoring in one or more of the following disciplines as described in the RESTORE Act and Treasury’s implementing regulations at 31 CFR 34.704: 1) Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region. 2) Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region. 3) Offshore energy development, including research and technology to improve the sustainable and safe development of energy resources in the Gulf of Mexico. 4) Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf Coast Region. 5) Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico.Eligible applicants issuing subawards to Center(s) of Excellence must establish and implement a program to monitor compliance with its subaward agreements.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Standard federal form SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative and research plan (typically 15-20 pages) describing center vision, research focus areas, and educational/workforce components
- Detailed budget and budget narrative for the proposed funding period
- Letters of institutional commitment from all consortium partners
- Letters of support from Gulf Coast community partners, local governments, and industry stakeholders
- Organizational capacity documentation (relevant prior experience, personnel qualifications, facilities)
- Brief CVs or biographical sketches of key personnel
- Indirect cost rate agreement (for institutions with negotiated rates)
- Data management and dissemination plan
- Evaluation plan with metrics and timeline
Program contact
- 👤 U.S. Dept. of Treasury RESTORE Act Program
- 📧 restoreact@do.treas.gov
- 📞 202-622-7340
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 21.015 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$122,112,519
-
$32,804,543
-
$31,594,591
-
$30,683,840
-
$28,860,138
-
$28,679,743
-
$23,690,667
-
$21,708,150
-
$16,521,059
-
$16,252,792
Top States by Funding
- AL 15 awards $191.4M
- MS 35 awards $185.7M
- LA 13 awards $183.2M
- TX 5 awards $119.7M
- FL 38 awards $108.7M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 21.015). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $39,281,415 | |
| 2025 | $202,137,304 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutions, nonprofit research organizations, and state/local government entities with capacity to establish a Center of Excellence. Consortia of eligible institutions are also permitted. Applicants must demonstrate commitment to Gulf Coast research and community engagement.
What is the application deadline?
The deadline is October 31, 2026, with applications opening on September 26, 2024. This is a fixed deadline; late submissions are typically not accepted.
What activities and research areas are supported?
This program supports applied research in environmental restoration, coastal protection, water quality, ecosystem recovery, economic revitalization, and workforce development. Centers must conduct interdisciplinary research relevant to Gulf Coast recovery and produce educational materials and trained professionals.
How competitive is this grant?
This is highly competitive. Applicants should expect strong competition from established research institutions and consortia. Success requires demonstrated research capacity, Gulf Coast expertise, and clear community engagement plans.
What is the typical funding range?
RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence grants typically provide multi-year funding in the range of $1-5 million annually, though specific amounts vary by program cycle and funding availability. Centers are expected to be self-sustaining long-term.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish a strong consortium with complementary expertise: successful applicants typically partner multiple institutions (universities, nonprofits, government agencies) to create breadth of research capacity and geographic coverage.
- Demonstrate direct connection to Gulf Coast communities: include letters of support from local governments, industry partners, and community organizations; explain how research findings will benefit local economies and resilience.
- Detail your center's sustainability plan: reviewers want assurance the center will persist beyond the grant period. Describe revenue diversification, institutional commitment, and how you'll build self-funding capacity through partnerships or service contracts.
- Align research with RESTORE Act priorities: familiarize yourself with the RESTORE Act's five core pillars (restoration, economic recovery, workforce development, environmental monitoring, coastal protection). Frame your research and education programs explicitly within these priorities.
- Develop a rigorous evaluation and dissemination strategy: specify how you'll measure center outcomes (publications, trained professionals, policy influence, community economic benefit) and how research results will reach practitioners, policymakers, and industry partners in the Gulf region.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack a credible long-term sustainability strategy—reviewers are skeptical of centers dependent entirely on federal funding. Additionally, many proposals underestimate the importance of authentic community partnership and fail to demonstrate how research directly benefits Gulf Coast residents and economies rather than serving only academic interests. Finally, weak consortia with unclear role definitions or insufficient complementary expertise fail to convince reviewers that the center has the breadth needed to address complex Gulf restoration challenges.
Similar grants
- OPEN RESTORE Act Direct Component – Non-Construction Activities — U.S. Dept. of Treasury RESTORE Act Program
- OPEN RESTORE Act Direct Component – Construction and Real Property Acquisition Activities — U.S. Dept. of Treasury RESTORE Act Program
- ROLLING Senate Bill 1 Sea Level Rise Tribal Cultural Resources Funding Program — Ocean Protection Council (California)
- CLOSING SOON F26AS00013 FY 2026 Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Notice of Funding Opportunity — Fish and Wildlife Service
- ROLLING 2026 Natural Community Conservation Planning Local Assistance Grant Program — Department of Fish and Wildlife (California)