NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on School Safety

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through its Great Lakes National Program Office, is offering funding under the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program focused on phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a components. This program is part of the broader Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and fulfills statutory requirements under the Clean Water Act to maintain a system-wide monitoring network assessing water quality across the Great Lakes. The program has been in place since 1983 and plays a critical role in evaluating ecosystem health, particularly through lower food web indicators such as phytoplankton communities and chlorophyll concentrations. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support a long-term monitoring project that collects, analyzes, and reports data related to phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a across all five Great Lakes. These indicators are essential for understanding ecological conditions, detecting impacts from invasive species, and informing fisheries and habitat management decisions. The funded project must contribute to documenting ecosystem trends, improving interpretation of monitoring data, and advancing scientific approaches, including artificial intelligence applications for phytoplankton analysis. The funding available totals approximately $3.6 million, expected to be awarded as a single cooperative agreement over a six-year period. Funding will be distributed incrementally, roughly $600,000 per year, contingent on performance and availability of appropriations. Applicants must propose comprehensive workplans covering annual sampling, laboratory analysis, statistical interpretation, and reporting. Allowable activities include field sampling aboard EPA vessels, laboratory analysis, data management, supplemental scientific studies, and dissemination of findings through reports and publications. Eligibility is limited to non-federal entities including state and local governments, federally recognized tribes, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. Applicants must demonstrate the technical capacity to conduct phytoplankton taxonomy, chlorophyll analysis, and data interpretation consistent with historical datasets. Projects must occur within the Great Lakes Basin and align with program priorities. For-profit entities, individuals, and federal agencies are not eligible to apply. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes standard federal forms such as SF-424 and SF-424A, along with a detailed project narrative and budget narrative. The narrative must not exceed thirty pages and must include a workplan, study design, collaboration details, outputs and outcomes, and organizational qualifications. Applicants must also outline data management strategies and quality assurance protocols, including development of Quality Assurance Project Plans and Quality Management Plans. Applications are due by June 30, 2026, with anticipated selection notifications in August 2026 and award issuance expected in October 2026. The project period is expected to begin January 1, 2027, and extend through March 31, 2033. The EPA will evaluate applications based on criteria including technical approach, data quality plans, programmatic capability, and alignment with program goals. The agency will maintain substantial involvement in the project through coordination, oversight, and collaboration under the cooperative agreement structure.

Ensure strong alignment with GLBMP priorities; demonstrate continuity with historical datasets; provide detailed QA/QC plans; highlight phytoplankton expertise and prior research experience