The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) has announced that applications for Fiscal Year 2023 funding under the Office’s Technical Assistance Programs can now be submitted to https://www.Grants.Gov
The start of funding for Technical Assistance (TAP), Maintenance Assistance (MAP), Coral Reef and Natural Resources (including Invasive Species projects) (CRNR) and Brown Tree Snake (BTS) has a deadline of March 17, 2023. The announcements for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Mined-Lands projects and for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Climate Change Technical Assistance program are also open with a deadline of Jan. 31, 2023. It is highly recommended that applications be submitted as early as possible.
“We look forward to supporting as many applications from the insular areas as possible and encourage all to apply as early as possible for this round of Fiscal Year 2023 funding,” said Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor. “Applications that address climate change, energy and natural resources will be considered among the top priorities.”
Technical Assistance, Maintenance Assistance and Coral Reef and Natural Resources (including Invasive Species projects) are made available for short-term projects intended to meet the needs of the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as the freely associated states. Other intended projects are the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds are available only to support the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Inflation Reduction Act funds are available to the local governments of these same territories and Puerto Rico.
Other financial assistance programs provided through the Office of Insular Affairs, such as the Energizing Island Communities, should be announced later this year or early next year.
Applications for all these programs will be considered from Insular Areas government entities, educational institutions or non-profit organizations whose grant proposals directly benefit the four U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico in the case of Inflation Reduction Act funding, or the three freely associated states, in accordance with 2 CFR 200. More information about financial grant assistance may be found on the OIA website along with the specific TAP 2023 instructions.
For more information and to apply, visit https://www.grants.gov and use CFDA# 15.875. While the deadlines listed are Jan. 31, and March 17, 2023, it is highly recommended that applications be submitted as early as possible.
Applications will be reviewed once the Office of Insular Affairs receives full-year appropriations. Applications related to public safety and emergencies may be reviewed early, prior to the deadline. All funding decisions will be finalized by Sept. 30, 2023.
