Funding Opportunities

2026-2027 Research Funding Opportunity

The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium (MASGC) is accepting pre-proposals for one- or two-year innovative research projects that address coastal issues in Alabama and Mississippi.

Proposals in the 2026-27 research funding competition must apply to at least one MASGC focus area (Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, Resilient Communities and Economies, or Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development). 

MASGC anticipates $750,000 per year ($1.5 million total) in federal and state funding for this competition. At least $200,000 in federal funds per year will be invested in coastal adaptation and resilience projects among any of MASGC’s focus areas. Recommended funding for individual projects is $125,000 per year in federal funds and includes facilities and administrative costs (F&A).

A 50-percent non-federal match of the federal funds is required.

The extended deadline for pre-proposals is 5 p.m. (Central Standard Time), Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. (This deadline was extended to Feb. 14 on Feb. 4.) Only PIs who submit pre-proposals are eligible to submit full proposals.

Read the detailed request for proposals with pre- and full proposal guidance.

Pre- and full proposals must be submitted through MASGC's online project management system, eSeaGrant. Users must register in eSeaGrant before submitting a pre-proposal. All required pre- and full-proposal forms can be downloaded in eSeaGrant. 

View the tutorial below to learn how to develop and submit a pre-proposal in eSeaGrant.

If you have questions on application materials, contact MASGC Research Coordinator Loretta Leist at 228-818-8835 or [email protected]. For questions on research priorities, contact MASGC Director LaDon Swann at 251-648-5877 or [email protected].

Question-and-Answer Zoom Meeting

A Zoom meeting was held on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025, to discuss the 2026-27 MASGC research funding opportunity. A recording of the meeting is available below.

Program Development Funding Opportunities

MASGC has a limited amount of funding available each year for Program Development (PD) projects. The purpose of PD funding is to support investigators in Alabama and Mississippi to conduct research, education and outreach projects in one of the MASGC four focus areas. PD grants support small-scale projects, which ultimately leverage larger grants and funding opportunities, and allow scientists to rapidly respond to emerging issues. Requests are generally limited to a maximum of $10,000 in funding and are for a one-year period. PD proposals are accepted by MASGC at any time during the year. These proposals may be peer reviewed. Approval is dependent on the availability of funds, relevance and technical merit.

For more details, contact Loretta Leist at [email protected].