Frequently Asked Questions: Citizen Science Notice of Funding Opportunity

Which species are applicable to this funding opportunity? Can proposals be submitted that focus on fishery species that are not listed in the tables A–G of the Fishery Stock Status Updates (such as freshwater species)?

All program priorities relating to fishery species, including those related to stock assessments, are for species within a federal fishery management plan. These stocks can be found in the stock status tables A–G of the Fishery Stock Status Updates which are updated quarterly. To be in scope, any proposal would need to explain how it relates to stocks within a federal fishery management plan for the specific program priority identified.

Are proposals limited to one federally managed species?

No. There is no limit to the number of federally managed species that can be included in a project. However, applicants should specify how each species will be analyzed and/or involved in the project.

Are applicants allowed to designate a portion of the budget to pay citizens a salary to compensate for their time?

Citizen science is a form of collaboration in which individuals or organizations participate voluntarily in the scientific process in various ways, including: 

• Enabling the formulation of research questions
• Creating and refining project design
• Conducting scientific experiments
• Collecting and analyzing data
• Interpreting the results of data
• Developing technologies and applications
• Making discoveries
• Solving problems. 

These services are performed voluntarily as a part of a crowdsourcing or citizen science project. Volunteers are not financially compensated for their time. 

Based on this information, paying volunteers some kind of salary (a set amount of compensation for work performed) would not fit under the umbrella of citizen science as defined in this notice of funding opportunity. 

However, funding for purposes outside of that may be acceptable. For example, funding which may remove barriers to volunteer participation in citizen science—such as covering the cost for a bus pass to get to a sampling site, or reimbursing gas costs—may be in scope provided the definitions above are maintained.

Additionally, the budget proposed will go through a more rigorous review and negotiation should the project be funded. We recommend that any type of stipend for volunteers be put under the “other” category, rather than the personnel category.

Are non-U.S. applicants eligible to apply for this funding opportunity?

Yes. Non-U.S. citizens and entities are able to apply as long as they meet the following criteria:

• They are applying in partnership with a U.S.-based entity, such as an American university, organization, etc.
• The work they are proposing benefits U.S. fisheries and is responsive to the program’s priorities.

Is there a limit to the number of proposals that an applicant can submit?

There is no limit to the number of proposals that an applicant can submit. However, if the same person is recommended for funding and their time collectively on those recommended proposals is more than 100 percent, it would raise questions and concerns about this person’s ability to successfully complete both projects. For example, if Project A requires 100 percent of the applicant or project lead’s time and Project B also requires 100 percent of their time, then questions would arise on how this person could take on both projects.

Can I view a recording of the 2025 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) NOAA Fisheries Citizen Science Funding Opportunity webinar for potential applicants?

Yes. You can access a recording of a webinar that took place on August 13, 2024. It includes information on how to apply, new registration requirements, and a question and answer session.

Will all the data gathered under this funding opportunity be made publicly available after funding concludes?

Yes. All data collected and analyzed, as well as final results, should be made publicly available. Exceptions may be permitted on a case-by-case basis at NOAA Fisheries’ discretion. The data management plan should meet the requirements described on pages 8–9 of the Data and Publication Sharing Directive for NOAA Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts. 

The contact officials for data management guidance are listed in Section VII of this announcement. NOAA offers no specific technical guidance, requirement, or recommendation for enabling public access to grant produced data. Applicants should describe their proposed approaches in their application and may include the cost of data sharing in their budgets.

Can my proposed project be based on data from an existing citizen science program?

Yes. If the notice of funding requests information about your proposed project, such as a quality assurance plan or an education and outreach plan, the response should reference the existing citizen science program. Applicants should also specify how the existing citizen science program will be incorporated into the proposed project. For example, applicants may want to discuss how existing data will be analyzed, incorporated, expanded on, or improved.

Can proposals target multiple program priorities?

For the purposes of this funding opportunity, applicants should identify the priority that their proposal is most directly linked to. If applicable, applicants can explain how the proposal targets an additional priority or priorities within the project narrative.