If your organization works on water quality monitoring, aquatic health, or drinking water protection, this one’s worth your attention.
NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Competitive Research Program has announced two new funding opportunities targeting harmful algal bloom (HAB) research — one focused on toxin detection in seafood, the other on technologies to actually control and eliminate blooms. Both are competitive, federally funded programs, and both have deadlines coming up fast.
Here’s what you need to know.
What Are Harmful Algal Blooms — and Why Do They Matter Here?
Harmful algal blooms occur when colonies of algae grow out of control in water bodies, often fueled by excess nutrients from agricultural runoff, stormwater, and wastewater discharge. Some HABs produce toxins that are dangerous to humans, fish, wildlife, and livestock. They can close recreational waterways, shut down drinking water intakes, devastate fisheries, and create serious public health risks.
In the Upper Ohio River Basin — where agricultural runoff, combined sewer overflows, and nutrient loading are documented water quality concerns — HABs aren’t a distant coastal problem. They’re a regional one. Understanding and controlling them is part of the larger water quality picture that watershed organizations, utilities, and communities across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia are already working to address.
Opportunity 1: HAB Toxin Detection for Seafood Safety
The first funding opportunity focuses on advancing practical, cost-effective methods for detecting HAB toxins in seafood. Better toxin detection protects public health, supports the U.S. seafood industry, and helps American producers stay competitive in global markets.
NCCOS expects to fund two to five projects, each lasting one to three years, with annual budgets ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 per project.
Opportunity 2: Technologies to Control Harmful Algal Blooms
The second opportunity is broader and bigger in scope. It focuses on comprehensive testing of HAB control technologies across two focal areas:
Focal Area 1 — Promising control technologies that still need feasibility testing. Projects may request up to $500,000 per year for up to three years.
Focal Area 2 — Proven technologies that need large-scale field testing, or technologies approved for other applications (such as oil spill response) that could be adapted for HAB control in marine environments. Projects may request up to $1,000,000 per year for up to five years.
NCCOS expects to fund three to five projects under this opportunity.
Key Deadlines — Mark Your Calendar Now
Both funding opportunities share the same timeline:
Letters of Intent: April 14, 2026 — Early submissions are strongly encouraged. Full Applications: May 14, 2026
Letters of Intent are typically shorter documents that give the funder a preview of your proposed project. If you’re considering applying, don’t wait until April to start — the LOI is your first impression and deserves real attention.
Free Informational Webinars — Attend Before You Apply
NCCOS is hosting two webinars to walk prospective applicants through each funding opportunity. These are free, and attending one is one of the smartest things you can do before you start writing:
March 24, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 PM ET Overview of NOAA’s FY2026 Harmful Algal Bloom Innovation Challenge: Toxin Detection in SeafoodRegister here →
March 26, 2026 | 2:00–3:00 PM ET Overview of NOAA’s FY2026 PCMHAB Funding Opportunity for Potential Applicants Register here →
Can’t make it live? Recordings will be posted on the NCCOS Funding Opportunities webpage after each event.
Is This the Right Fit for Your Organization?
These opportunities are competitive federal grants and will likely attract universities, research institutions, and well-resourced environmental organizations. That said, smaller watershed groups and community organizations shouldn’t count themselves out — especially if you have monitoring experience, data, or community relationships that could strengthen a collaborative proposal with a larger research partner.
If you’re interested in exploring whether a partnership makes sense, reach out. H2O Water Network exists to connect organizations across the Upper Ohio River Basin — and that includes helping members find the right collaborators when funding opportunities like this one emerge.💧 Have a question about this funding opportunity or looking for a research partner? Get in touch with H2O Water Network and let’s talk.
