RESTORE Act Direct Component - Real Property Activities | GR RDC 16 017

Opportunity Information: Apply for GR RDC 16 017

The RESTORE Act Direct Component - Real Property Activities grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number GR RDC 16 017) is a discretionary U.S. Department of the Treasury program under CFDA 21.015 that uses proceeds tied to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to support recovery and long-term resilience along the Gulf Coast. The funding comes from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, which was created by the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (the RESTORE Act). Under the law, 80 percent of certain civil penalties paid after July 6, 2012 under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in connection with the spill are deposited into the Trust Fund and invested, then distributed through five different RESTORE Act components. This particular notice is narrowly focused: it applies only to the Direct Component and only to applications that involve eligible real property activities.

The purpose of the Direct Component is to finance projects that help restore and protect Gulf Coast natural resources and strengthen Gulf Coast communities and economies in ways that align with the eligible uses spelled out in the RESTORE Act. While the larger RESTORE framework covers many project types, this notice is specifically for real property activities, meaning proposals that center on acquiring, improving, or otherwise carrying out eligible actions involving real property interests. The announcement also makes an important boundary clear: applicants seeking support for other kinds of work, such as non-construction activities, construction activities, or requests to use RESTORE funding as the non-federal cost share for another federally funded grant, are expected to apply under the separate, appropriate funding opportunity announcements rather than this one.

Eligible applicants are limited to governmental entities, specifically state governments and county governments. Projects must be tied to the Gulf Coast region, reflecting the core intent of the RESTORE Act to channel spill-related penalties into on-the-ground ecological restoration and economic revitalization where impacts occurred. The notice states that all eligible activities must be carried out in the Gulf Coast region, with limited exceptions noted for specific categories in the statute.

The eligible activities supported under the RESTORE Act (and therefore potentially relevant to this Direct Component real property notice when they require real property actions) include a broad set of environmental, resilience, and economic priorities. These include restoring and protecting natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, and marine and wildlife habitats, as well as beaches and coastal wetlands; mitigating damage to fish, wildlife, and other natural resources; and implementing federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plans, including fisheries monitoring. The program also allows activities aimed at workforce development and job creation, improvements to or on state parks in coastal areas affected by the spill, and infrastructure projects that benefit the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure. In addition, eligible uses include coastal flood protection and related infrastructure, planning assistance, and administrative costs. The statute also authorizes efforts to promote tourism in the Gulf Coast region (including recreational fishing) and to promote consumption of seafood harvested from the Gulf Coast region.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is structured as a grant, categorized under environment, natural resources, and other related assistance areas. The notice lists an award ceiling of $65,460,782. The opportunity was created on September 8, 2016, with an original closing date of December 2, 2016. Overall, the key takeaway is that this notice is not a general RESTORE Act funding announcement; it is a targeted Direct Component solicitation meant specifically for eligible real property activities that advance the statute’s Gulf Coast restoration, resilience, and revitalization goals.

• The U.S. Dept. of Treasury RESTORE Act Program in the environment, natural resources, other sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RESTORE Act Direct Component - Real Property Activities" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 21.015.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-09-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-12-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $65,460,782.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments.

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