OFFSHORE WIND APPLIED RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION GRANT
The application window for this program closed on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
The Offshore Wind Applied Research Administration Grant Challenge is a pilot program whereby NJEDA will award a single grant of $6.35 million to an Administrator to develop and administer a Sub-Grant program for offshore wind applied research and innovation open to universities and colleges located in New Jersey.
AMOUNT
$6,350,000
BENEFITS
This grant will help establish New Jersey as a national leader in offshore wind research and innovation through applied research activities at NJ universities and colleges that lead to the commercialization of technologies and innovative solutions for the offshore wind industry.
ELIGIBILITY
Non-profit entity with direct experience overseeing and administering a minimum of one prior offshore wind research and development solicitation.
NJ Universities and colleges are not eligible to apply for this Grant Challenge.
PROGRAM DETAILS
This Grant Challenge is a competitive program for applicants who can both develop and autonomously manage a Sub-Grant Program, through which at least two solicitations will be administered to provide funding to NJ universities and colleges for applied research projects for the offshore wind industry. The Sub-Grant Program will provide grants for research projects that show a connection to potential commercialization or innovation of offshore wind technologies.
NJEDA is seeking applications from a non-profit entity who can independently develop and manage a Sub-Grant Program, create robust processes for selecting and approving Sub-Grant award recipients, and manage research grant awards.
NJEDA has set both the minimum and maximum funding amount for the Grant Challenge at $6,350,000.
ELIGIBILE APPLICANTS
To be eligible for the Grant Challenge, applicants must be a non-profit entity with direct experience overseeing and administering a minimum of one prior offshore wind research and development solicitation.
Universities and colleges located in New Jersey are not eligible to apply for the Grant Challenge, as they are expected to be the primary eligible primary applicant pool for awards through the Sub-Grant Program.
In addition, the applicant must be in substantial good standing with the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The applicant must also provide a current tax clearance certificate when the grant is executed to verify that they are properly registered to do business in New Jersey and in good standing with the New Jersey Division of Taxation.
ELIGIBILE PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Costs incurred by the grant awardee for:
- Planning, developing, and managing competitive solicitations for the Sub-Grant Program
- Scoring and awarding proposals received for the Sub-Grant Program.
- Managing awards through the Sub-Grant Program, including legal agreements, compliance, data, milestones, and budgets, and reporting to NJEDA
- Costs for the Sub-Grant awards, which will cover research-related expenses incurred by New Jersey universities or colleges awarded through the Sub-Grant Program.
Any expenditures that do not comply with the above will be required to be returned by the grant awardee to NJEDA at the end of the Grant Agreement term.
AWARD SIZE
A single grant of $6,350,000 will be awarded for this grant.
NJEDA has set forth the following additional stipulations and restrictions for funding awarded through this grant challenge:
For the Grant Administrator:
- No more than twelve percent (12%) of the grant, or $762,000 of the $6,350,000 funding available, can be used for the grant recipient’s direct and indirect costs. The remaining eighty-eight percent (88%) of the grant, or $5,588,000, must go to awardees of the Sub-Grant Program.
- The Administrator cannot use its funding for capital costs.
For the Sub-Grantees:
- Capital costs are allowable costs for research projects awarded through the Sub-Grant Program. Sub-Grantees who identify capital costs as an expected use of funding will be required to acknowledge as part of their application for the Sub-Grant Program that they will be subject to New Jersey labor compliance laws and regulations, including New Jersey affirmative action and prevailing wage, and New Jersey Contractor Registration and that they may be audited.
FEES
Application fees will be waived for this grant challenge.
KEY DATES
Application Launch – 11/4 at 10am ET
Questions Due – 11/15 at 5pm ET
Questions and Answers Posted – 11/26 at 5pm ET
Application Deadline – 12/19 at 5pm ET
PROGRAM GUIDE
QUESTIONS
To submit questions, please send an email to windinstitute@njeda.gov by November 15, 2024 at 5 PM EST. Q&A will be posted by November 26, 2024.