Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA R5 GL2026 PCA
The Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Phytoplankton and Chlorophyll-a Components grant opportunity is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding notice that supports long-term, lakewide tracking of Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health. The award is issued under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan IV and is designed to help EPA meet a specific legal requirement in the Clean Water Act (Section 118(c)(B)) to maintain a Great Lakes system-wide surveillance network. In practical terms, this funding is about collecting and analyzing core biological data that can show how the lakes are changing over time and why.
This particular NOFO focuses on two closely related pieces of the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program (GLBMP): phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a. Phytoplankton are microscopic algae and other photosynthetic organisms that form the base of the aquatic food web, and shifts in their abundance and community composition can signal nutrient changes, food-web disruptions, or broader ecosystem stress. Chlorophyll-a is a common indicator used to estimate algal biomass in the water; it is widely used in water quality monitoring because it provides a consistent way to compare productivity and potential bloom conditions across locations and seasons. Together, these measurements help build a clearer picture of lower food web condition, which is foundational for understanding everything that depends on it, including zooplankton, fish, and nearshore and offshore habitat quality.
The broader GLBMP has three main goals that frame this funding. First, it aims to report on Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem condition using lower food web indicators, including phytoplankton, chlorophyll, zooplankton, Mysis (a shrimp-like organism important to Great Lakes food webs), and benthic invertebrates. Second, it is intended to assess how invasive species are affecting the lower food web, with specific mention of quagga mussels, which can dramatically change nutrient cycling and water clarity by filtering large volumes of water and redirecting energy from the open water to the lake bottom. Third, the program is meant to produce information that fisheries and habitat managers can actually use, meaning the data are expected to support decision-making about conservation, restoration priorities, and ecosystem management across the basin.
EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) is the office requesting applications, and the work emphasized in this announcement is the completion of sample collection and analytical work specifically for the phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a components. The targeted applicants are eligible entities (as defined in the NOFO) that can credibly carry out lab and analytical tasks such as identifying phytoplankton community abundance and composition and measuring chlorophyll-a concentrations from water samples. Because this is issued as a cooperative agreement rather than a simple grant, applicants should expect substantial EPA involvement during the project, such as coordination on monitoring methods, quality assurance expectations, data management, and alignment with program-wide protocols.
The opportunity is listed as a discretionary environmental funding program under CFDA number 66.469. It is expected to result in a single award, with an award ceiling of $3,600,000. The funding opportunity number is EPA-R5-GL2026-PCA, and the original application closing date is June 30, 2026. The intended beneficiaries are broadly defined as everyone who lives, works, or recreates in the Great Lakes basin, since consistent biological monitoring supports cleaner water, healthier ecosystems, and more informed management of fisheries and habitat resources. For exact eligibility categories and any additional applicant requirements, the notice directs prospective applicants to Section 2 of the full NOFO.Apply for EPA R5 GL2026 PCA
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Phytoplankton and Chlorophyll-a Components" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.469.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-30. (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 $3,600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Phytoplankton and Chlorophyll-a Components funding opportunity?
This opportunity is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding notice that supports long-term, lakewide tracking of Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem health. It focuses on collecting and analyzing core biological data that show how the lakes are changing over time and help explain why those changes are happening.
Which agency and office are offering this funding?
The funding is offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO).
What larger initiative is this award part of?
The award is issued under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan IV.
Why is EPA offering this funding (what requirement does it support)?
The funding is designed to help EPA meet a specific legal requirement in the Clean Water Act (Section 118(c)(B)) to maintain a Great Lakes system-wide surveillance network.
What parts of the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program (GLBMP) does this NOFO focus on?
This notice focuses specifically on two closely related components: phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a.
What are phytoplankton, and why do they matter for Great Lakes monitoring?
Phytoplankton are microscopic algae and other photosynthetic organisms that form the base of the aquatic food web. Changes in their abundance and community composition can signal nutrient changes, food-web disruptions, or broader ecosystem stress.
What is chlorophyll-a, and why is it measured?
Chlorophyll-a is a commonly used indicator for estimating algal biomass in water. It is widely used in water quality monitoring because it provides a consistent way to compare productivity and potential bloom conditions across locations and seasons.
How do phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a data support understanding of the Great Lakes ecosystem?
Together, phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a measurements help describe the condition of the lower food web. This foundation supports understanding of higher levels of the ecosystem, including zooplankton, fish, and nearshore and offshore habitat quality.
What are the main goals of the broader GLBMP described in the notice?
The broader program has three main goals: (1) report on Great Lakes water quality and ecosystem condition using lower food web indicators (including phytoplankton, chlorophyll, zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic invertebrates); (2) assess how invasive species are affecting the lower food web, with specific mention of quagga mussels; and (3) produce information that fisheries and habitat managers can use for decision-making across the basin.
Which invasive species is specifically mentioned, and why?
Quagga mussels are specifically mentioned because they can dramatically change nutrient cycling and water clarity by filtering large volumes of water and redirecting energy from the open water to the lake bottom.
What work is emphasized for applicants under this announcement?
The announcement emphasizes completion of sample collection and analytical work for the phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a components of the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program.
What kinds of tasks or capabilities are applicants expected to have?
Applicants are expected to credibly carry out lab and analytical tasks such as identifying phytoplankton community abundance and composition and measuring chlorophyll-a concentrations from water samples.
Is this funding a standard grant or a cooperative agreement?
This opportunity is issued as a cooperative agreement rather than a simple grant.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
Because it is a cooperative agreement, applicants should expect substantial EPA involvement during the project. The notice references involvement such as coordination on monitoring methods, quality assurance expectations, data management, and alignment with program-wide protocols.
Who is eligible to apply?
The targeted applicants are eligible entities as defined in the NOFO. The notice directs prospective applicants to Section 2 of the full NOFO for exact eligibility categories and any additional applicant requirements.
How many awards does EPA expect to make under this opportunity?
The opportunity is expected to result in a single award.
What is the maximum funding amount available (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $3,600,000.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is EPA-R5-GL2026-PCA.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 66.469 as a discretionary environmental funding program.
When is the application due?
The original application closing date is June 30, 2026.
Who benefits from this project work?
The intended beneficiaries are broadly defined as everyone who lives, works, or recreates in the Great Lakes basin, since consistent biological monitoring supports cleaner water, healthier ecosystems, and more informed management of fisheries and habitat resources.
Where can applicants find the detailed eligibility categories and any additional requirements?
The notice directs prospective applicants to Section 2 of the full NOFO for exact eligibility categories and additional applicant requirements.
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