With support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Sea Grant Office and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the National Sea Grant Energy Liaison Initiative (the Liaison) is launching a pilot National Sea Grant Energy Fellowship Program. This fellowship opportunity is designed to strengthen Sea Grant’s capacity to address complex coastal and ocean energy challenges and extend DOE expertise, while building the skills of early-career and next-generation energy professionals and responding to the evolving needs of federal and community partners. With this initial funding opportunity, the Liaison aims to test, evaluate, and refine a scalable model for deploying energy expertise across the Sea Grant network, with the long-term vision of supporting a Sea Grant Energy Fellow in each region.

This award will provide two eligible Sea Grant programs, one in the Northeast (Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York) and one on the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington), with funding to support a half-time National Sea Grant Energy Fellow for a two-year period. These regions were selected for this pilot as they are actively addressing the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of the energy transition, making them ideal testbeds for applied research, outreach, and policy innovation. This pilot also strengthens an existing Sea Grant and DOE supported East Coast/West Coast Learning Exchange under the National Sea Grant Energy Liaison Initiative, accelerating knowledge transfer, aligning best practices, and generating insights that can inform energy planning nationwide.

An informational webinar for this RFP will be held on May 5 at 1:00pm (EST) via Zoom. Please register to receive access details. Participation is optional but encouraged. This session will provide an opportunity to engage with National Sea Grant Energy Liaison staff, review RFP requirements, and ask questions related to proposal development and submission. A recording and transcript of the webinar will be made available on the Energy Liaison website.

Eligible Sea Grant Programs must submit completed applications to Jennifer McCann (jmccann@uri.edu) by June 23, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. (EST). Applicants are responsible for ensuring receipt of a confirmation email indicating that the application has been received.