Save the Date for RFP4
RESTORE Act Center of Excellence FOR Louisiana to Release Fourth Request for Proposals
The RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana (LA-COE) will be releasing a fourth Request for Proposals (RFP4) in early January 2027. It is anticipated that approximately $5.2 million in funding will be available to support up to 15 projects with an August 1, 2027-August 31, 2029, period of performance. This funding is available from settlements resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Funding is allocated by the U.S. Department of Treasury and flows to the LA-COE through the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). Research Awards and Graduate Assistantship Awards (defined below) will both be available.
LA-COE, in collaboration with CPRA and the LA-COE Executive Committee, has updated the LA-COE Research Needs to align with the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, and the CPRA Strategic Research Plan. Those interested in applying for funds should anticipate Letters of Intent due in late February with full proposals, for those invited to submit, due in late April 2027.
Ahead of the January RFP4 release, researchers are encouraged to review the updated LA-COE Research Needs, available on LA-COE's website, to review the type of activities LA-COE is planning to fund during its next funding cycle. The previous LA-COE RFP (RFP3) is also available on the LA-COE website for reference. It is anticipated that RFP4 proposal guidelines will resemble those provided for RFP3.
Research Awards: Any Louisiana-based organization or institution may be the lead on a proposal and participate in the proposed research. In the case of proposals involving multiple organizations, a single organization must be identified as the lead.
Graduate Assistantship Awards: These awards will only be made available to support full-time graduate students conducting relevant research at Louisiana colleges or universities.
The LA-COE is marking a decade of impactful research funding and collaboration that has advanced restoration and protection efforts across Louisiana's coast. View the 10-Year Impact Report that highlights research initiatives supported through LA-COE and the role they have played in informing critical decision-making and advancing measurable progress for coastal ecosystems and communities statewide.
To learn more about the RFP4, contact Gretchen Vanicor at gvanicor@thewaterinstitute.org.