### §7505. Grants

#### (a) Administration of grants

#### (1) In general

Not later than 90 days after funds are deposited into the Fund and made available to the Foundation for administrative purposes, the Foundation shall establish the following:

(A) Application and review procedures for the awarding of grants under this section, including requirements ensuring that any amounts awarded under such subsections may only be used for an eligible use described under section 7504 of this title.

(B) Selection procedures and criteria for the awarding of grants under this section that—

(i) require consultation with the Administrator and the Secretary of the Interior; and

(ii) prioritize the projects or activities where non-Federal partners have committed to share the cost of the project.

(C) Eligibility criteria for awarding grants—

(i) under subsection (b) to coastal States; and

(ii) under subsection (c) to—

(I) entities including States, local governments, and Indian tribes; and

(II) the research and restoration work of associations, nongovernmental organizations, public-private partnerships, and academic institutions.

(D) Performance accountability and monitoring measures for programs and activities funded by a grant awarded under subsection (b) or (c).

(E) Procedures and methods to ensure accurate accounting and appropriate administration of grants awarded under this section, including standards of recordkeeping.

(F) Procedures to carry out audits of the Fund as necessary, but not less frequently than once every year if grants have been awarded in that year.

(G) Procedures to carry out audits of the recipients of grants under this section.

(H) Procedures to make publicly available on the Internet a list of all projects funded by the Fund, that includes at a minimum the grant recipient, grant amount, project description, and project status.

#### (2) Approval

The Foundation shall submit to the Administrator for approval each procedure, measure, method, and standard established under paragraph (1).

#### (b) Grants to coastal States

#### (1) In general

The Administrator and the Foundation may award grants according to the procedures established in subsection (a) to coastal States and United States territories to support activities consistent with section 7503 1 of this title. In determining distribution of grants, the Foundation may—

(A) consider for each State—

(i) percent of total United States shoreline miles;

(ii) coastal population density; and

(iii) other factors;

(B) establish criteria for States, including the requirement for a State to establish a plan to distribute the funds; and

(C) establish a maximum and minimum percentage of funding to be awarded to each State or United States territory.

#### (2) Indian tribes

As a condition on receipt of a grant under this subsection, a State that receives a grant under this subsection shall ensure that Indian tribes in the State are eligible to participate in any competitive grants established in this chapter.

#### (c) National grants for oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes

#### (1) In general

The Administrator and the Foundation may award grants according to the procedures established in subsection (a) to support activities consistent with section 7504 of this title.

#### (2) Advisory panel

#### (A) In general

The Foundation may establish an advisory panel to conduct reviews of applications for grants under paragraph (1) and the Foundation may consider the recommendations of the advisory panel with respect to such applications.

#### (B) Membership

The advisory panel described under subparagraph (A) shall include persons representing—

(i) ocean and coastal dependent industries;

(ii) geographic regions as defined by the Foundation; and

(iii) academic institutions.

(Pub. L. 114–113, div. O, title IX, §906, Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3032.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

Section 7503 of this title, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original "section 904", meaning section 904 of div. O of Pub. L. 114–113, which is classified to section 7503 of this title, but probably should have been a reference to section 905 of div. O of Pub. L. 114–113, which is classified to section 7504 of this title. See subsec. (c)(1) of this section.

1 See References in Text note below.