Active Atlas Opportunity Score 74/100
NC-CCRG-2026-2027 | North Carolina | NC Sea Grant / NC Water Resources Research Institute / William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science | Research | STEM Education | Water Quality | Community Collaboration
Community Collaborative Research Grant (CCRG) Program 2026–2027
North Carolina Sea Grant, the North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI), and the William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science (KIETS) are accepting proposals for one-year community collaborative research projects that pair scientific expertise with North Carolina local knowledge. Awards range from $5,000 to $25,000, with an estimated two to five awards depending on available funds and proposal quality. Projects are planned to begin May 1, 2027.
Deadline: October 26, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET through the eSeaGrant online proposal management portal. The portal closes automatically at the deadline and late proposals are not accepted.
Focus areas: Risk communication around natural hazards; natural and nature-based solutions for stormwater, stream erosion, flooding and storm impacts; STEM education and pedagogical processes; regulated and unregulated contaminants; surface- and groundwater quality; economic evaluation of ecosystem services; and fisheries/aquaculture. Projects partnering with the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership or KIETS Climate Leaders Program are strongly encouraged.
Eligibility: Each proposal must be co-led by a two-person team consisting of one scientific expert and one North Carolina local-knowledge expert. Eligible lead roles may include faculty from North Carolina colleges, universities or community colleges; North Carolina local or state government staff; staff of NGOs with North Carolina offices; North Carolina business owners; and private North Carolina citizens. Additional participants have no stated eligibility restriction. Liability insurance is required to receive funding. Federal government and Sea Grant/WRRI employees may participate only as unfunded collaborators.
Ineligible work: Projects focused solely on monitoring, literature-search compilation, method or sensor development, or workshop planning are not eligible. Projects must be novel and cannot be simultaneously under review or supported by another competition.
Match / cost share: Matching or in-kind funds are not required, although they are encouraged. Indirect costs / overhead may not be charged.
Budget structure: The official application form provides budget lines for personnel, travel, supplies, equipment over $5,000, contractual costs and other itemized costs, together with a budget justification. Applicants should use the controlling RFP and application form for cost treatment rather than inferring allowability from a budget category alone.
Required submission package: Submit through eSeaGrant as one combined PDF containing the completed application form, project budget and justification, data management plan, and two-page maximum CVs/resumes for the PI, co-PI and other project participants. University-affiliated PIs also must include a cover page / letter of intent signed by their sponsored programs office. Letters of support and references are optional.
Formatting: Use at least 11-point font and single spacing. Application items 13–21 are limited to four single-spaced pages. The abstract is limited to 250 words. The data management plan is limited to two pages; proposals not expected to generate environmental data may use the declaration provided in the official application instructions.
Contacts: Program questions: Kaitlin Tucker, ktucker@ncsu.edu, and John Fear, jmfear@ncsu.edu. eSeaGrant portal or proposed-budget questions: Mary Beth Barrow, mebarrow@ncsu.edu.
Amendment check: The current WRRI program page links the controlling 2026–2027 RFP and application instructions. Atlas did not identify a separately posted addendum or amended deadline in the controlling materials reviewed as of September 12, 2026.
Realistic eligible structures: Faculty teams at North Carolina institutions such as NC State University, UNC Wilmington or a North Carolina community college could serve as the scientific lead when paired with a qualifying local-government, NGO, business-owner or community local-knowledge co-lead. Eligibility remains team- and project-specific.
N9+ Fit Score: 3/100. N9+ should not be forced into this opportunity. Sole method or sensor development is expressly ineligible. A technology component would only be defensible if it were incidental to a broader eligible community-engaged research project and necessary to answer the approved research question.
Direct-vendor review: Dr. Miltie / QC Healthcare is not being advanced as a direct applicant or lead. Current records do not establish the required North Carolina local-knowledge lead role, and the solicitation’s exclusion of sensor-development-only work makes an N9+-centered pursuit inappropriate. A future participant or vendor role should be considered only if an eligible team independently defines a compliant project need.
Controlling sources: WRRI Community Collaborative Research Grants program page; 2026–2027 CCRG Request for Proposals; 2026–2027 CCRG Application Form Instructions.
Verified September 12, 2026.