Rhode Island Sea Grant is pleased to announce that the program has received its annual funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of $2.5 million to support its research, outreach, legal, administrative, and workforce development programs for FY2026.
The National Sea Grant College Program, with 34 state programs around the country, receives strong bipartisan support from Congress, and Rhode Island Sea Grant is grateful to Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation of Sen. Jack Reed, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Rep. Gabe Amo and Rep. Seth Magaziner for championing Sea Grant and helping to ensure the program’s continued ability to foster long-term, sustainable solutions for our coastal and marine resources, communities, and thriving blue economy.
Rhode Island Sea Grant’s 2026 funding will support research, outreach, workforce development, and environmental literacy programs like this community walk at Barrington Beach that demonstrated the impacts of sea level rise on shoreline access and featured Sea Grant-funded research.
“Rhode Island Sea Grant has been at the forefront of helping our state and municipalities improve resilience to flooding and sea level rise, training the next generation of leaders in everything from aquaculture to environmental law and policy, to answering questions about the development and location of new energy resources, how Narragansett Bay is impacted by changing conditions and so much more,” said Tracey Dalton, Rhode Island Sea Grant director. “We thank the Rhode Island residents and those who have benefited from Sea Grant work who have advocated for us to our members of Congress, who have, in turn, supported us through the budgeting process.”
“Our waters and coastline are at the center of life in the Ocean State, and Rhode Island Sea Grant should have all the resources it needs to help preserve them,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, founder and co-chair of the Senate Oceans Caucus. “I am so glad to have supported this federal investment to allow Rhode Island Sea Grant to keep making our coastline more resilient.”
Rhode Island Sea Grant is based at the University of Rhode Island, an R1 research university and a Land Grant and Sea Grant institution. To learn more about our programs, visit our website or sign up for our monthly newsletter.