b'PVA will alert ourawardgrantsafter120days.Thesealition, members shared information members whentightturnaroundsaremandatedbyon efforts to lobby for full funding the law and serve to reward applicantsof the grant program and strategies the agency solicitsthat are prepared in advance to sub- forsubmittingcompetitivegrant applications for mit a grant proposal. PVA will alertproposals.FormerMARADAd-2024 grant funding. our members when the agency solicitsministratorandcurrentcoalition applications for 2024 grant funding. manager,DavidMatsuda,encour-aged grant seekers to join the coali-Atarecentforumhostedbythetion and to begin planning early for its inception, MARAD has grantedSmall Shipyard Grant Program Co- grant request submission.more than $300 million to 350 ship-yards across 32 states.Launched in 2008, the purpose of the grant program is to (1) make capital andrelatedimprovementstoquali-fied shipyard facilities to promote ef-ficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration;and/or(2)provide training for workers in shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries. AccordingtotheSmallShipyard GrantProgramCoalition,thegrant program invests in the infrastructure andmanpowerofAmericassmall shipyardsandrepresentsacommit-ment in the future health, safety, and military readiness of our country.Thefederalgrantcancoverupto 75 percent of the proposed projects cost(applicationsproposinggreater non-federal cost share may have a bet-terchanceofselection).Aneligible shipyard facility must be in a single geographiclocationandhavefewer than1,200productionemployees. Additionally, the law contains various buy-American requirements.The current federal funding for MA-RAD and the Department of Trans-portation is set to expire on Jan. 19, 2024. When a final fiscal year 2024 funding law is in place, MARAD will open the application process to per-spective grantees within 15 days and 47 DECEMBER 2023'