Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act | F16AS00008

Opportunity Information: Apply for F16AS00008

The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F16AS00008) is a discretionary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program designed to support projects that restore, conserve, and improve fish and wildlife resources and habitats across the Great Lakes Basin. Authorized under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (16 USC 941c), the program is meant to encourage cooperative, on-the-ground conservation and management by bringing together states, Tribal governments, and other partners that have a stake in Great Lakes ecosystem health. In practice, it funds work that directly benefits Great Lakes fish and wildlife populations and the habitats they depend on, with an emphasis on collaborative efforts rather than isolated, single-entity actions.

The Service is seeking three general types of submissions: restoration projects, research projects, and Regional Projects. Restoration and research proposals come from applicants who will carry out the work themselves if selected. Regional Projects are a little different: they are multi-state or multi-Tribal efforts (impacting resources of multiple states and/or Tribes with fish and wildlife management authority in the Basin) that are implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the state and/or Tribal agencies that submit the proposal. In other words, a Regional Project proposal is a request for the Service to take the lead in carrying out an authorized activity that supports fish and wildlife protection, restoration, maintenance, or enhancement at a scale that crosses jurisdictional lines.

Funding for the cycle described is projected at about $1.7 million total, supported in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The actual amount available and the size and number of awards depend on final Congressional appropriations for Fiscal Year 2016. The opportunity anticipates about 8 awards. There is no stated award ceiling in the listing (Award Ceiling: 0), and past awards have varied widely, from roughly $2,300 up to $2,000,000, with an average project size around $120,529. A key budget rule is that up to 33 percent of the total Congressional appropriation to the program may be used to fund Regional Projects, which helps set an upper bound on how much of the annual funding can be devoted to that category.

Cost sharing requirements depend on the project type. Restoration and research projects require a 25 percent non-federal match, meaning applicants generally need to bring cash and/or eligible in-kind contributions equaling at least a quarter of the total project cost. Regional Projects may be exempt from cost sharing, but only if the Service’s Midwest Region Director determines that the project authorization does not require a non-federal cost share. That exemption is not automatic; it depends on the project’s authorization and the Director’s determination.

The application process is staged. Applicants submit a short pre-proposal (two pages) for restoration and research ideas, and they also submit Regional Project proposals directly to the Service for review. For restoration and research submissions, only those that are successful at the pre-proposal stage are invited to submit full proposals. Full proposals are then reviewed and ranked by a Proposal Review Committee, which determines which projects move forward for funding.

Eligible applicants are broad and include state governments; local governments such as counties and cities or townships; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Tribal governments; other Tribal organizations; and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity areas fall under environment, natural resources, science and technology, and other research and development. The CFDA numbers associated with the opportunity are 15.608 and 15.662. The original closing date listed for this specific opportunity was 2015-12-14, and the opportunity record shows a creation date of 2015-10-15.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608, 15.662.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2015-10-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2015-12-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for F16AS00008

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