Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00180
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Combating Wildlife Trafficking" (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00180) to strengthen Uganda's ability to investigate, prosecute, and secure meaningful sentences for wildlife crime. The core purpose is to reduce wildlife trafficking by helping key Ugandan government agencies apply and enforce wildlife laws more effectively, with a practical emphasis on improving how cases move through the justice system from enforcement actions to prosecution outcomes. The agencies specifically referenced as intended partners include the Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Revenue Authority, the Directorate of Public Prosecution, and the Uganda Police Force, reflecting a coordinated approach that spans wildlife management, border and customs enforcement, criminal investigations, and courtroom prosecution.
The opportunity is structured as a grant and/or cooperative agreement, which typically signals that the U.S. government may expect substantial involvement during implementation, such as coordinating on work plans, reporting, or technical direction. The activity categories tied to the announcement include environment, natural resources, community development, and law/justice/legal services, which matches the idea that wildlife trafficking is both a conservation problem and an organized crime and governance problem. While the notice is framed around Uganda, it is issued under U.S. authorities and policy direction aimed at countering transnational wildlife trafficking networks and the harms they cause to biodiversity, security, and the rule of law.
This notice is not a broad, open competition. It is described as a notice of intent to make a single-source award in accordance with internal Department of the Interior policy (516 FW 6). In practical terms, that means the agency is signaling its intent to fund a specific organization without competing the award among multiple applicants, typically because the recipient is uniquely qualified or the work requires continuity with an existing effort. The listing shows an award ceiling of $80,000, indicating the maximum anticipated amount for the award, and it lists "ExpectedAwards: 0," which commonly appears in notices of intent and does not necessarily mean no award will be made, but rather that the agency is not forecasting a standard number of competitively selected awards.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). This suggests the recipient is expected to be a U.S.-recognized charitable organization capable of working with Ugandan institutions, potentially providing technical assistance, training, coordination support, or program management to strengthen enforcement and prosecution capacity. The objective emphasized in the description is not simply increasing arrests or seizures, but improving prosecution and sentencing outcomes, which can involve better case preparation, evidence handling and chain-of-custody practices, interagency coordination, prosecutorial training, support for specialized units, and efforts to ensure wildlife laws are applied consistently and effectively in court.
The authorizing basis for the program is grounded in U.S. policy and statutory authorities targeting wildlife trafficking, including the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking established through Executive Order 13648 (July 5, 2013), the subsequent Implementation Plan (February 11, 2014), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-43). Together, these authorities reflect a U.S. government commitment to addressing wildlife trafficking as a serious international crime and conservation threat, and they provide the legal and policy framework that allows funding to support international partners in improving enforcement of wildlife protections and deterring trafficking through stronger legal consequences.
Key administrative details from the source data include the funding opportunity title "Combating Wildlife Trafficking," the federal agency as the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, and the CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) number 15.679. The opportunity record was created on April 4, 2017, and it does not present a standard application closing date because it is explicitly issued as a single-source intent-to-award notice rather than a competitive solicitation with a typical deadline.Apply for F17AS00180
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the community development, environment, law, justice and legal services, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combating Wildlife Trafficking" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.679.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 04, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by This is a notice of intent to award a single source award in accordance with 516 FW 6.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $80,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Combating Wildlife Trafficking".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F17AS00180.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What is the core purpose of the project described in this notice?
The core purpose is to reduce wildlife trafficking by strengthening Uganda's ability to investigate wildlife crime, prosecute cases effectively, and secure meaningful sentences. The emphasis is practical and justice-system focused, improving how wildlife crime cases move from enforcement actions to prosecution outcomes.
What country is the work focused on?
The notice is framed around work in Uganda, with the goal of strengthening Ugandan institutions involved in wildlife law enforcement and prosecution.
Which Ugandan agencies are specifically referenced as intended partners?
The notice specifically references the following intended partner agencies:
- Uganda Wildlife Authority
- Uganda Revenue Authority
- Directorate of Public Prosecution
- Uganda Police Force
What types of activities does this opportunity support?
Based on the description, supported activities are those that strengthen the ability of Ugandan institutions to apply and enforce wildlife laws effectively, with an emphasis on better justice outcomes. Examples consistent with the notice include improving:
- Case preparation for prosecution
- Evidence handling and chain-of-custody practices
- Interagency coordination from investigations through courtroom prosecution
- Prosecutorial capacity and training related to wildlife crime
- Efforts that lead to consistent application of wildlife laws and meaningful sentencing
Is the goal mainly to increase arrests and seizures?
No. The description emphasizes that the objective is not simply more arrests or seizures. The priority is improving prosecution and sentencing outcomes so that enforcement actions translate into effective legal consequences.
What funding instrument will be used?
The notice states the award may be made as a grant and/or cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award could be a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically indicates the U.S. government may have substantial involvement during implementation, such as coordinating on work plans, providing technical direction, and/or requiring specific reporting and collaboration during the project.
What activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The activity categories listed include:
- Environment
- Natural Resources
- Community Development
- Law/Justice/Legal Services
This aligns with the notice's framing of wildlife trafficking as both a conservation issue and an organized crime/governance issue.
Is this a competitive funding opportunity open to multiple applicants?
No. The notice is described as a notice of intent to make a single-source award in accordance with Department of the Interior policy (516 FW 6). That indicates the agency intends to fund a specific organization rather than run an open competition.
What does "single-source award" imply for applicants?
In practical terms, it implies the agency is signaling its intent to fund a specific organization without soliciting proposals from multiple applicants, commonly because the recipient is considered uniquely qualified or the work requires continuity with an existing effort.
Is there an application deadline listed?
No standard application closing date is presented because this is explicitly issued as a single-source intent-to-award notice rather than a competitive solicitation with a typical deadline.
What is the maximum anticipated award amount?
The listing shows an award ceiling of $80,000, indicating the maximum anticipated amount for the award.
The notice shows "ExpectedAwards: 0" - does that mean no award will be made?
Not necessarily. The description notes that "ExpectedAwards: 0" commonly appears in notices of intent and does not necessarily mean no award will be made. It may reflect that the agency is not forecasting a standard number of competitively selected awards in this type of notice.
Who is eligible to receive this award?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
Are universities eligible under this notice?
No. The eligibility statement excludes institutions of higher education, even if they are nonprofit entities.
What kind of organization does this eligibility suggest the agency intends to fund?
It suggests the recipient is expected to be a U.S.-recognized charitable organization capable of working with Ugandan institutions and providing support such as technical assistance, training, coordination support, or program management to strengthen enforcement and prosecution capacity.
What legal and policy authorities are cited as the basis for the program?
The authorizing basis is grounded in U.S. policy and statutory authorities targeting wildlife trafficking, including:
- Executive Order 13648 (July 5, 2013) establishing the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking
- The subsequent Implementation Plan (February 11, 2014)
- The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-43)
How does this opportunity relate to transnational wildlife trafficking?
Although the work is framed around Uganda, the notice is issued under U.S. authorities and policy direction aimed at countering transnational wildlife trafficking networks and their harms to biodiversity, security, and the rule of law.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) number listed is 15.679.
When was the opportunity record created?
The opportunity record was created on April 4, 2017.
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