FY17 Region 7 State Wildlife Grant Program - Open to State Fish and Game agency only | F17AS00074

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00074

The FY17 Region 7 State Wildlife Grant Program (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00074) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, under CFDA 15.634. Its purpose is to provide federal funding to state-level wildlife agencies (including eligible jurisdictions such as the District of Columbia, U.S. Commonwealths, and U.S. territories) to support programs that conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat, with an emphasis that clearly includes species that are not hunted or fished. In practice, the program is designed to strengthen and carry out statewide wildlife conservation strategies rather than focusing only on game species, and it prioritizes actions that address broader biodiversity and habitat needs.

The grant supports two main types of work: planning and implementation. Planning activities must directly contribute to developing, updating, or modifying the state’s existing Wildlife Action Plan, and that plan must be one that has been approved by the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Implementation activities cover the on-the-ground or programmatic work a state undertakes to execute its approved Wildlife Action Plan. That means proposals are expected to connect back to the plan in a clear way, showing how the funded activities either improve the plan itself or advance specific conservation actions already identified in it.

A major program priority is directing funds toward “species of greatest conservation need.” The opportunity notes that states should also consider the relative level of funding available for conserving those species, which signals an expectation that applicants will think strategically about gaps and leverage: where needs are highest, where other funding is limited, and where State Wildlife Grant dollars can make a meaningful difference for at-risk species and the habitats they depend on.

The opportunity also draws clear boundaries around what it will not pay for. Wildlife education and law enforcement activities are generally ineligible. The only exception is when an education or law enforcement element is minor or incidental in scope and is still critical to making the larger conservation project succeed. In other words, the primary purpose of the project should remain wildlife and habitat conservation tied to the Wildlife Action Plan, and any education or enforcement components must be clearly subordinate and justified as necessary to achieve the conservation outcomes.

In terms of basic grant details, the funding instrument is a grant, the funding activity category is natural resources, and eligible applicants are limited to state governments, specifically state fish and game agencies as indicated by the title. The opportunity was created on December 15, 2016, and the original closing date listed is August 31, 2018. The listed award ceiling is $6,000,000. The posting indicates “Expected Awards: 0,” which can reflect how the opportunity was configured or announced for administrative reasons rather than guaranteeing that no awards will be made, but the key takeaway is that funding is structured around state-led wildlife planning and implementation consistent with approved statewide conservation plans.

Additional program background and context is referenced through the Fish and Wildlife Service State Wildlife Grant Program page at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG.htm, which is where applicants typically find broader guidance on program goals, requirements, and how State Wildlife Grants fit into national and regional wildlife conservation efforts.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY17 Region 7 State Wildlife Grant Program - Open to State Fish and Game agency only" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.634.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 15, 2016.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2018. (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 $6,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F17AS00074

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