The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Southeast Aquatics Fund to restore watershed habitats and improve water quality in targeted river basins and watersheds of the Southeast.
Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/06/2023
Size of the Grant: $150,000 to $450,000
Grant Duration: 24-36 months
Details:
The Southeast Aquatics Fund is a competitive grants program that supports watershed-based restoration and improved management within riparian and in-stream habitat and the connected upland areas. The goal is to improve the health of aquatic systems and secure populations of native freshwater aquatic species. By promoting a habitat-based approach, a diversity of species benefit, from game species to at-risk species, ultimately helping reduce the risk of future listings under the Endangered Species Act.
This effort is a public-private partnership with funding provided by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern Company, Cargill and the Altria Group.
Priorities
- Provide Technical Assistance and Outreach
- Agricultural and Forestry Best Management Practices
- Restore and Enhance Riparian and In-stream Habitat
- Improve stream crossings
- Assessment, Prioritization and Planning
- Villosa Mussel Captive Care and Re-establishment
- Monitoring
Funding Information
Approximately $2.6 million is available in grant funding in 2023. Grant awards are expected to range from $150,000 to $450,000, depending on the overall scale and duration of the project. If outside of this range, please contact Zack Bernstein.
Project Period
Anticipated completion time for funded projects typically will be 24 – 36 months following finalization of a grant agreement. The project narrative must include a clear timetable or schedule for project completion.
Geographic focal areas
- The Alabama and Mobile-Tombigbee River Basins
- Priority will be given to projects within the specific tributary watersheds indicated:
- Conasauga (priority tributary: Holly Creek)
- Focal species: Bridled and trispot darter; Villosa mussels (Alabama rainbow, Coosa creekshell)
- Locust Fork (priority tributary: Upper Locust Fork)
-
- Focal species: Black Warrior waterdog; flattened musk turtle
-
- Middle Coosa (priority tributary: Big Canoe Creek)
- Focal species: Trispot darter
- The Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin
- Projects will be considered that support sufficient water flows for native freshwater species, with particular interest in projects associated with agricultural lands
- Florida River Basins: Improved Grazing Lands Management
- Projects will be considered that provide outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to increase access to and implementation of NRCS Farm Bill and other cost-share programs that support implementation of prescribed/rotational grazing and associated practices within cattle-producing counties across Florida
- Neuse-Pamlico, Cape Fear and Pee Dee River Basins: Improved Soil Health on Working Lands
- Projects will be considered that support improved soil health practices and carbon benefits on agricultural lands that advance watershed health to benefit freshwater aquatic species populations within the Neuse-Pamlico, Cape Fear and Pee Dee River Basins .
Project Activity
- Habitat Management- Improved management practices
- Habitat Management – BMP implementation for nutrient or sediment reduction
- Habitat Management- Improved management practices
- Habitat Management- Removal of invasives (FL grazing only)
- Habitat Management- BMP implementation for prescribed burns (FL grazing only)
- Habitat Management- BMP implementation for fencing improvements
- Stream restoration
- Technical Assistance and Outreach
- Fish passage improvements
- Villosa Mussel Captive Care and Re-establishment
- Assessment, Prioritization and Planning
- Monitoring
Eligible and Ineligible Entities
- Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, U.S. Federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal Governments and Organizations and educational institutions.
- Ineligible applicants include businesses, unincorporated individuals and international organizations.
For more information, visit NFWF.
