The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for projects that enhance and improve the quality of big game seasonal habitat, stopover areas, and migration corridors on federal land and/or voluntary efforts on private and Tribal land that have been prioritized by states or Native Nations.
Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/16/2023
Size of the Grant: $3 million
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
Projects will promote robust, sustainable populations of big game such as elk, mule deer and pronghorn, have positive effects on a wide diversity of other species and implement strategies that provide for increased habitat connectivity and climate resiliency. The partners include the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the U.S. Forest Service (FS), and ConocoPhillips.
Program Priorities
All proposals must outline specifically how projects will directly address state game and fish (wildlife) department priorities as identified in state action plans, or specific priority projects on Tribal lands, to conserve or restore habitat and measurably contribute to the sustainability of local and regional big game populations and accomplishment of program priorities which include:
- Restoring degraded priority habitat, stopover areas, and migration corridors by activities identified in state or Indigenous plans, such as removing encroaching trees from sagebrush ecosystems, rehabilitating areas damaged by fire, or treating exotic/invasive vegetation to improve the quality and value of these areas to big game and other wildlife.
- Work cooperatively with diverse partners to achieve wildlife friendly fencing measures, including potentially modifying (via smooth wire), removing (if no longer necessary), installing if serving to direct big game movement out of harm’s way, or seasonally adapting (seasonal lay down) fencing if proven to impede movement of big game through priority migration corridors or habitat.
- Implement measures such as conservation easements and management agreements or other actions to protect bottlenecks within corridors and other areas within priority habitat or stopover areas threatened by fragmentation.
- Utilize other proven actions necessary to improve the habitat quality /or restore priority big game seasonal habitat, stopover areas, or migration corridors across the West.
Community Impact and Engagement: Projects that incorporate outreach to communities, foster community engagement, and pursue collaborative management leading to measurable conservation benefits are encouraged. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award.
Funding Information
The 2024 Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund RFP has approximately $3 million available for the effort. For this round NFWF anticipates awarding six to ten grants. Grants can range from one to three years in length. A minimum 1:1 non-federal match is required as in-kind or cash contributions.
Geographical Areas
Only projects proposed in focal areas prioritized by states or Native Nations within Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming will be eligible for funding.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, U.S. Federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, and Native Nations and Indigenous-led organizations.
Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds
- Equipment: Applicants are encouraged to rent equipment where possible and cost-effective to do so, or use matching funds to make those purchases. NFWF acknowledges, however, that some projects may only be completed using NFWF funds to procure equipment.
- Federal funds and matching contributions may not be used to procure or obtain equipment, services, or systems (including entering into or renewing a contract) that uses telecommunications equipment or services produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities) as a substantial or essential component, or as critical technology of any system.
- NFWF funds and matching contributions may not be used to support political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, litigation, terrorist activities or Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.
- NFWF funds may not be used to support ongoing efforts to comply with legal requirements, including permit conditions, mitigation, and settlement agreements. However, grant funds may be used to support projects that enhance or improve upon existing baseline compliance efforts.
- While federal agency partners are eligible applicants, program funds cannot be applied to federal salary.
For more information, visit NFWF.
