The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (“NFWF”) requests Full Proposals under the Colorado Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Fund (“Fund”) for projects that will restore, reclaim, preserve, conserve, and/or enhance wilderness characteristics in Colorado.
Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
State: Colorado
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/16/2023
Size of the Grant: $5.14 million
Details:
NFWF established and administers the Fund with monies it received as compensatory mitigation for authorized impacts of the Gateway South Transmission Project to Lands with Wilderness Characteristics (“LWC”) in Colorado, as approved by the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) and its Record of Decision for the project.
Priorities
As established under the Wilderness Act of 1964, wilderness character is described as a combination of biophysical, experiential, and symbolic ideals that distinguishes wilderness from other lands. Land management agencies identify and define five tangible qualities of wilderness character as: untrammeled; undeveloped; natural; solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation, as well as unique or other features of value.
- The untrammeled quality refers to conditions that remain unhindered and free from modern human control or manipulation.
- The undeveloped qualityrefers to an area that is without permanent improvements or modern human occupation, including the presence or use of motor vehicles and mechanized equipment.
- The natural qualityrefers to an area affected primarily by the forces of nature where the natural ecosystem is largely intact and functioning free from modern human influence.
- Solitudeis described as the state of being alone or remote from habitations or the sights and sounds of other people. Primitive and unconfined recreation includes activities that provide dispersed, undeveloped recreation, do not require facilities or motorized equipment, and are enjoyed without unnecessary management restriction.
- Unique or other features of valueare not required to be found in wilderness but may include resources of cultural, historical, scenic, ecological, geological, and/or scientific interest.
Wilderness characteristics include the following:
- Naturalness
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- the area generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable.
- Outstanding Opportunities
- the area has either outstanding opportunities for solitude, or outstanding opportunities for primitive and unconfined types of recreation.
- Size
- the area is at least 5,000 acres or is of sufficient size as to make practicable its preservation and use in an unimpaired condition.
- Supplemental Value
- the area may also contain ecological, geological, or other features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.
This RFP seeks projects that will restore, reclaim, preserve, conserve, or enhance wilderness character or wilderness characteristics. They may include, but are not necessarily limited to, any or a combination of the following:
- Restoration, Reclamation, and Enhancement Activities
- Fee Title and Conservation Easement Acquisitions for Conservation and/or Preservation
- Public Outreach, Education, and Interpretation Activities
Funding Information
NFWF expects to award up to approximately $5.14 million from the Fund to projects through this RFP. Up to approximately $1.28 million of this amount may be made available for public outreach, education, and interpretation projects.
Geographic Focus
The Fund will fund projects located in Colorado, within lands determined by the BLM to possess wilderness characteristics, or lands that are eligible for wilderness characteristics inventory. Such lands may include designated Wilderness areas, Wilderness Study Areas (“WSA”), and other lands managed to preserve wilderness characteristics. All project activities are to be located either on federal (public) lands within the following BLM administrative areas, listed here in descending order of priority: Little Snake Field Office and White River Field Office, Northwest District, and other BLM Offices in Colorado; or on non-federal lands adjacent to public lands identified as possessing wilderness characteristics
Eligible Entities
Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c)3 organizations, U.S. Federal government agencies, state government agencies and other political subdivisions of the state, local and municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, businesses, unincorporated individuals, and educational institutions.
Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds
- Awards under this Fund may not be used to support an applicant’s ongoing efforts to comply with legal requirements, including permit conditions, mitigation, and settlement agreements.
- Awards under this Fund may not be used for political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, or litigation.
For more information, visit Lands with Wilderness Characteristics Fund.
