Fish and Wildlife Coordination Assistance Programs | F19AS00391

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00391

The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Assistance Programs opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00391) is a discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service that supports science and technology research tied to fish and wildlife conservation. The legal authority for the award comes from several longstanding federal conservation statutes, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958 (16 U.S.C. 661-666), the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 as amended (16 U.S.C. 742a), the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 2901-2911), and the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2018. In practical terms, the grant is aimed at producing actionable conservation science that helps agencies and partners understand wildlife status and guide management decisions.

The focus of this specific award is migratory shorebirds that rely on the northeastern coast of South America, an area described as one of the most important stopover and non-breeding regions for shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere. The project is built around repeating established aerial survey efforts that have been conducted along South America’s Atlantic coast since 2000. Those surveys have already documented major declines in shorebird populations over roughly the last three decades, and the continuation of the work is intended to provide consistent, comparable data over time. A key point in the description is why aerial surveys are being used: in many of these coastal sites, traditional population estimation approaches like mark-resighting or mark-recapture are not feasible due to limited access to key locations and an insufficient number of observers. Aerial methods, following well-described protocols, are presented as the most effective way to monitor shorebirds across a broad and often hard-to-reach coastline.

Geographically, the survey work is planned for northern and northeastern Brazil and the coastal areas of French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, and Colombia. The primary outcomes are to strengthen shorebird population trend and status assessments and to help evaluate whether conservation actions implemented across the Atlantic Flyway are actually working. That evaluation component is framed as especially important because it supports the adaptive management approach behind the Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative, meaning the survey results are meant to feed back into decision-making so strategies can be adjusted based on evidence rather than assumption.

The announcement also ties the project to internal Department of the Interior priorities. It aligns with Priority #1 by emphasizing conservation stewardship and sustainable resource use grounded in the best available science, with aerial survey data positioned as the core scientific input. It also aligns with Priority #3 by stressing relationship-building and communication with network partners, local stakeholders, and international counterparts, with an emphasis on considering local communities when developing conservation solutions across borders.

Administratively, this notice is for a single-source financial assistance award, meaning it is not a broad competitive solicitation. The funding instrument is a grant under CFDA 15.664, with an expected number of awards of one and an award ceiling of $100,000. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education. The posting indicates it is for notification purposes only, with an original closing date of September 17, 2019, following a creation date of September 11, 2019.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fish and Wildlife Coordination Assistance Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.664.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 11, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 17, 2019. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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