Fiscal Year 2018 Recovery Implementation Fund Grants | F18AS00059

Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00059

The Fiscal Year 2018 Recovery Implementation Fund Grants (Opportunity Number F18AS00059) is a competitive funding opportunity run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), under the Ecological Services Program. The basic purpose is to support on-the-ground and science-based work that helps recover endangered and threatened species that are managed by FWS in the United States. The program is rooted in the Endangered Species Act and is designed to generate the information and conservation outcomes needed to move species away from extinction risk, support measurable recovery, and in some cases prevent a species from needing to be listed in the first place. It also recognizes that conserving species often means conserving the habitats and broader ecosystems those species rely on.

A central feature of this opportunity is that projects must be tightly connected to established recovery direction for a species. That means proposed work needs to directly carry out actions already identified in an approved species recovery plan or its implementation schedule, actions recommended in a completed 5-year status review, actions identified in a Spotlight Species Action Plan, or projects that document how species are responding to climate change. In practical terms, the funding is meant for work that fills key data gaps (for example, surveys, monitoring, research, or other efforts that secure scientific information about listed species), and for implementation projects that produce tangible conservation results (for example, habitat restoration, threat reduction, or other recovery actions that can help stabilize populations, prevent extinction, improve status, and ultimately support delisting when recovery criteria are met).

The opportunity also draws a clear boundary around which species and activities are eligible based on federal agency responsibility. FWS and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of NOAA Fisheries within the Department of Commerce, share Endangered Species Act responsibilities for certain species such as sea turtles. FWS is responsible for sea turtles when they are on land, while NMFS is responsible when they are in the water. Because of that split jurisdiction, projects that fall under NMFS-managed species responsibilities are not included under this particular funding opportunity. Applicants proposing sea turtle work, for instance, would need to ensure their activities fall within the FWS-managed scope (land-based components) rather than NMFS-managed aquatic components.

Eligibility is broadly open. The listing indicates an unrestricted applicant pool, meaning a wide range of entities may apply, including state governments, other federal agencies, landowners, educators, nonprofit organizations, researchers, and other partners, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full notice. The funding instrument types include cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts, giving FWS flexibility in how it structures awards and involvement. The activity category is Environment and Natural Resources, and the assistance listing is tied to CFDA number 15.657.

Key administrative details include a posting/creation date of December 20, 2017, and an original closing date of July 31, 2018. Applications were due by July 31, 2018, but the notice indicates submissions could be made throughout the year, with the practical reality that timing and selection would ultimately align with the FWS budget cycle. The stated maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $1,000,000. The notice lists expected awards as 0, which typically signals that the agency was not specifying a target number of awards in advance, rather than implying that no awards would be made.

Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as targeted recovery funding for FWS-managed listed species, focused less on general conservation ideas and more on executing already-vetted recovery priorities. Strong proposals under this program would normally be those that clearly link proposed tasks to specific recovery-plan or status-review actions, explain how the work reduces key threats or closes critical information gaps, and show how progress will be measured in ways that matter for recovery decisions (including, where relevant, documenting climate-driven changes in species status or habitat conditions).

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2018 Recovery Implementation Fund Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.657.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 20, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 31, 2018 Applications are due by July 31, 2018. However, you may submit applications throughout the year. Consideration of applications ultimately will be based on the FWS budget cycle.. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for F18AS00059

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