Opportunity Information: Apply for AFECF09
Apply for AFECF09
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment natural resources other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "African Elephant Conservation Fund" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.620 African Elephant Conservation Fund.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 4, 2008 and posted on Sep 19, 2007.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 1, 2009 Changed closing date to reflect second annual deadline. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,301,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $50,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Small businesses Individuals Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- Applications may be submitted by African government agencies responsible for African elephant conservation and protection and any other organization with demonstrated experience in African elephant conservation.
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Opportunity Summary:
The African Elephant Conservation Fund is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) aimed at supporting on-the-ground conservation of African elephants. The program is designed to fund practical, field-focused work that improves the survival prospects of elephant populations across Africa, especially those considered at risk. It supports a wide range of activities, including stronger protection for vulnerable herds, transfrontier (cross-border) conservation efforts, habitat and ecosystem conservation and management, and applied research that improves decision-making for elephant conservation.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is improving the effectiveness of conservation actions through better information and stronger management. This includes projects such as elephant population and habitat surveys, monitoring and data collection, and other applied research that helps identify threats, track population trends, and measure whether conservation strategies are working. The fund also supports conservation education efforts that build awareness and encourage community and stakeholder engagement, along with protected area or reserve management work in key elephant range areas. In addition, it can fund the development and implementation of elephant conservation management plans, which may cover coordinated protection strategies, habitat management approaches, and long-term planning for sustaining populations.
The opportunity also prioritizes strengthening local capacity to carry out elephant conservation over time. That includes training and support that helps local institutions and field teams implement effective conservation programs. It specifically mentions building wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics capabilities, reflecting the need to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade through better enforcement skills and investigative capacity. Another key area is reducing human-elephant conflict, supporting efforts that decrease the negative impacts elephants and people can have on each other, such as crop damage, injuries, or retaliatory killings, by encouraging coexistence and practical mitigation strategies.
Funding is relatively limited and spread across multiple awards, with an expectation of around 30 awards from an estimated total funding amount of about $1.301 million. Individual awards generally range from a minimum of $1,500 to a preferred maximum of $50,000. While proposals can request more than $50,000, applicants are told that requests at or below $50,000 are preferred to help support a broader mix of projects, and larger budgets require clear justification. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement stated for this opportunity, which can make participation more accessible for organizations with limited ability to provide matching funds.
The funding instrument can be either a grant or a cooperative agreement, which means some projects may involve more active involvement or coordination with the federal agency depending on the structure and needs of the work. The program is categorized under Environment and Natural Resources, with a specific explanation focused on wildlife conservation, and it falls under CFDA number 15.620 (African Elephant Conservation Fund).
Eligibility is fairly broad, covering nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), public and private institutions of higher education, small businesses, other for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses in one listed category but with for-profits generally noted as eligible), individuals, and other qualified entities. Beyond the general category list, the opportunity specifically notes that applications may be submitted by African government agencies responsible for elephant conservation and protection, as well as any other organization that can demonstrate experience in African elephant conservation. In practice, that language signals that proposals should be grounded in credible conservation experience and likely benefit from strong local or regional partnerships and demonstrated capacity to deliver results in elephant range states.
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number AFECF09 and an annual deadline structure that, for this posting, reflected a closing date of April 1, 2009 (noting a changed closing date to reflect a second annual deadline). The archive date was May 1, 2009. For applicants who cannot access the announcement online, a contact is provided for electronic access problems through USFWS (Mindy Clarke).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - African Elephant Conservation Fund (USFWS)
What is the African Elephant Conservation Fund?
The African Elephant Conservation Fund is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that supports on-the-ground conservation of African elephants. It focuses on practical, field-based work intended to improve the survival prospects of elephant populations across Africa, especially populations considered at risk.
What types of projects does this fund support?
The fund supports a wide range of conservation activities, including stronger protection for vulnerable herds, transfrontier (cross-border) conservation efforts, habitat and ecosystem conservation and management, applied research to improve decision-making, conservation education, protected area or reserve management, and the development and implementation of elephant conservation management plans.
Does the program fund research and monitoring?
Yes. A major emphasis is improving conservation effectiveness through better information and stronger management. Supported efforts include elephant population and habitat surveys, monitoring and data collection, and other applied research that helps identify threats, track population trends, and measure whether conservation strategies are working.
Are conservation education and community engagement eligible activities?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly supports conservation education efforts that build awareness and encourage community and stakeholder engagement as part of broader elephant conservation outcomes.
Can the fund support protected area or reserve management work?
Yes. Protected area or reserve management in key elephant range areas is included among the supported activity types.
Can applicants request funding to develop elephant conservation management plans?
Yes. The fund can support the development and implementation of elephant conservation management plans, which may include coordinated protection strategies, habitat management approaches, and long-term planning to sustain elephant populations.
Does the program prioritize capacity building and training?
Yes. Strengthening local capacity to carry out elephant conservation over time is a priority. This includes training and support for local institutions and field teams to implement effective conservation programs.
Is law enforcement and anti-poaching capacity building supported?
Yes. The opportunity specifically mentions building wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics capabilities, reflecting the need to combat poaching and illegal wildlife trade through stronger enforcement skills and investigative capacity.
Does the program fund efforts to reduce human-elephant conflict?
Yes. Reducing human-elephant conflict is a key area of support. The fund can support efforts that reduce negative impacts between elephants and people (such as crop damage, injuries, or retaliatory killings) by encouraging coexistence and practical mitigation strategies.
How much funding is available in total?
The estimated total funding amount is about $1.301 million, spread across multiple awards.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of around 30 awards.
What is the typical award size?
Individual awards generally range from a minimum of $1,500 to a preferred maximum of $50,000.
Can an applicant request more than $50,000?
Yes. Proposals can request more than $50,000, but requests at or below $50,000 are preferred so the program can support a broader mix of projects. Larger budgets require clear justification.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is stated for this opportunity.
What funding instruments are used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
The funding instrument can be either a grant or a cooperative agreement. This means some projects may involve more active involvement or coordination with the federal agency depending on the structure and needs of the work.
What is the program category or focus area?
The opportunity is categorized under Environment and Natural Resources, with a specific focus on wildlife conservation.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed for the African Elephant Conservation Fund is 15.620.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is AFECF09.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), public and private institutions of higher education, small businesses, other for-profit organizations (with one listed exclusion category noted in the posting), individuals, and other qualified entities.
Are African government agencies eligible?
Yes. The opportunity specifically notes that applications may be submitted by African government agencies responsible for elephant conservation and protection.
Does an organization need elephant conservation experience to apply?
The opportunity indicates that applications may be submitted by any organization that can demonstrate experience in African elephant conservation. This suggests proposals should be grounded in credible conservation experience and demonstrate the capacity to deliver results.
Are cross-border (transfrontier) projects eligible?
Yes. Transfrontier (cross-border) conservation efforts are explicitly included among the supported activities.
What kinds of outcomes is the fund trying to achieve?
The program is designed to fund practical, field-focused work that improves elephant survival prospects. It emphasizes stronger protection, better management and information for decision-making, reduced threats (including poaching and illegal trade), improved coexistence with communities, and effective long-term conservation planning.
What was the deadline for this posting?
For this posting, the closing date was April 1, 2009. The notice indicates the closing date was changed to reflect a second annual deadline.
When was this opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is May 1, 2009.
Who can be contacted if an applicant cannot access the announcement online?
The posting lists Mindy Clarke (USFWS) as the contact for electronic access problems for applicants who cannot access the announcement online.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Environment Natural Resources Other (see text field entitled Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity for clarification)
Next opportunity: Asian Elephant Conservation Fund
Previous opportunity: Young Faculty Award (YFA)
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