Opportunity Information: Apply for F16AS00106
Apply for F16AS00106
- The DOI-FWS in the agriculture, community development, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combating Wildlife Trafficking" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.649,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 19, 2016 and posted on Feb 19, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 22, 2016. (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 10 candidate(s).
- 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Combating Wildlife Trafficking funding opportunity (F16AS00106) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Department of the Interior discretionary grant and cooperative agreement program designed to advance the U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and its February 11, 2015 Implementation Plan. The underlying strategy, issued February 11, 2014, organizes the U.S. government response around three broad priorities: strengthening enforcement, reducing consumer demand for illegal wildlife and wildlife products, and expanding international cooperation and commitment. USFWS notes that it plays a lead or supporting role across all 24 objectives in the Implementation Plan, and this Notice of Funding Opportunity is meant to complement ongoing USFWS International Affairs and Office of Law Enforcement work by providing financial assistance for projects that carry out the Plan's "Next Steps." For purposes of this program, "wildlife" is defined broadly to include terrestrial and aquatic species as well as timber, reflecting the reality that trafficking networks often move multiple types of illegal natural products through the same routes and financial channels.
Applicants are allowed to submit pre-proposals that address any of the Implementation Plan objectives, but USFWS signals that it will prioritize a specific set of objectives that it considers particularly suitable for awards. These priorities fall under the same three pillars as the national strategy. Under Strengthen Enforcement (with an emphasis on global enforcement), the program prioritizes support to foreign governments in range, transit, and consumer countries to build practical enforcement capacity across the entire trafficking chain. That can include helping partners craft and strengthen laws, improve anti-poaching responses, strengthen border and customs controls, enhance investigative capabilities, address trafficking-related corruption, and raise professional standards within enforcement agencies. It also includes improving the effectiveness of courts, prosecutors, and case-building so that arrests translate into successful prosecutions and penalties that meaningfully deter future trafficking. In the same enforcement pillar, USFWS also prioritizes community-based wildlife conservation approaches that reduce poaching incentives and increase local reporting and cooperation with authorities. This includes projects that help communities safely share information with enforcement officials, strengthen community conservation initiatives in high-risk areas, and build or improve economic incentives that make protecting wildlife more beneficial than facilitating illegal harvest.
A third enforcement-related priority area is the development and wider use of effective technologies and analytical tools that make investigations and prosecutions more successful and cost-effective. USFWS highlights efforts that improve detection and identification of illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products by customs, border, and investigative personnel, along with initiatives that expand international forensic capacity. In practice, this priority is aimed at solutions that help officials rapidly identify species and products, link seized items to sources or trafficking networks, and produce evidence that holds up in court, thereby raising the likelihood that trafficking organizations face real legal consequences.
Under the second strategic priority, Reduce Demand for Illegally Traded Wildlife, the opportunity emphasizes public awareness and behavior-change efforts intended to shrink consumer markets. USFWS is looking for projects that raise recognition of wildlife trafficking, communicate its negative impacts, and highlight the real risk of prosecution as a deterrent, with the goal of changing consumption patterns that drive poaching and illegal trade. Examples include targeted social media campaigns, public service announcements, and strategic use of public spaces in the United States and abroad to reach specific consumer groups when low awareness is a demonstrated barrier to change. The program also encourages partnerships with the private sector to help organizations educate their customers and audiences about the risks and broader harms associated with buying or selling illegal wildlife products. Complementing awareness work, USFWS also prioritizes efforts to promote demand-reduction approaches globally, including developing, assessing, and implementing best practices and credible methodologies in key consumer countries and regions, as well as in range states where local demand may also contribute to illegal take.
The third strategic priority, Expand International Cooperation and Commitment, focuses on strengthening the international frameworks and political will needed to tackle a transnational crime. One priority is supporting stronger international agreements and arrangements that protect wildlife, especially effective implementation and enforcement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), along with other relevant agreements. This includes efforts that help countries adopt and enforce appropriate measures in response to current poaching and trafficking pressures. Another priority is bilateral and regional cooperation to catalyze government-level action at multiple levels in partner countries. USFWS describes activities that help secure commitments through multilateral, bilateral, or regional agreements, and that elevate wildlife trafficking within environmental and trade discussions. Anticipated outcomes include better protection for key wildlife populations and habitats, improved information on the status of targeted species and the groups involved in poaching and trafficking, stronger governance for conservation and sustainable use, and better alignment of wildlife trafficking work with related efforts to create practical synergies.
From an applicant standpoint, this is an open-eligibility opportunity (listed as unrestricted, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice). It uses grant and cooperative agreement instruments, indicating that some awards may involve more substantial agency involvement or collaboration depending on project design. The program was posted February 19, 2016, with an application closing date of April 22, 2016. USFWS anticipated making around 10 awards, with an award ceiling of $100,000 per project. The funding is categorized across agriculture, community development, environment, and natural resources (CFDA 15.649), reflecting the cross-cutting nature of wildlife trafficking work, which often blends law enforcement capacity-building, community livelihood and conservation strategies, public communications, and international policy and coordination.
Combating Wildlife Trafficking (F16AS00106) - FAQs
What is the Combating Wildlife Trafficking funding opportunity (F16AS00106)?
This opportunity is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Department of the Interior discretionary grant and cooperative agreement program that provides financial assistance for projects supporting the U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and its February 11, 2015 Implementation Plan.
What national strategy and plan does this program support?
The program is designed to advance the U.S. National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking (issued February 11, 2014) and the related Implementation Plan (dated February 11, 2015), including the Plan's identified "Next Steps."
What are the main priorities (pillars) of the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking?
The strategy is organized around three broad priorities: (1) strengthening enforcement, (2) reducing consumer demand for illegal wildlife and wildlife products, and (3) expanding international cooperation and commitment.
How does USFWS describe its role in the Implementation Plan?
USFWS states it plays a lead or supporting role across all 24 objectives in the Implementation Plan. This Notice of Funding Opportunity is intended to complement ongoing work by USFWS International Affairs and the Office of Law Enforcement.
What does "wildlife" mean for purposes of this program?
For this program, "wildlife" is defined broadly to include terrestrial and aquatic species as well as timber. This reflects that trafficking networks often move multiple illegal natural products through the same routes and financial channels.
Are pre-proposals allowed, and what may they address?
Yes. Applicants are allowed to submit pre-proposals that address any of the Implementation Plan objectives. However, USFWS indicates it will prioritize a specific set of objectives considered particularly suitable for awards.
Which objectives does USFWS say it will prioritize for awards?
USFWS prioritizes certain objectives under the same three pillars of the national strategy: strengthening enforcement (with emphasis on global enforcement), reducing demand for illegally traded wildlife, and expanding international cooperation and commitment.
What types of projects are prioritized under "Strengthen Enforcement"?
Under the enforcement pillar (with an emphasis on global enforcement), USFWS prioritizes support to foreign governments in range, transit, and consumer countries to build practical enforcement capacity across the trafficking chain.
What enforcement capacity-building activities are specifically highlighted?
Examples described include helping partners craft and strengthen laws, improve anti-poaching responses, strengthen border and customs controls, enhance investigative capabilities, address trafficking-related corruption, and raise professional standards within enforcement agencies.
Does the program emphasize prosecution and the court process, not just arrests?
Yes. USFWS highlights improving the effectiveness of courts, prosecutors, and case-building so that arrests lead to successful prosecutions and penalties that meaningfully deter future trafficking.
Are community-based approaches considered part of the enforcement priorities?
Yes. USFWS prioritizes community-based wildlife conservation approaches that reduce poaching incentives and increase local reporting and cooperation with authorities.
What kinds of community-based activities are mentioned?
Examples include projects that help communities safely share information with enforcement officials, strengthen community conservation initiatives in high-risk areas, and build or improve economic incentives so protecting wildlife is more beneficial than facilitating illegal harvest.
Are technology and analytical tools eligible and prioritized?
Yes. A priority area is developing and expanding the use of effective technologies and analytical tools that improve the success and cost-effectiveness of investigations and prosecutions.
What technology-related outcomes is USFWS aiming for?
USFWS points to efforts that improve detection and identification of illegally traded wildlife and wildlife products by customs, border, and investigative personnel, and initiatives that expand international forensic capacity. The aim includes rapidly identifying species and products, linking seized items to sources or trafficking networks, and producing evidence that holds up in court.
What types of projects are prioritized under "Reduce Demand for Illegally Traded Wildlife"?
USFWS emphasizes public awareness and behavior-change efforts intended to shrink consumer markets for illegal wildlife and wildlife products.
What messages or approaches are emphasized for demand-reduction projects?
The opportunity highlights raising recognition of wildlife trafficking, communicating its negative impacts, and highlighting the real risk of prosecution as a deterrent, with the goal of changing consumption patterns that drive poaching and illegal trade.
What examples of demand-reduction activities are provided?
Examples include targeted social media campaigns, public service announcements, and strategic use of public spaces in the United States and abroad to reach specific consumer groups when low awareness is a demonstrated barrier to change.
Does the program encourage partnerships with the private sector?
Yes. USFWS encourages partnerships with the private sector to help organizations educate customers and audiences about the risks and broader harms associated with buying or selling illegal wildlife products.
Does USFWS support developing "best practices" for demand reduction?
Yes. USFWS prioritizes efforts to promote demand-reduction approaches globally, including developing, assessing, and implementing best practices and credible methodologies in key consumer countries and regions, and in range states where local demand may also contribute to illegal take.
What types of projects are prioritized under "Expand International Cooperation and Commitment"?
This pillar focuses on strengthening international frameworks and political will to address wildlife trafficking as a transnational crime, including stronger international agreements and arrangements that protect wildlife.
Is CITES specifically referenced in the priorities?
Yes. USFWS specifically highlights effective implementation and enforcement of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), along with other relevant agreements.
What kinds of international cooperation activities are mentioned?
USFWS describes bilateral and regional cooperation to catalyze government-level action, including activities to secure commitments through multilateral, bilateral, or regional agreements and elevate wildlife trafficking within environmental and trade discussions.
What outcomes does USFWS anticipate from international cooperation projects?
Anticipated outcomes include better protection for key wildlife populations and habitats, improved information on the status of targeted species and the groups involved in poaching and trafficking, stronger governance for conservation and sustainable use, and better alignment of wildlife trafficking work with related efforts to create practical synergies.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is described as open-eligibility (listed as unrestricted), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full notice.
What funding instruments will be used?
USFWS indicates it will use grant and cooperative agreement instruments. This suggests some awards may involve more substantial agency involvement or collaboration depending on project design.
When was the opportunity posted and when was the application due?
The program was posted February 19, 2016, and the application closing date was April 22, 2016.
How many awards did USFWS anticipate making?
USFWS anticipated making around 10 awards.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
The award ceiling is $100,000 per project.
What is the CFDA number and what categories does the funding fall under?
The CFDA number is 15.649. The funding is categorized across agriculture, community development, environment, and natural resources, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of combating wildlife trafficking.
How does this opportunity reflect the cross-cutting nature of wildlife trafficking work?
The description notes that wildlife trafficking work often blends law enforcement capacity-building, community livelihood and conservation strategies, public communications, and international policy and coordination.
Can projects focus on countries outside the United States?
Yes. The priorities explicitly include support to foreign governments in range, transit, and consumer countries, and also describe demand-reduction outreach in the United States and abroad.
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