Opportunity Information: Apply for F15AS00103
Apply for F15AS00103
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the community development education employment, labor and training environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conservation Program to Introduce Youth to Natural Resource Conservation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.676 Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 18, 2015 and posted on Feb 18, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 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 Conservation Program to Introduce Youth to Natural Resource Conservation (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00103) was a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Northeast Region grant designed to help young people get an early, practical introduction to conservation work and natural resource careers. The program focused on creating developmental learning experiences that combine training, hands-on field assignments, and mentoring, with a clear emphasis on reaching culturally, ethnically, and economically diverse students. The overall intent was to expose youth and young adults to what conservation careers actually look like day to day, while building basic skills, confidence, and professional connections that could support future education and employment pathways in natural resources.
USFWS planned to make up to five awards, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. Cooperative agreements typically mean the agency expects to be actively involved in the project rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. In this case, the structure described in the announcement makes that role clear: participants would work directly with USFWS natural resource professionals and receive training and guidance from them. Projects were expected to take place at National Wildlife Refuges and other USFWS programs across the Northeast Region, creating opportunities for participants to learn in real federal conservation settings rather than only in classroom environments.
The youth experiences supported under this opportunity were meant to be flexible enough to cover both seasonal and year-round assignments. Participants could be placed as individuals or in groups, and their work would expose them to a range of real-world conservation and rehabilitation activities. Examples listed in the notice include invasive species management, habitat restoration, wildlife management, and public education. The program also highlighted interpretation and communications, which signals that it was not limited to field biology and land management tasks; it also aimed to introduce youth to the public-facing side of conservation work, such as helping visitors understand refuge resources, supporting outreach, and communicating conservation messages effectively.
A major feature of the program was structured learning and professional development. Alongside work assignments, participants were expected to receive informal and/or formal training sessions led by USFWS employees, plus mentoring and feedback intended to support their growth. The notice also states that participants might receive consideration for future USFWS employment, reinforcing that the program was designed as an entry point into the conservation career pipeline rather than a one-time volunteer experience. In practical terms, it aimed to help participants understand federal conservation careers, gain credible experience, and develop workplace skills in a professional natural resources environment.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was categorized as discretionary funding, with activity areas spanning community development, education, employment and training, environment, and natural resources. The CFDA listing was 15.676 (Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment Programs). The estimated total funding amount was $500,000, with an award floor of $200,000 and a ceiling of $500,000, and there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement noted. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. The opportunity was posted February 18, 2015, with an original and current closing date of March 20, 2015, and it was archived March 23, 2015.
For applicants or interested parties who needed help accessing the full announcement, the notice provided a contact: Dean Rhine, Assistant Refuge Supervisor, at 413-253-8559 and DeanRhine@fws.gov. The full listing and associated materials were available through Grants.gov under the referenced opportunity number and title.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Conservation Program to Introduce Youth to Natural Resource Conservation (F15AS00103)?
It was a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Northeast Region grant opportunity designed to give young people an early, practical introduction to conservation work and natural resource careers. The program emphasized hands-on learning experiences paired with training and mentoring so participants could see what conservation careers look like in day-to-day practice.
Which agency offered this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Northeast Region.
What was the main purpose of the program?
The overall intent was to expose youth and young adults to real conservation careers while building basic skills, confidence, and professional connections that could support future education and employment pathways in natural resources.
Who was the program intended to serve?
The program focused on youth and young adults, with a clear emphasis on reaching culturally, ethnically, and economically diverse students.
What kinds of activities or work experiences were supported?
Supported experiences combined developmental learning with real work assignments. Examples listed in the notice included invasive species management, habitat restoration, wildlife management, and public education.
Did the program include roles beyond fieldwork?
Yes. The notice highlighted interpretation and communications, indicating the program also aimed to introduce participants to public-facing conservation work such as outreach, helping visitors understand refuge resources, and communicating conservation messages.
Where were projects expected to take place?
Projects were expected to take place at National Wildlife Refuges and other USFWS programs across the Northeast Region, providing opportunities to learn in real federal conservation settings.
What type of award instrument was planned?
USFWS planned to use a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument.
What does it mean that this opportunity used a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically means the agency expects to be actively involved in the project rather than only providing funds. In this opportunity, the announcement described participants working directly with USFWS natural resource professionals and receiving training and guidance from them.
How many awards did USFWS plan to make?
USFWS planned to make up to five awards.
How much funding was available?
The estimated total funding amount was $500,000.
What were the minimum and maximum award amounts?
The award floor was $200,000 and the award ceiling was $500,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was noted in the information provided.
Was eligibility restricted to certain organization types?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
What types of project timeframes were allowed for participant assignments?
The youth experiences supported under this opportunity were intended to be flexible and could cover both seasonal and year-round assignments.
Could participants be placed individually or only as teams?
Participants could be placed as individuals or in groups.
What kind of training and mentoring was expected?
Alongside work assignments, participants were expected to receive informal and/or formal training sessions led by USFWS employees, plus mentoring and feedback intended to support participant growth and development.
Was there any connection to future employment opportunities with USFWS?
The notice stated that participants might receive consideration for future USFWS employment, reinforcing the program as a potential entry point into the conservation career pipeline.
How was this opportunity categorized (funding type and activity areas)?
The opportunity was categorized as discretionary funding. Activity areas included community development, education, employment and training, environment, and natural resources.
What was the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA listing was 15.676 (Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment Programs).
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on February 18, 2015. The original and current closing date was March 20, 2015.
Is this grant opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on March 23, 2015.
Where could applicants find the full listing and application materials?
The full listing and associated materials were available through Grants.gov under the referenced funding opportunity number and title.
Who was listed as the point of contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The notice provided the following contact: Dean Rhine, Assistant Refuge Supervisor, at 413-253-8559 and DeanRhine@fws.gov.
What is the funding opportunity number for this grant?
The funding opportunity number was F15AS00103.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (F15AS00103) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Youth Engagement, Education and Employment Programs Apply for F15AS00159 Funding Number: F15AS00159 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $34,000 |
| Hispanic Youth Migratory Birds Apply for P14AS00157 Funding Number: P14AS00157 Agency: National Park Service Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $5,000 |
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