Opportunity Information: Apply for F15AS00226
Apply for F15AS00226
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the education environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Conserving the Future" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.649 Service Training and Technical Assistance (Generic Training).
- This funding opportunity was created on May 15, 2015 and posted on May 15, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by This is a single source amendment to an existing Agreement. The awardee has already been selected.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $900,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Conserving the Future grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00226) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cooperative agreement focused on strengthening the National Wildlife Refuge System through public engagement, partner capacity-building, and on-the-ground conservation planning that extends beyond refuge boundaries. The project described is proposed by the National Wildlife Refuge Association and is framed around the Conserving the Future vision for keeping refuges relevant, resilient, and better connected to the public. The funding activity sits in the Education, Environment, and Natural Resources space under CFDA 15.649 (Service Training and Technical Assistance), and it is geared toward practical training, communications, partnership development, and strategic conservation implementation rather than construction-style capital projects.
At the core of the work is building grassroots partnerships, especially by improving training and support for Refuge Friends groups (community-based nonprofit partners that support individual refuges). The proposal emphasizes investing in a subset of Friends groups that are ready to expand, helping them become stronger local partners and positioning them to mentor other Friends organizations. A specific priority is boosting Friends group capacity where it is most needed for public-facing work, including urban refuges and highly visited refuges, where demand for visitor services, education, volunteering, and community relationships is typically higher and more complex.
Another major component is collaborative landscape conservation through the Beyond the Boundaries programs, using a Strategic Habitat Conservation approach. In practical terms, this is about coordinating habitat and wildlife conservation at the landscape scale, recognizing that migratory routes, watersheds, and habitat corridors do not stop at refuge property lines. The opportunity supports planning and partnerships that align refuge priorities with surrounding landowners, agencies, and conservation organizations to achieve broader, longer-lasting ecological outcomes.
The opportunity also includes targeted support for the Urban Wildlife Refuge Program. This piece focuses on strengthening communications strategies, supporting program development, sharing lessons learned across sites, and building community engagement around a subset of urban refuges. The intent is to help urban refuges serve as accessible entry points to nature for nearby communities, expand relevancy with diverse audiences, and build local stewardship through programming, outreach, and sustained partnerships.
In addition, the grant places a strong emphasis on raising the national profile of the Refuge System through improved branding and communications. The proposal calls for developing a communications strategy that more effectively connects the American public to the value of refuges, including the benefits they provide for wildlife, outdoor recreation, education, and community well-being. This suggests work such as message development, coordinated storytelling, and outreach approaches that make the Refuge System more visible and understandable to people who may not currently know it exists or why it matters.
A final element centers on youth engagement and career development, linking domestic workforce pathways with international conservation goals. The proposal highlights building the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition as a public voice supporting international conservation efforts tied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Multinational Species Conservation Fund. It also includes developing internships and workforce training opportunities for college students at Tigers for Tigers (T4T) universities, while adapting Beyond the Boundaries strategies to conserve key tiger landscapes in Asia. Taken together, this part blends conservation education, early-career training, and international habitat strategy development, using a coalition model to mobilize students and institutions.
Administratively, this opportunity was posted May 15, 2015, with an estimated total funding amount of $900,000, and it specifies no cost sharing or matching requirement. The listing indicates it is a single-source amendment to an existing agreement, meaning it was not an open competitive solicitation at the time and the awardee had already been selected. Eligible applicants are described as 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than institutions of higher education. For access issues or questions, the contact listed is Cameron Matthews at cameronmatthews@fws.gov, and additional details were referenced through Grants.gov.
Conserving the Future Grant Opportunity (F15AS00226) - FAQs
What is the Conserving the Future grant opportunity (F15AS00226)?
The Conserving the Future grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00226) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) cooperative agreement aimed at strengthening the National Wildlife Refuge System. The focus is on public engagement, partner capacity-building, and on-the-ground conservation planning that extends beyond refuge boundaries.
Which organization proposed the project described in this opportunity?
The project described is proposed by the National Wildlife Refuge Association and is framed around the Conserving the Future vision for keeping refuges relevant, resilient, and better connected to the public.
What is the primary goal of the funded activity?
The primary goal is to strengthen the National Wildlife Refuge System by improving how refuges connect with the public, building stronger partner capacity (especially community partners), and supporting strategic conservation planning and implementation that recognizes ecological connections beyond refuge property lines.
What type of funding instrument is this?
This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a collaborative relationship where the federal agency is involved in supporting the work described.
What is the CFDA number and program area for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.649 (Service Training and Technical Assistance) and falls within the Education, Environment, and Natural Resources space.
How much funding was available under this listing?
The estimated total funding amount listed for this opportunity is $900,000.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 15, 2015.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The listing specifies that there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Was this an open, competitive funding opportunity?
No. The listing indicates this was a single-source amendment to an existing agreement, meaning it was not an open competitive solicitation at the time and the awardee had already been selected.
Who was eligible to apply (as described in the listing)?
Eligible applicants are described as 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than institutions of higher education.
What kinds of projects and activities does this opportunity emphasize?
The work emphasized is practical and programmatic in nature, including training, communications, partnership development, and strategic conservation implementation. It is positioned around strengthening capacity and engagement rather than construction-style capital projects.
Does this opportunity focus on construction or capital improvements?
No. The opportunity is geared toward training, communications, partnership development, and strategic conservation work rather than construction-style capital projects.
What is the role of Refuge Friends groups in this opportunity?
A core element is building grassroots partnerships by improving training and support for Refuge Friends groups, which are community-based nonprofit partners that support individual refuges.
How does the opportunity plan to strengthen Refuge Friends groups?
The proposal emphasizes investing in a subset of Friends groups that are ready to expand, helping them become stronger local partners, and positioning them to mentor other Friends organizations.
Are certain refuges prioritized for Friends group capacity-building?
Yes. A specific priority is boosting Friends group capacity where it is most needed for public-facing work, including urban refuges and highly visited refuges where visitor services, education, volunteering, and community relationship demands tend to be higher and more complex.
What is meant by "Beyond the Boundaries" in this opportunity?
"Beyond the Boundaries" refers to collaborative landscape conservation efforts that extend beyond refuge property lines. The intent is to coordinate habitat and wildlife conservation at a broader landscape scale.
What conservation approach is referenced for the Beyond the Boundaries work?
The opportunity references a Strategic Habitat Conservation approach, supporting planning and partnerships that align refuge priorities with surrounding landowners, agencies, and conservation organizations.
Why does the opportunity emphasize conservation beyond refuge boundaries?
The listing highlights that migratory routes, watersheds, and habitat corridors do not stop at refuge property lines. Coordinated landscape-scale conservation is intended to support broader, longer-lasting ecological outcomes.
How does this opportunity support the Urban Wildlife Refuge Program?
The grant includes targeted support for the Urban Wildlife Refuge Program focused on strengthening communications strategies, supporting program development, sharing lessons learned across sites, and building community engagement around a subset of urban refuges.
What is the intended community impact of the Urban Wildlife Refuge Program component?
The intent is to help urban refuges serve as accessible entry points to nature for nearby communities, expand relevancy with diverse audiences, and build local stewardship through programming, outreach, and sustained partnerships.
What communications or branding work is included in the opportunity?
The opportunity emphasizes raising the national profile of the National Wildlife Refuge System through improved branding and communications, including developing a communications strategy that connects the public to the value of refuges.
What messages or benefits are meant to be communicated more effectively?
The listing points to communicating the value of refuges in terms of benefits for wildlife, outdoor recreation, education, and community well-being, using efforts such as message development, coordinated storytelling, and outreach approaches.
Is youth engagement included in the scope of work?
Yes. A final element centers on youth engagement and career development, linking domestic workforce pathways with international conservation goals.
What is the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition in this opportunity?
The proposal highlights building the National Tigers for Tigers Coalition as a public voice supporting international conservation efforts tied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Multinational Species Conservation Fund.
Are internships or workforce training part of the proposed work?
Yes. The described work includes developing internships and workforce training opportunities for college students at Tigers for Tigers (T4T) universities.
How does the opportunity connect to international tiger conservation?
The proposal includes adapting Beyond the Boundaries strategies to conserve key tiger landscapes in Asia and using a coalition model to mobilize students and institutions in support of international conservation goals.
Who is the listed contact for questions or access issues?
The contact listed is Cameron Matthews at cameronmatthews@fws.gov.
Where were additional details referenced?
Additional details were referenced through Grants.gov.
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