Opportunity Information: Apply for F15AS00097
Apply for F15AS00097
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the information and statistics natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Ecoregional (Southern Rockies) Native Plant Program Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608 Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 10, 2015 and posted on Feb 10, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 16, 2015 This Single Source Award is being issued in accordance with DOI Policy 505 DM2.14B. (See Additional Information in Eligibility Section).. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $50,000.00 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 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- This is a Notice of Intent to award a Single Source Grant agreement to Synergy Ecological Restoration Inc. (John Giordanengo, Executive Director) for the purpose of establishing a sustainable Ecoregional Native Plant Program Network (Network) to assist the unmet demand for ecotypic seed and other plant materials in the Ecoregion (Southern Rockies) for the seed network partners habitat restoration needs.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Ecoregional (Southern Rockies) Native Plant Program Grant (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00097) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary grant intended to build a sustainable, partner-driven native seed network focused on ecotypic (locally adapted, provenance-appropriate) native plant materials for habitat restoration in the Southern Rockies ecoregion. The core purpose is to address unmet demand among restoration practitioners by organizing a coordinated supply chain, improving production standards, expanding grower capacity, and making ecotypic seed more available and competitively priced for use in restoration projects.
This opportunity was issued as a Notice of Intent for a single source award under DOI policy (505 DM 2.14B), meaning it was not a broadly competed grant. The announcement indicates the Service planned to award a grant agreement specifically to Synergy Ecological Restoration Inc. (Executive Director John Giordanengo) to establish and operate the Ecoregional Native Plant Program Network. The funding instrument is a grant, the activity categories include natural resources plus science, technology, and other research and development, and the CFDA program reference is 15.608 (Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance). The posting date was February 10, 2015, with a closing date of February 16, 2015, and an archive date of March 10, 2015. Estimated total funding and the maximum award ceiling were both listed as $50,000, with an award floor of $5,000, and the notice states there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
The work plan is structured around building a long-term network and market system rather than funding a one-off restoration project. A major early milestone is growing and sustaining at least 40 contributing ecoregion partners by December 31, 2015. These partners are expected to represent the organizations that need native seed for restoration, as well as entities that can support production, purchasing, research, and coordination. Over a five-year horizon, the network is expected to supply 5 percent of the estimated native seed market with ecotypic seed by 2020, specifically for the benefit of its ecoregion partners and their restoration needs.
On the production side, the grant sets explicit targets for establishing a grower network, with a goal of sustaining 5 growers within the Southern Rockies ecoregion and 3 growers outside the ecoregion by December 31, 2017. The inclusion of growers outside the region suggests an intent to build redundancy and capacity while still keeping the focus on provenance-appropriate material for Southern Rockies restoration. To make production more reliable and scalable, the network is also tasked with developing guidelines, standards, and a certification program by December 31, 2015. These elements are meant to help growers meet buyer requirements (such as quality, purity, germination, and traceability expectations) while improving operational efficiency for native seed production.
A substantial portion of the scope emphasizes research, knowledge transfer, and data infrastructure. By December 31, 2016, the network is expected to create a research program to fill key knowledge gaps in the ecotypic seed industry for the ecoregion, alongside an educational program to move research results into practice for partners and support adaptive management. In parallel, by December 31, 2015, the network must develop an online ecoregional database to track species-specific information, statistics on seed handled through the network, participating growers, partner needs, and the status and outputs of research programs. Taken together, these deliverables point to an effort to professionalize the regional native seed sector through better data, clearer standards, and more consistent information-sharing.
The grant also requires the network to develop outward-facing market tools that build buyer confidence and drive adoption. By December 31, 2016, the network must develop a brand, a marketing plan, and a provenance system endorsed and/or supported by the ecoregion partners. The provenance system is particularly important in ecotypic seed markets because restoration outcomes often depend on using plant materials sourced and produced in ways that maintain local adaptation. By 2020, the network must also put in place a production and distribution system that can offer ecotypic seed on the open market at costs competitive with comparable cultivars, signaling a clear intention to move beyond small, grant-supported runs and toward a functioning market supply chain.
Performance expectations are quantified through a five-year production and marketing ramp-up for ecotypic seed volume: Year 1 targets 0 pounds, Year 2 targets 300 pounds, Year 3 targets 6,500 pounds, Year 4 targets 8,000 pounds, and Year 5 targets 10,000 pounds. These targets imply that the first year is focused on network formation, standards, planning, and capacity-building, with substantial scaling beginning in the third year once grower relationships, seed increase fields, cleaning, storage, and distribution logistics are established.
Administrative accountability is explicitly built into the award. Each year, the network must complete all administrative and fiscal responsibilities and produce a final report for the project proposal. The plan also calls for the network to move toward financial sustainability by covering 85 percent of expenses (excluding research and development) through royalties and partnership fees by the applicable project year, indicating that the long-term model relies on earned revenue and partner contributions rather than ongoing federal subsidy.
For official details and access to the archived opportunity, the listing references Grants.gov and provides a Fish and Wildlife Service point of contact: Pam Sponholtz, Project Officer, at 303-236-4216 and pamelasponholtz@fws.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Ecoregional (Southern Rockies) Native Plant Program Grant?
The Ecoregional (Southern Rockies) Native Plant Program Grant (Funding Opportunity Number F15AS00097) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary grant focused on building a sustainable, partner-driven native seed network for the Southern Rockies ecoregion. The network is intended to improve the availability and competitiveness of ecotypic (locally adapted, provenance-appropriate) native plant materials used for habitat restoration.
What problem is this grant trying to solve?
The grant is designed to address unmet demand among restoration practitioners for ecotypic native seed by organizing a coordinated supply chain, improving production standards, expanding grower capacity, and making ecotypic seed more available and competitively priced for restoration projects in the Southern Rockies.
What does "ecotypic" mean in the context of this program?
In this opportunity, "ecotypic" refers to native plant materials that are locally adapted and provenance-appropriate, meaning they are sourced and produced in ways intended to preserve local adaptation important for restoration success in the Southern Rockies ecoregion.
Who issued this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity was issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) as a discretionary grant.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F15AS00097.
Was this a competitive funding opportunity?
No. The opportunity was issued as a Notice of Intent for a single source award under DOI policy (505 DM 2.14B), meaning it was not a broadly competed grant.
Who was the intended recipient of the single source award?
The announcement indicates the Service planned to award a grant agreement specifically to Synergy Ecological Restoration Inc. to establish and operate the Ecoregional Native Plant Program Network. The Executive Director named in the notice is John Giordanengo.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What are the activity categories for this grant?
The activity categories include natural resources plus science, technology, and other research and development.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA program reference listed is 15.608 (Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance).
What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The posting date was February 10, 2015. The closing date was February 16, 2015. The archive date was March 10, 2015.
How much funding was available under this opportunity?
The estimated total funding and the maximum award ceiling were both listed as $50,000.
What were the minimum and maximum award amounts?
The award floor was listed as $5,000, and the maximum award ceiling was listed as $50,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The notice states there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the core purpose of the work plan?
The work plan emphasizes building a long-term network and market system for ecotypic native seed rather than funding a one-off restoration project. The intent is to build a coordinated, partner-driven system that improves production, standards, availability, and pricing over time.
What is a major early milestone for the network?
A major early milestone is growing and sustaining at least 40 contributing ecoregion partners by December 31, 2015.
Who are the "ecoregion partners" expected to include?
The partners are expected to represent organizations that need native seed for restoration, as well as entities that can support production, purchasing, research, and coordination.
What is the long-term market goal for the network by 2020?
Over a five-year horizon, the network is expected to supply 5 percent of the estimated native seed market with ecotypic seed by 2020, specifically for the benefit of its ecoregion partners and their restoration needs.
What grower network targets are included in the grant?
The grant includes a goal of sustaining 5 growers within the Southern Rockies ecoregion and 3 growers outside the ecoregion by December 31, 2017.
Why does the plan include growers outside the Southern Rockies ecoregion?
The inclusion of growers outside the region suggests an intent to build redundancy and capacity while still maintaining the focus on provenance-appropriate material for Southern Rockies restoration.
What production standards or quality systems are expected?
By December 31, 2015, the network is tasked with developing guidelines, standards, and a certification program intended to help growers meet buyer requirements such as quality, purity, germination, and traceability, while also improving operational efficiency for native seed production.
What research-related deliverables are required?
By December 31, 2016, the network is expected to create a research program to fill key knowledge gaps in the ecotypic seed industry for the ecoregion, along with an educational program to transfer research results into practice for partners and support adaptive management.
Is there a database component to this program?
Yes. By December 31, 2015, the network must develop an online ecoregional database to track species-specific information, statistics on seed handled through the network, participating growers, partner needs, and the status and outputs of research programs.
What market-facing tools must be developed?
By December 31, 2016, the network must develop a brand, a marketing plan, and a provenance system endorsed and/or supported by ecoregion partners.
What is the purpose of the provenance system?
The provenance system is intended to build confidence in ecotypic seed by supporting sourcing and production practices that maintain local adaptation, which can be important for restoration outcomes in the Southern Rockies.
What is expected regarding open-market availability and pricing?
By 2020, the network must put in place a production and distribution system that can offer ecotypic seed on the open market at costs competitive with comparable cultivars.
What are the production volume targets over the five-year period?
The performance expectations include a ramp-up in ecotypic seed volume: Year 1 targets 0 pounds, Year 2 targets 300 pounds, Year 3 targets 6,500 pounds, Year 4 targets 8,000 pounds, and Year 5 targets 10,000 pounds.
Why is the Year 1 production target set to 0 pounds?
The targets imply that the first year is focused on network formation, standards, planning, and capacity-building, with significant scaling expected later once grower relationships and production logistics (such as seed increase fields, cleaning, storage, and distribution) are established.
What administrative and reporting requirements are included?
Each year, the network must complete all administrative and fiscal responsibilities and produce a final report for the project proposal.
Is the program expected to become financially self-sustaining?
Yes. The plan calls for the network to move toward financial sustainability by covering 85 percent of expenses (excluding research and development) through royalties and partnership fees by the applicable project year.
Where can someone find the official listing for this opportunity?
The listing references Grants.gov for official details and access to the archived opportunity.
Who is the point of contact for the opportunity?
The Fish and Wildlife Service point of contact listed is Pam Sponholtz, Project Officer, at 303-236-4216 and pamelasponholtz@fws.gov.
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