Opportunity Information: Apply for NWRS R2 MBW
Apply for NWRS R2 MBW
- The Region 2 in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Evaluating status of native grasslands for masked bobwhites and other endemic birds in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.660 Endangered Species Candidate Conservation Action Funds.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 29, 2009 and posted on Aug 25, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 1, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $20,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $20,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 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:
This grant opportunity, titled "Evaluating status of native grasslands for masked bobwhites and other endemic birds in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico," is a small discretionary funding program from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Region 2) focused on urgent conservation assessment work in northern Mexico. The central problem it targets is the rapid collapse of the masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi), a highly localized and endangered grassland bird. The notice states that the species is essentially gone from Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona, which was its only known U.S. stronghold, and that the only known remaining population in Sonora, Mexico is still declining. The opportunity frames the situation as both a species crisis and an ecosystem crisis tied to the near-disappearance of subtropical native grasslands in the more humid parts of the Sonoran Desert.
The announcement explains that the decline is driven by multiple reinforcing pressures. Habitat loss and degradation are linked directly to cattle grazing and the spread of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris), which is often planted or spreads into areas converted to pasture. On top of that, climate warming is increasing the frequency and severity of drought, which reduces plant growth and the amount of cover and forage needed for feeding and nesting. These conditions can push already-fragmented grasslands toward conversion into desert scrub or thorn scrub communities, especially where historical fire regimes have been disrupted. A key point in the description is that these native grasslands are not well adapted to heavy grazing by large herbivores and historically depended on periodic fire to persist; without those ecological conditions, they transition to other vegetation types or are replaced by buffelgrass pastures.
The practical purpose of the grant is to generate the on-the-ground and spatial information needed to guide recovery actions shared by U.S. and Mexican partners. The notice references recovery goals that include identifying additional release sites in the United States to establish a second population, reintroducing at least two populations in Mexico, and stabilizing and growing the remaining population(s) in Mexico. To do any of that, the agencies need baseline intelligence: whether any remnant masked bobwhites or suitable grassland habitat still exist, where those areas are, how large they are, who owns or manages the land, and what biological and social constraints might affect conservation or reintroduction efforts. In other words, the work is framed as a status assessment and habitat/presence evaluation intended to reduce uncertainty and enable targeted restoration, protection, and reintroduction planning.
Although the masked bobwhite is the headline species, the opportunity explicitly ties the project to a wider set of grassland-dependent wildlife that have become rare as these ecosystems have collapsed. The announcement calls the masked bobwhite the principal grassland indicator species for these subtropical grasslands and notes it may already be extinct in the wild. It also highlights other affected fauna such as the white-tailed hawk (Buteo albicaudatus), the rufous-winged sparrow (Aimophila carpalis), and the Sonoran green toad (Bufo retiformis), emphasizing that locating and measuring remaining habitat benefits a broader suite of endemic or regionally unique species.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding is offered as a cooperative agreement under a natural resources activity category. The total estimated funding is $20,000, with an award ceiling of $20,000 and an award floor of $8,000, and the agency expected to make one award. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement listed. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications that may appear in the full announcement. The opportunity was originally posted in 2009 and has archived dates in the record, but the key takeaway is the project intent: to evaluate and map the remaining native grasslands and determine whether masked bobwhites and other grassland endemics persist in the Sonoran Desert region of Mexico, producing actionable information for recovery planning across the U.S.-Mexico border.
The listed contact for access issues or questions is Dr. Grant Harris at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with phone, fax, and email provided in the announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Evaluating status of native grasslands for masked bobwhites and other endemic birds in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico."
Which agency is offering the funding?
The funding is offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Region 2.
What kind of program is this (grant vs. other assistance)?
This is described as a small discretionary funding program, and the award instrument is a cooperative agreement under a natural resources activity category.
What is the main conservation problem this opportunity is trying to address?
The opportunity targets urgent conservation assessment needs tied to the rapid collapse of the masked bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgwayi), a highly localized and endangered grassland bird, alongside the broader near-disappearance of subtropical native grasslands in the more humid parts of the Sonoran Desert.
Why is the masked bobwhite considered a crisis species in the notice?
The notice states the species is essentially gone from Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona (its only known U.S. stronghold) and that the only known remaining population in Sonora, Mexico is still declining. It also notes the species may already be extinct in the wild.
Where is the project geographically focused?
The work is focused on the Sonoran Desert region of Mexico, particularly northern Mexico (including Sonora) where remaining subtropical native grasslands and the last known masked bobwhite population are referenced.
What is the practical purpose of the project?
The practical purpose is to generate on-the-ground and spatial information needed to guide recovery actions shared by U.S. and Mexican partners. This includes evaluating and mapping remaining native grasslands and determining whether masked bobwhites and other grassland endemics persist in the region.
What types of questions is the project expected to answer?
Based on the notice, the project is intended to reduce uncertainty by identifying whether remnant masked bobwhites or suitable grassland habitat still exist, where those areas are located, how large they are, who owns or manages the land, and what biological and social constraints could affect conservation, restoration, or reintroduction efforts.
How does this project connect to recovery actions for the masked bobwhite?
The notice links this assessment work to recovery goals such as identifying additional release sites in the United States to establish a second population, reintroducing at least two populations in Mexico, and stabilizing and growing the remaining population(s) in Mexico. The assessment is framed as necessary baseline intelligence to support those actions.
What are the main drivers of decline mentioned in the announcement?
The announcement describes multiple reinforcing pressures, including habitat loss and degradation associated with cattle grazing and the spread of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris), as well as climate warming that increases drought frequency and severity, reducing plant growth and the cover/forage needed for feeding and nesting.
What is buffelgrass and why is it relevant here?
Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) is mentioned as a grass that is often planted or spreads into areas converted to pasture. The notice links its spread to habitat loss and degradation affecting native subtropical grasslands and, by extension, masked bobwhites and other grassland-dependent wildlife.
How do drought and climate warming factor into the habitat problem?
The notice states that climate warming is increasing the frequency and severity of drought. Drought reduces plant growth and decreases the amount of cover and forage required for feeding and nesting, contributing to further stress on already fragmented grasslands.
What ecological processes are described as important for maintaining these native grasslands?
The announcement emphasizes that these native grasslands historically depended on periodic fire to persist and are not well adapted to heavy grazing by large herbivores. When those ecological conditions are disrupted, grasslands can transition toward desert scrub or thorn scrub communities or be replaced by buffelgrass pastures.
Is the project only about the masked bobwhite?
No. While the masked bobwhite is the headline species and is described as the principal grassland indicator species for these subtropical grasslands, the opportunity explicitly ties the work to other grassland-dependent wildlife affected by the ecosystem’s collapse.
Which other species are specifically mentioned as benefiting from this work?
The notice highlights other affected fauna such as the white-tailed hawk (Buteo albicaudatus), the rufous-winged sparrow (Aimophila carpalis), and the Sonoran green toad (Bufo retiformis), emphasizing that locating and measuring remaining habitat supports a broader suite of endemic or regionally unique species.
What is the total estimated funding amount?
The total estimated funding is $20,000.
What are the minimum and maximum award amounts?
The award ceiling is $20,000 and the award floor is $8,000.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The agency expects to make one award.
Is cost sharing or a match required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement is listed in the provided notice summary.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications that may appear in the full announcement.
What is the timeframe of this opportunity?
The record notes the opportunity was originally posted in 2009 and includes archived dates. The key project intent described is the evaluation and mapping of remaining native grasslands and determination of species persistence in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico.
Who is the listed contact for questions or access issues?
The listed contact is Dr. Grant Harris at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 2, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The announcement provides phone, fax, and email for contact.
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