Opportunity Information: Apply for F12AS00051
Apply for F12AS00051
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Endangered Species Recovery" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.662 Great Lakes Restoration.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 8, 2012 and posted on Feb 8, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 16, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $600,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Individuals Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education County governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Endangered Species Recovery grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F12AS00051) is a competitive funding program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that supports on-the-ground, voluntary conservation projects in the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes Watershed. Its core purpose is to help recover and protect wildlife and plant species that are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, as well as candidate species and other species considered at risk. In practice, this means the program is aimed at tangible conservation outcomes such as protecting or restoring habitat, reducing threats to vulnerable species, and supporting recovery-focused work that fits the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative conservation goals.
This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses grant and cooperative agreement instruments, which typically indicates that selected projects may involve some level of federal involvement or coordination during implementation (particularly under cooperative agreements). The activity category is Environment and Natural Resources, and it is tied to CFDA 15.662 (Great Lakes Restoration), signaling that awards are part of the broader Great Lakes Restoration framework rather than a standalone endangered species program disconnected from watershed priorities.
The funding profile for this announcement indicates an estimated total of $600,000 available, with an expectation of about 10 awards. Individual awards were planned to range from a floor of $25,000 to a ceiling of $200,000, suggesting the program was looking for projects that are substantial enough to produce measurable conservation benefits but still sized for targeted, place-based work rather than massive infrastructure efforts. Notably, the announcement lists no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which lowers barriers for applicants that may have limited access to non-federal matching funds and can be especially important for smaller nonprofits, individuals, or smaller local governments.
Eligibility is broad and includes individuals, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education as nonprofit applicants), local governments (city or township and county), state governments, and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. That eligibility mix indicates the agency anticipated a wide range of project types and leadership structures, from community-based conservation groups to state agencies and university-led applied conservation projects, as long as they directly benefit ESA-listed, candidate, or at-risk species in the Great Lakes Watershed.
Key dates show the opportunity was posted and created on February 8, 2012, with an original and current closing date of March 16, 2012, and an archive date of September 30, 2012. For applicants at the time, this meant a relatively short application window (just over a month), so proposals would have needed to be well-scoped and ready to submit quickly. The primary public entry point for full announcement details was Grants.gov (the listing provides an additional information link to http://www.grants.gov), where applicants typically find instructions, required forms, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements.
For assistance, the listed point of contact was Lisa Mandell, Regional Coordinator for Endangered Species Grants, reachable by phone at 612-713-5343 and by email at lisamandell@fws.gov. This contact information implies that the program had a regional coordination structure and that applicants could request help accessing the announcement or clarifying requirements, which is especially relevant for applicants unfamiliar with federal grant systems or with limited ability to access the full notice electronically.
In short, this grant opportunity was designed to fund practical, voluntary conservation actions in the Great Lakes Watershed that improve the status of endangered, threatened, candidate, and other at-risk species, with modest-to-mid sized awards, no match requirement, and broad eligibility across nonprofits, governments, tribes, universities, and even individuals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Endangered Species Recovery (F12AS00051)
What is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Endangered Species Recovery grant opportunity (F12AS00051)?
This is a competitive, discretionary funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It supports on-the-ground, voluntary conservation projects in the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes Watershed that help recover and protect species that are endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as candidate species and other species considered at risk.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The core purpose is to improve the status of endangered, threatened, candidate, and other at-risk species in the Great Lakes Watershed by supporting practical conservation actions. Examples of intended outcomes mentioned in the opportunity include protecting or restoring habitat, reducing threats to vulnerable species, and implementing recovery-focused work aligned with Great Lakes Restoration Initiative conservation goals.
Who runs this grant program?
The program is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Is this opportunity competitive?
Yes. The announcement describes it as a competitive funding program, meaning proposals would be compared against one another and only selected projects would receive awards.
What types of projects is the program trying to fund?
The opportunity emphasizes tangible, on-the-ground, voluntary conservation projects. It is aimed at measurable conservation outcomes such as habitat protection or restoration, threat reduction, and recovery-focused actions for ESA-listed, candidate, or at-risk species within the Great Lakes Watershed.
What geographic area is covered by this opportunity?
The focus is the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes Watershed. Projects are expected to take place in, or directly benefit, that geography.
Which species are intended to benefit from projects funded under this opportunity?
The opportunity is focused on wildlife and plant species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, plus candidate species and other species considered at risk.
What is the funding category and program area for this opportunity?
The activity category is Environment and Natural Resources. The funding is described as discretionary.
What funding instruments may be used for awards?
The announcement indicates awards may be made as grants and/or cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements typically suggest there may be some level of federal involvement or coordination during implementation.
How is this opportunity connected to the Great Lakes Restoration framework?
The opportunity is tied to CFDA 15.662 (Great Lakes Restoration), which indicates the awards are part of the broader Great Lakes Restoration framework rather than a standalone endangered species program disconnected from watershed priorities.
How much total funding was estimated to be available?
The announcement indicates an estimated total of $600,000 available.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity states an expectation of about 10 awards.
What was the expected award size?
Planned individual awards ranged from a minimum (floor) of $25,000 to a maximum (ceiling) of $200,000.
Is there a cost-share or matching requirement?
No. The announcement notes there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: individuals; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education as nonprofit applicants); local governments (city or township and county); state governments; and public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Can individuals apply?
Yes. Individuals are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.
Are tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are included in the eligibility list.
Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible, with the note that institutions of higher education are excluded when applying under the nonprofit category.
Are local and state governments eligible?
Yes. Local governments (city or township and county) and state governments are listed as eligible.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education are listed as eligible. The eligibility description also notes that institutions of higher education are excluded specifically as nonprofit applicants, meaning the opportunity distinguishes between nonprofit status and the higher-education applicant category.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted and created on February 8, 2012. The closing date (original and current) was March 16, 2012.
How long was the application window?
Based on the posted date (February 8, 2012) and closing date (March 16, 2012), the application window was a little over a month.
When was this opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is September 30, 2012.
Where were applicants directed to find the full announcement and apply?
The listing points applicants to Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) as the primary public entry point for full announcement details. Applicants would typically find instructions, required forms, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements there.
Who was the point of contact for questions?
The listed point of contact was Lisa Mandell, Regional Coordinator for Endangered Species Grants.
How could applicants contact the point of contact?
Phone: 612-713-5343. Email: lisamandell@fws.gov.
What does "voluntary conservation projects" mean in this context?
The opportunity describes the projects as voluntary and on-the-ground, indicating the focus is on practical conservation actions carried out by applicants and partners to achieve real conservation outcomes (such as habitat work or threat reduction), rather than regulatory enforcement actions.
Does the opportunity indicate whether federal involvement is expected during the project?
It may, depending on the award instrument. The announcement notes that both grants and cooperative agreements may be used, and cooperative agreements typically involve some level of federal involvement or coordination during implementation.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (F12AS00051) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Youth Program to Train and Introduce Youth to Conservation Apply for F12AS00069 Funding Number: F12AS00069 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| FY 2012 Recovery Implementation Fund Apply for F12AS00062 Funding Number: F12AS00062 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Fisheries Flow Studies in the Lapwai Basin, Idaho Apply for R12SS11002 Funding Number: R12SS11002 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $354,689 |
| Community Forest and Open Space Program Apply for CFP FS 1002011 Funding Number: CFP FS 1002011 Agency: Forest Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $3,150,000 |
| REGION 7 SPORT FISH RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM Apply for F12AS00073 Funding Number: F12AS00073 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Yukon River Salmon Panel 2012 Apply for F12AS00065 Funding Number: F12AS00065 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $170,000 |
| Region 6 Aquatic Invasive Species Apply for F12AS00074 Funding Number: F12AS00074 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Migratory Patterns and Habitat Use of Sea Ducks in the Atlantic Flyway, 2012 Apply for F12AS00087 Funding Number: F12AS00087 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $71,000 |
| Migratory Patterns and Habitat Use of Pacific Barrows Goldeneye, 2012 2015 Apply for F12AS00088 Funding Number: F12AS00088 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $50,400 |
| Pacific Islands Climate Change Cooperative and Pacific Islands Climate Science Center Apply for FWSR1 PICCC FY2012 Funding Number: FWSR1 PICCC FY2012 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,900,000 |
| Management Assistance Apply for FWS R1 FIS 12 WFWO Funding Number: FWS R1 FIS 12 WFWO Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Upper Columbia Region Methow Subbasin Habitat Improvement Project Apply for R12SS10004 Funding Number: R12SS10004 Agency: Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $735,280 |
| FY12 Funding Guidance for Great Northern LCC Apply for F12AS00092 Funding Number: F12AS00092 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Arctic LCC 2012 RFP Addressing Climate change in the Arctic Apply for F12AS00091 Funding Number: F12AS00091 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Migratory Bird Joint Ventures Gulf Coast Joint Venture Fiscal Year 2012 Apply for F12AS00089 Funding Number: F12AS00089 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| LEAP Support Apply for F12AS00093 Funding Number: F12AS00093 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative Apply for F12AS00094 Funding Number: F12AS00094 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $36,976 |
| Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund Apply for NOAA NMFS NWRO 2012 2003324 Funding Number: NOAA NMFS NWRO 2012 2003324 Agency: Department of Commerce Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $30,000,000 |
| Gunnison Sage grouse Conservation Project in Colorado Apply for L12AS00049 Funding Number: L12AS00049 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: $30,000 |
| Region 7 State Wildlife Grant Program For State Government Agencies Only Apply for F12AS00104 Funding Number: F12AS00104 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Environment Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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