Integrated Waterbird Mangement and Monitoring CFDA15.655 approved. | Apply Online

Integrated Waterbird Management and Monitoring (IWMM) Grant (F14AS00355) - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Integrated Waterbird Management and Monitoring (IWMM) grant opportunity?

The IWMM grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F14AS00355) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.655 (Migratory Bird Monitoring, Assessment and Conservation). It is designed as an applied research and tool-development effort to support decision-making for migratory and wintering waterbirds.

What is the central purpose of this grant?

The primary goal is to strengthen how federal and state agencies make habitat management and land acquisition decisions for migratory and wintering waterbirds by providing practical, science-based decision tools. The program aims to help managers direct limited conservation funding to actions that produce the greatest benefits across large geographic areas used during migration and winter.

Is this grant intended to fund on-the-ground conservation implementation?

Based on the description provided, this opportunity is not a broad on-the-ground implementation program. It is a targeted applied research and tool-development project focused on producing an operational, validated decision-support model.

What is meant by "flyway-scale planning" in this opportunity?

The work emphasizes planning at the scale of bird migration flyways, specifically the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways. The intent is to support habitat and acquisition decisions across broad regions that waterbirds use during migration and winter, rather than focusing only on small or local areas.

Which flyways are the focus of the project?

The opportunity specifically emphasizes flyway-scale planning within the Atlantic Flyway and the Mississippi Flyway.

What model already exists, and what is the grantee expected to do with it?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has already developed a migration simulation model designed to improve understanding of waterbird movement and its relationship to habitat availability and management actions. The funded recipient is expected to take the existing model, which is currently written in MATLAB, and convert it into R-compatible code.

Is the MATLAB-to-R conversion just a straightforward code translation?

No. The conversion is described as more than a mechanical rewrite. The recipient must also confirm that the translated R code correctly matches the original conceptual framework of the MATLAB model.

What does "validate" or "evaluate model performance" mean for this award?

The recipient must evaluate how well the converted R model reproduces real-world (empirical) distribution patterns of waterbirds. In other words, the model output should be tested against observed distribution patterns to assess performance.

Which birds are included in the model performance testing for this award?

For the scope of this specific award, the testing focus is narrowed to dabbling waterfowl.

What aspects of dabbling waterfowl movement are highlighted for testing?

The opportunity calls special attention to how frequently dabbling waterfowl migrate and the typical distances involved in those movements.

What is the expected main deliverable from this grant?

The overall deliverable is an operational, validated R-based version of a flyway-scale migration simulation model focused on dabbling ducks, intended to support cost-effective habitat management and land acquisition decisions that benefit migratory waterbirds.

What type of federal funding instrument is being used?

The opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

What is the CFDA number and program name associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.655, Migratory Bird Monitoring, Assessment and Conservation.

How many awards are anticipated?

The program anticipates making a single award.

How much funding is available?

The total estimated funding for this opportunity is $53,000.

Is the award amount flexible, or is it fixed?

The award ceiling and award floor are both listed as $53,000, which indicates the award amount is effectively fixed at $53,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations that hold 501(c)(3) status with the IRS.

Are universities or colleges eligible?

No. The eligibility statement provided excludes institutions of higher education.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The opportunity was posted on July 30, 2014. The original and final closing date was August 4, 2014.

What does it mean that the opportunity is "archived"?

The opportunity is listed as archived as of August 5, 2014, indicating it is no longer active for applications under the dates provided.

Where were applicants directed to find additional details and submit information?

The announcement directs applicants to Grants.gov for additional details.

Who is the contact person for access issues related to this opportunity?

The listed contact for access issues is Annelee Motta at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Phone: 413-253-8539. Email: anneleemotta@fws.gov.

What is the practical conservation value of the work funded by this grant?

The stated value is to provide managers with a practical, science-based decision tool that helps prioritize habitat management and land acquisition investments across large geographic areas used by migratory and wintering waterbirds, so limited conservation dollars can be spent where they will do the most good.

Does this opportunity specify a geographic emphasis beyond flyways?

The information provided emphasizes the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways and does not list additional geographic constraints beyond that flyway-scale focus.