Opportunity Information: Apply for FWS R6 INTERMOUNTAINWESTJOINTVENTURESAGE
Apply for FWS R6 INTERMOUNTAINWESTJOINTVENTURESAGE
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Intermountain West Joint Venture Sage Grouse Initiative Strategic Watershed Action Team" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.637 Migratory Bird Joint Ventures.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 3, 2011 and posted on May 31, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 9, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $3,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,800,000.00 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).
- Federal, State and local government agencies, Federally recognized Indian Tribal governments, private nonprofit institutions/organizations public nonprofit institutions/organizations profit organizations, interstate and intrastate entities, and individuals or families who are also private landowners.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Intermountain West Joint Venture Sage Grouse Initiative Strategic Watershed Action Team (SGI SWAT) funding opportunity is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) cooperative agreement designed to support the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI), a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) program aimed at conserving sage grouse habitat while keeping working ranchlands viable across 11 western states. SGI focuses conservation investments in priority areas with high sage grouse abundance to protect large, intact sagebrush landscapes and improve ecological outcomes through targeted, science-informed conservation practices delivered with landowners and partners.
At its core, this award is not primarily for on-the-ground habitat work by the applicant directly. Instead, FWS (through its Intermountain West Joint Venture office in Missoula, Montana) is looking for an organization or entity that can provide strong administrative, contracting, and financial management capacity to help implement the SGI SWAT model. Under the cooperative agreement, FWS and the selected recipient will manage NRCS and other federal funds to move SGI SWAT objectives forward, with FWS providing oversight and technical direction while the recipient serves as the administrative and fiduciary hub. The recipient would be expected to develop and manage sub-agreements with a wide range of conservation partners (as directed by IWJV staff), ensure fiscal accountability for federal and any matching funds, and provide required reporting consistent with the NRCS-FWS interagency agreement governing SGI SWAT.
The SGI SWAT objectives emphasize building capacity and improving delivery rather than funding a single research project or a single restoration site. The goals are to (1) increase field-level capacity by placing specialized staff at key geographic "pinch points" where SGI work can have outsized benefit, (2) expand science capacity to better target implementation, measure biological outcomes, and continuously improve program performance, (3) strengthen outreach and communications to increase partner support and landowner participation, and (4) broaden partnerships to leverage NRCS investments and increase overall conservation outcomes. Work supported through partner sub-agreements may include conservation delivery, monitoring and assessment, and communications, and it can occur across the sage grouse range in parts of California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
The opportunity was posted as a discretionary cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.637 (Migratory Bird Joint Ventures), with one expected award and an estimated total funding amount up to $3,800,000 (which is also listed as the award ceiling). There is no cost-share or matching requirement stated for the applicant, but the recipient is responsible for tracking and accountability of NRCS and any matching funds that flow through related sub-agreements. Eligible applicants are broad and include federal, state, local, and tribal governments; public and private nonprofit organizations; for-profit organizations; interstate and intrastate entities; and even individuals or families who are private landowners, as long as they can meet the administrative and fiduciary expectations described.
Proposal evaluation is heavily weighted toward the applicant's ability to manage federal funds and administer complex partnership agreements, especially in a Joint Venture context. Reviewers look for strong familiarity with migratory bird Joint Ventures, demonstrated experience working with both FWS and NRCS (including understanding each agency's administrative policies and procedures), proven fiduciary capability implementing cooperative or contribution agreements, and a track record of managing federal funds to produce measurable conservation outcomes. A high level of fiscal management capacity in the office serving as the primary contact for IWJV is specifically called out. Just as important, the solicitation caps indirect costs or administrative fees at 5 percent, with a clear preference for lower rates, making cost efficiency and strong financial controls a central part of competitiveness.
Application requirements are fairly standard for federal financial assistance but tailored to emphasize management qualifications. Applicants must submit Standard Form 424 (Application for Federal Assistance), Standard Form 424A (a detailed non-construction budget that clearly separates funds used for contracts/subawards from administrative fees/indirect costs), and Standard Form 424B (assurances and compliance). The narrative is structured as direct responses to seven prompts covering Joint Venture experience, collaboration history with FWS and NRCS, fiduciary and agreement-management experience, federal funds management for conservation outcomes, the fiscal management capacity of the lead office, the proposed indirect rate/administrative fee (not to exceed 5 percent), and resumes for staff who will perform fiscal management duties. Questions about the opportunity must be submitted in writing with the funding opportunity number in the subject line, and the listed grants management contact is Andrea Meyer (phone 303-236-5412).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): IWJV SGI SWAT Cooperative Agreement
1. What is this funding opportunity?
This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary cooperative agreement (CFDA 15.637, Migratory Bird Joint Ventures) intended to support the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV) Sage Grouse Initiative Strategic Watershed Action Team (SGI SWAT) model. The funding is designed to help deliver sage grouse habitat conservation outcomes while keeping working ranchlands viable, aligned with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI).
2. What is the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI), and how does SGI SWAT fit in?
SGI is an NRCS program that focuses conservation investments in priority areas with high sage grouse abundance, aiming to protect large, intact sagebrush landscapes and improve ecological outcomes through targeted, science-informed conservation practices delivered with landowners and partners. SGI SWAT is a strategic delivery model intended to improve capacity, coordination, and performance across the range where SGI operates.
3. Is this grant meant to directly fund on-the-ground habitat restoration by the applicant?
No. The opportunity emphasizes that the award is not primarily intended for the applicant to conduct on-the-ground habitat work directly. Instead, FWS is seeking an organization/entity that can serve as the administrative and fiduciary hub to help implement the SGI SWAT model by managing sub-agreements and administering funds to partners to carry out work.
4. What is FWS looking for the recipient to do?
The recipient is expected to provide strong administrative, contracting, and financial management capacity. Key responsibilities include developing and managing sub-agreements with a wide range of conservation partners (as directed by IWJV staff), ensuring fiscal accountability for federal and any matching funds, and providing required reporting consistent with the NRCS-FWS interagency agreement that governs SGI SWAT.
5. What does a cooperative agreement mean in this context?
Under this cooperative agreement, FWS and the selected recipient will jointly manage NRCS and other federal funds to advance SGI SWAT objectives. FWS provides oversight and technical direction, while the recipient serves as the administrative and fiduciary hub.
6. What are the main objectives of SGI SWAT supported by this award?
The objectives focus on building capacity and improving delivery rather than funding a single research project or a single restoration site. The stated goals are to:
- Increase field-level capacity by placing specialized staff at key geographic "pinch points" where SGI work can have outsized benefit.
- Expand science capacity to better target implementation, measure biological outcomes, and continuously improve program performance.
- Strengthen outreach and communications to increase partner support and landowner participation.
- Broaden partnerships to leverage NRCS investments and increase overall conservation outcomes.
7. What kinds of activities may be supported through sub-agreements?
Work supported through partner sub-agreements may include conservation delivery, monitoring and assessment, and communications. These sub-agreements are expected to be developed and managed by the recipient, with direction from IWJV staff.
8. Where can SGI SWAT-supported work occur?
Work can occur across the sage grouse range in parts of 11 western states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
9. How much funding is available?
The opportunity anticipates one award with an estimated total funding amount up to $3,800,000. The award ceiling is also listed as $3,800,000.
10. How many awards are expected?
One award is expected.
11. Is cost share or matching required?
No cost-share or matching requirement is stated for the applicant. However, the recipient is responsible for tracking and accountability of NRCS and any matching funds that flow through related sub-agreements.
12. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes federal, state, local, and tribal governments; public and private nonprofit organizations; for-profit organizations; interstate and intrastate entities; and individuals or families who are private landowners. Applicants must be able to meet the administrative and fiduciary expectations described in the opportunity.
13. What capabilities are reviewers prioritizing?
Evaluation is heavily weighted toward the applicant's ability to manage federal funds and administer complex partnership agreements, especially in a Joint Venture context. Reviewers look for:
- Strong familiarity with migratory bird Joint Ventures.
- Demonstrated experience working with both FWS and NRCS, including understanding each agency's administrative policies and procedures.
- Proven fiduciary capability implementing cooperative or contribution agreements.
- A track record of managing federal funds to produce measurable conservation outcomes.
- High fiscal management capacity in the office serving as the primary contact for IWJV.
14. Are there limits on indirect costs or administrative fees?
Yes. The solicitation caps indirect costs or administrative fees at 5 percent, and it states a clear preference for lower rates. Cost efficiency and strong financial controls are central to competitiveness.
15. What federal forms are required in the application package?
Applicants must submit:
- Standard Form 424 (Application for Federal Assistance).
- Standard Form 424A (Non-construction budget), which must clearly separate funds used for contracts/subawards from administrative fees/indirect costs.
- Standard Form 424B (Assurances and compliance).
16. What should the project narrative include?
The narrative is structured as direct responses to seven prompts covering:
- Joint Venture experience.
- Collaboration history with FWS and NRCS.
- Fiduciary and agreement-management experience.
- Federal funds management for conservation outcomes.
- Fiscal management capacity of the lead office (the primary IWJV contact office).
- Proposed indirect rate/administrative fee (not to exceed 5 percent).
- Resumes for staff who will perform fiscal management duties.
17. Why does the budget need to separate subaward/contract funds from administrative fees?
The opportunity specifically requires a detailed non-construction budget (SF-424A) that clearly separates funds intended for contracts/subawards from administrative fees/indirect costs. This aligns with the program's emphasis on the recipient acting as an administrative and fiduciary hub and with the indirect/administrative cap of 5 percent.
18. What role does the recipient play relative to partners?
The recipient is expected to develop and manage sub-agreements with a wide range of conservation partners, as directed by IWJV staff. The recipient functions as the central administrative and fiduciary entity responsible for fiscal accountability and reporting.
19. Does the opportunity emphasize research, implementation, or program delivery?
It emphasizes program delivery capacity and performance improvement rather than a single research project or a single restoration site. While science capacity (targeting, measurement of biological outcomes, and adaptive improvement) is a stated objective, the overall structure centers on administration, coordination, and leveraging partner implementation through sub-agreements.
20. Who provides technical direction and oversight?
FWS provides oversight and technical direction through its Intermountain West Joint Venture office in Missoula, Montana, while the recipient provides administrative, contracting, and financial management support to implement the SGI SWAT model.
21. How should questions about the opportunity be submitted?
Questions must be submitted in writing, and the funding opportunity number must be included in the subject line.
22. Who is the grants management contact listed for this opportunity?
The listed grants management contact is Andrea Meyer. Phone: 303-236-5412.
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