Opportunity Information: Apply for FWS DIC WWB AFRICA
Apply for FWS DIC WWB AFRICA
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the community development environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "MENTOR FOREST 2011" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.651 Wildlife Without Borders Africa Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 9, 2011 and posted on May 9, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 23, 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 $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- 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. The only eligible applicant is Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux.
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Opportunity Summary:
MENTOR FOREST 2011 is a discretionary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) funding opportunity under the Wildlife Without Borders Africa Program (CFDA 15.651) that was set up as a cooperative agreement with an estimated total funding amount of $500,000. The opportunity is explicitly framed as a notice of intent to award, meaning it is not an open competition. The only eligible applicant is Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN), the Gabon National Parks Agency. The grant was posted on May 9, 2011, with an original and final closing date of May 23, 2011, and it was archived on June 22, 2011. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applies, although the announcement does not specify the percentage in the provided text. While an award ceiling and floor are both listed as $0, that typically reflects how the listing was entered rather than indicating that the award has no value, since the estimated total funding is clearly stated.
Programmatically, the grant centers on strengthening protected areas management in Gabon by leveraging ANPNs unique institutional position. ANPN is described as a parastatal agency created by Gabonese law with unusual financial and technical independence, and it carries the mandate to turn Gabons national park system into a global model for protected area management. The work is not limited to day-to-day park protection; it also includes building a sustainable tourism industry that pairs conservation with development in a way that improves, rather than merely preserves, the environmental and physical qualities that make park sites valuable for tourism. In addition, ANPN leads research and capacity-building activities across Gabons 13 national parks and their surrounding buffer zones, signaling that the grant supports both applied management and the human capital needed to sustain that management long term.
A key rationale for selecting ANPN is its ability to connect the MENTOR FOREST Fellowship Program with national and regional decision makers. The announcement indicates that ANPNs role within the Gabonese government creates access and influence that can help translate fellowship training into institutional change. One of the stated aims is to create opportunities for the curriculum developed through MENTOR FOREST to become institutionalized within training institutions in Central Africa, suggesting a longer-term objective beyond immediate fellowship activities: embedding standardized training approaches into regional education and professional development systems so that improved protected-area management capacity persists after the grant period.
In terms of administrative classification, the opportunity is categorized under Community Development and Environment, reflecting its dual focus on conservation outcomes and sustainable economic or community-linked benefits such as tourism development. The administering agency is the USFWS, and the listed point of contact for access issues is Corrie Mauldin, International Affairs Specialist, at 703-358-2637.
FAQs: MENTOR FOREST 2011 (USFWS Wildlife Without Borders - Africa Program, CFDA 15.651)
1) What is MENTOR FOREST 2011?
MENTOR FOREST 2011 is a discretionary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) funding opportunity offered under the Wildlife Without Borders - Africa Program (CFDA 15.651). It was set up as a cooperative agreement with an estimated total funding amount of $500,000.
2) Is this an open grant competition?
No. The notice is explicitly described as a "notice of intent to award," meaning it is not an open competition and is not available for general applicants to compete for.
3) Who is the only eligible applicant?
The only eligible applicant listed is Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN), the Gabon National Parks Agency.
4) Which U.S. agency is administering this opportunity?
The administering agency is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
5) What program is this opportunity part of?
It is part of the Wildlife Without Borders - Africa Program (CFDA 15.651).
6) What type of award instrument is used?
The opportunity was set up as a cooperative agreement.
7) How much funding is available?
The estimated total funding amount stated for the opportunity is $500,000.
8) Why do the award ceiling and floor show $0?
Both the award ceiling and floor are listed as $0, which typically reflects how the listing was entered rather than indicating the award has no value, since the estimated total funding is clearly stated as $500,000.
9) Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applies, although the percentage is not specified in the information provided.
10) When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on May 9, 2011.
11) What were the application closing dates?
The original closing date and the final closing date were both May 23, 2011.
12) When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on June 22, 2011.
13) What is the main purpose of the grant?
The grant centers on strengthening protected areas management in Gabon by leveraging ANPN's institutional position. It supports efforts that go beyond day-to-day protection and include sustainable tourism development, research, and capacity-building across Gabon's national parks and buffer zones.
14) What kinds of activities does the opportunity emphasize?
Based on the information provided, the emphasis includes:
- Strengthening protected areas management in Gabon.
- Building a sustainable tourism industry that links conservation and development, with the goal of improving (not just preserving) the environmental and physical qualities that make park sites valuable for tourism.
- Research and capacity-building activities across Gabon's 13 national parks and surrounding buffer zones.
15) How is ANPN described, and why is it central to the award?
ANPN is described as a parastatal agency created by Gabonese law with unusual financial and technical independence, and it has a mandate to turn Gabon's national park system into a global model for protected area management. A key rationale for selecting ANPN is its ability to connect the MENTOR FOREST Fellowship Program with national and regional decision makers so that training can translate into broader institutional change.
16) How many national parks are referenced in the scope of work?
The opportunity references activities across Gabon's 13 national parks and their surrounding buffer zones.
17) What is the role of the MENTOR FOREST Fellowship Program in this opportunity?
The announcement highlights ANPN's ability to connect the MENTOR FOREST Fellowship Program with national and regional decision makers, creating pathways for fellowship training to influence institutions and policy. It also points to a longer-term objective of having the curriculum developed through MENTOR FOREST become institutionalized within training institutions in Central Africa.
18) Does the opportunity aim for long-term impact beyond the grant period?
Yes. One stated aim is to create opportunities for the MENTOR FOREST curriculum to become institutionalized within training institutions in Central Africa, which suggests an intent to embed standardized training approaches so that improved protected-area management capacity persists over time.
19) What is the opportunity's category or focus area?
The opportunity is categorized under Community Development and Environment, reflecting a dual focus on conservation outcomes and sustainable economic or community-linked benefits such as tourism development.
20) Who is the point of contact listed for access issues?
The listed point of contact for access issues is Corrie Mauldin, International Affairs Specialist. The provided phone number is 703-358-2637.
21) Is any email address provided for the point of contact?
No email address is included in the information provided. Only the name, role, and phone number are listed.
22) What geographic area does the work focus on?
The work focuses on Gabon, specifically Gabon's national parks and their surrounding buffer zones.
23) Is the project limited to park protection and enforcement?
No. The description makes clear the work is not limited to day-to-day park protection; it also includes sustainable tourism development, research, and capacity-building efforts.
24) Does the notice provide the exact cost-share or match percentage?
No. While it states that cost-sharing or matching applies, the specific percentage is not provided in the information given.
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