Opportunity Information: Apply for FWS FWMA NFPP
Apply for FWS FWMA NFPP
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Fish Passage Program 2010" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608 Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 8, 2010 and posted on Jan 8, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 1, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $900,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 500 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:
The National Fish Passage Program 2010 grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: FWS FWMA NFPP) is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) focused on environmental work that improves fish passage. The program generally supports on-the-ground projects that reconnect aquatic habitats by removing, modifying, or bypassing barriers that prevent fish and other aquatic organisms from moving freely through rivers, streams, and associated waterways. While the posted notice itself points applicants to an instructions attachment for the full program details, the title and program context indicate the core purpose is to restore access to historic spawning, rearing, and feeding habitat and to improve overall aquatic ecosystem function through fish passage and connectivity improvements.
Funding is offered through multiple possible instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, and other award types. The opportunity anticipates a large number of awards, with an estimated 500 awards expected over the cycle. Total estimated funding available is listed at $10,000,000, with individual awards ranging from a floor of $1 up to a ceiling of $900,000. This structure suggests the program can support both very small efforts (for example, targeted planning, design, or partner-driven contributions) and larger construction or implementation projects, depending on regional priorities and project readiness.
A cost sharing or matching contribution is required. In practical terms, that means applicants should be prepared to document partner contributions, non-federal cash, in-kind services, donated materials, volunteer labor, or other eligible match sources as defined in the full instructions. Because fish passage projects often involve multiple partners (such as state agencies, tribes, local governments, watershed groups, and private landowners), matching requirements commonly align well with collaborative project delivery, but applicants still need to plan carefully to ensure match commitments are real, allowable, and properly valued and tracked.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to a wide range of applicant types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications contained in the full announcement instructions. In general, programs like this commonly receive applications from federal, state, tribal, and local government entities; conservation districts; nonprofit organizations; academic institutions; and other entities capable of carrying out restoration, engineering, and monitoring work. Even with broad eligibility, projects typically must align with the program mission and meet technical, environmental compliance, and partnership expectations laid out in the detailed guidance.
Key timeline information shows the opportunity was posted and created on January 8, 2010, with an original and current closing date of October 1, 2010. Applicants would have needed to follow the application instructions referenced in the attachment, including required forms, narrative content, budget formats, and any regional submission procedures. Because FWS fish passage efforts are often coordinated with field offices and regional program staff, applicants commonly benefit from early coordination with the program to confirm feasibility, permitting considerations, and alignment with program priorities before submitting.
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 15.608, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance, placing it within a long-running assistance framework used by FWS to support conservation and management actions. The listed activity category is Environment, reinforcing that projects are intended to produce measurable ecological benefits such as increased stream miles opened, improved access to critical habitats, reduced mortality at barriers, and improved resilience of aquatic populations. Although the notice does not spell out selection criteria, fish passage programs typically emphasize factors like ecological benefit, miles of habitat reconnected, condition and risk posed by the existing barrier, technical soundness of the proposed design, readiness to proceed (including landowner permissions and permitting status), durability and long-term maintenance planning, and the strength and credibility of partner commitments.
For applicants who could not access the full announcement electronically, the contact provided is Susan Wells, National Coordinator for the National Fish Passage Program, reachable by phone at 703-358-2523. This contact point indicates that questions about access, instructions, and potentially programmatic fit could be directed to the national coordinator, though applicants often also coordinate with the appropriate FWS regional office depending on project location.
National Fish Passage Program 2010 (FWS FWMA NFPP) - FAQs
1) What is the National Fish Passage Program 2010 grant opportunity?
It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) focused on environmental work that improves fish passage. The program generally supports on-the-ground projects that reconnect aquatic habitats by addressing barriers that prevent fish and other aquatic organisms from moving freely through rivers, streams, and related waterways.
2) What is the main purpose of this funding?
The core purpose is to improve aquatic connectivity and ecosystem function by restoring access to historic spawning, rearing, and feeding habitat. This is typically done through fish passage and connectivity improvements that allow aquatic organisms to move more freely.
3) What types of projects does the program generally support?
The program generally supports projects that reconnect aquatic habitats by removing, modifying, or bypassing barriers. These are described as on-the-ground efforts aimed at improving fish passage and movement through waterways.
4) What kinds of barriers are addressed under fish passage work (based on the notice description)?
The notice describes barriers broadly as structures or conditions that prevent fish and other aquatic organisms from moving freely through rivers, streams, and associated waterways. The opportunity focuses on removing, modifying, or bypassing such barriers.
5) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
6) What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is FWS FWMA NFPP.
7) Is this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The notice describes it as a discretionary funding announcement.
8) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.608, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance.
9) What is the program or activity category?
The listed activity category is Environment.
10) What types of awards or funding instruments might be used?
Funding may be offered through multiple instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, and other award types.
11) How much total funding is estimated to be available?
The total estimated funding available is listed at $10,000,000.
12) How many awards are expected?
The opportunity anticipates a large number of awards, with an estimated 500 awards expected over the cycle.
13) What is the minimum and maximum award size?
Individual awards are listed as ranging from a floor of $1 up to a ceiling of $900,000.
14) Does the program support both small and large projects?
Yes. The stated award range suggests the program can support very small efforts as well as larger construction or implementation projects, depending on priorities and readiness.
15) Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. A cost sharing or matching contribution is required.
16) What kinds of match sources are mentioned as practical examples?
The notice context mentions that applicants should be prepared to document partner contributions such as non-federal cash, in-kind services, donated materials, volunteer labor, or other eligible match sources as defined in the full instructions.
17) Why is match commonly relevant for fish passage projects?
The opportunity description notes that fish passage projects often involve multiple partners (for example, state agencies, tribes, local governments, watershed groups, and private landowners), and matching requirements commonly align with collaborative project delivery. Applicants still need to ensure match commitments are real, allowable, and properly valued and tracked.
18) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to a wide range of applicant types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full announcement instructions.
19) What types of applicants commonly apply to programs like this (as described in the notice context)?
The description indicates that programs like this commonly receive applications from federal, state, tribal, and local government entities; conservation districts; nonprofit organizations; academic institutions; and other entities capable of carrying out restoration, engineering, and monitoring work.
20) Are there project alignment expectations even with unrestricted eligibility?
Yes. Even with broad eligibility, projects typically must align with the program mission and meet technical, environmental compliance, and partnership expectations laid out in the detailed guidance.
21) What are the key dates for this opportunity?
The opportunity was posted and created on January 8, 2010. The original closing date and the current closing date are both listed as October 1, 2010.
22) Where are the full program details and application instructions found?
The posted notice points applicants to an instructions attachment for the full program details, including required forms, narrative content, budget formats, and any regional submission procedures.
23) Does the notice list specific selection criteria?
No. The notice does not spell out selection criteria, but it indicates that full expectations and details are contained in the detailed guidance referenced by the instructions attachment.
24) What kinds of factors are typically emphasized in fish passage programs (as described in the notice context)?
While not stated as official criteria in the notice, the description notes that fish passage programs typically emphasize factors such as ecological benefit; miles of habitat reconnected; the condition and risk posed by the existing barrier; technical soundness of the proposed design; readiness to proceed (including landowner permissions and permitting status); durability and long-term maintenance planning; and the strength and credibility of partner commitments.
25) What kinds of outcomes or benefits are projects generally intended to produce?
The opportunity is intended to produce measurable ecological benefits consistent with environmental restoration work. The notice context includes examples such as increased stream miles opened, improved access to critical habitats, reduced mortality at barriers, and improved resilience of aquatic populations.
26) Is coordination with FWS staff recommended before applying?
Yes. The description indicates that applicants commonly benefit from early coordination with the program to confirm feasibility, permitting considerations, and alignment with program priorities before submitting.
27) Who is the contact person listed for this opportunity?
The contact provided is Susan Wells, National Coordinator for the National Fish Passage Program.
28) How can the listed contact be reached?
Susan Wells is reachable by phone at 703-358-2523.
29) What is the contact intended for?
The notice indicates that applicants who could not access the full announcement electronically could use the contact provided. The context also suggests questions about access, instructions, and potentially programmatic fit could be directed to the national coordinator.
30) Should applicants coordinate with an FWS regional office as well?
The description notes that applicants often coordinate with the appropriate FWS regional office depending on project location.
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