Opportunity Information: Apply for F16AS00087
Apply for F16AS00087
- The DOI-FWS in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Wildlife Without Borders â¿¿ Central America 2016" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.640.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 20, 2016 and posted on Jan 20, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 01, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
Wildlife Without Borders - Central America 2016 (Funding Opportunity Number F16AS00087) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI-FWS) grant/cooperative agreement program aimed at slowing biodiversity loss in one of the most species-rich yet heavily threatened regions on the planet. The opportunity is built around a landscape-scale conservation strategy that recognizes protected areas in Central America are often too small and isolated to maintain ecosystem functions on their own. In the context of severe drought linked to an unusually intense El Nino event, the program frames forest and wildlife protection not just as an environmental goal, but as something tied directly to watershed services, climate resilience, food security, livelihoods, and long-term economic stability. Projects are expected to take place in Central America; work proposed in the United States must clearly demonstrate a direct conservation benefit for Central American biodiversity to be eligible.
The program concentrates geographically on a set of priority landscapes that are considered regionally significant and viable for long-term conservation, especially where connectivity and large-scale ecological processes matter. Priority areas include the Maya Mountains Massif (including Chiquibul-Cockscomb and the Central Belize Corridor in Belize and the Maya Forest in Guatemala), the Montecristo Massif and Trifinio Corridor (spanning El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), the Texiguat-Pico Bonito-Cuero y Salado complex and the Rio Platano-Tawahka-Patuca-Bosawas region (Honduras and Nicaragua), the Osa Peninsula and Terraba-Sierpe (Costa Rica), Rio Indio Maiz (Nicaragua), La Amistad-Palo Seco (Costa Rica and Panama), and Darien (Panama). Because these landscapes cross borders, the fund also encourages efforts that operate at regional or political levels to reduce threats, improve policy alignment, and strengthen transnational cooperation. Grantees may also be asked to join a community of practice so lessons and effective approaches can be shared across sites.
Programmatically, the opportunity focuses on four main tracks. First, it supports work to reduce unsustainable agricultural and land-use practices, recognizing that roughly half of Central America’s natural habitats have already been converted and that a very large share of original forest has been cleared or heavily altered. The grant targets major deforestation drivers such as cattle ranching expansion, oil palm development, and other forms of agricultural encroachment that degrade forests and wetlands. Fundable activities include on-the-ground interventions in high-value landscapes (both within and outside protected areas) that reduce habitat conversion, plus efforts to build political will, strengthen compliance and enforcement of protected-area laws, and improve policy incentives that discourage forest clearing while promoting biodiversity-friendly, drought-resistant, and climate-adapted farming and grazing systems. A major feature here is capacity development: proposals are expected to include practical training tied to real problem-solving, aimed at protected-area and corridor managers, local and indigenous resource managers and producer groups, and underserved youth ages 18 to 25 in priority landscapes. Proposals are also asked to describe how gender considerations will be incorporated into training design and delivery. Desired outcomes include measurable reductions in encroachment and illegal incursions, increased hectares or producer participation under conservation-friendly production systems, stronger investigative capacity to detect and prosecute illegal pasture clearing, and stronger community and civil society participation in monitoring and decision-making, including the development of young conservation leaders.
Second, the program includes a specific “cattle reporting†priority designed to improve regional understanding of how cattle production affects forests and wildlife. This component is structured as a cooperative agreement and is intended to leverage a network of journalists. The funded recipient would coordinate with USFWS-selected experts to develop key questions at the intersection of cattle ranching and environmental protection (including links to food security, human health, economic production, ecosystem services, and climate change), run an open call for story pitches, and then commission and publish stories over the project period. The stated results are at least 10 feature stories produced and evidence of readership or pickup by third-party outlets.
Third, the opportunity prioritizes conservation of jaguar populations as an umbrella-species strategy that can protect broader biodiversity, ecosystem function, and connectivity. Jaguars have disappeared from a large portion of their historic range, and the program highlights threats such as habitat loss and fragmentation, direct killing due to conflict with people, and depletion of prey from hunting. Eligible activities include securing protections for jaguar conservation units and corridors, maintaining or restoring connectivity, reducing persecution, and conserving prey species. Priority jaguar areas include the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the Greater Bosawas landscape, Wawashang and Indio Maiz reserves, Jeannette Kawas and Pico Bonito National Parks, the Central Belize Corridor, the San Juan-La Selva corridor, the Central Volcanic to Talamanca corridor, the Amistosa corridor, and the Santa Fe-Lago Gatun/Central corridor. Expected results include improved management capacity, creation or designation of new protected areas or corridors, fewer human-jaguar conflicts and retaliatory killings, reduced livestock losses, wider adoption of conflict-mitigation practices by ranchers and farmers, and supportive incentive mechanisms that help landowners prevent predation without harming jaguars.
Fourth, the program supports improving wildlife security by reducing poaching, illegal extraction, and trafficking of wildlife (terrestrial and marine) and timber. It funds both field-level protection in high-value sites and higher-level efforts to strengthen enforcement systems, disrupt trafficking networks, control illicit routes, and improve judicial and law-enforcement capacity to apply wildlife laws. Proposals are expected to address enabling conditions for success, such as government resources and political will, existing intelligence/informant networks, and governance strategies that reduce the risk of corruption undermining enforcement. Like the land-use priority, this track strongly emphasizes capacity development targeted at conservation and protected-area personnel, local and indigenous resource managers and organizations, and underserved rural youth ages 18 to 25, with attention to gender in training design. Desired outcomes include reduced illegal harvest and trafficking, decreased market availability and commercial consumption of illegal wildlife and timber, more effective field missions and investigations against large-scale traffickers, stronger application of laws by decision-makers, improved transnational cooperation, and more effective public messaging that reinforces awareness that wildlife laws are being enforced.
Administratively, the opportunity is discretionary and offers awards up to $100,000, with an expectation of roughly 12 awards. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). The CFDA number is 15.640. The original and current closing date listed is April 1, 2016, and the opportunity was posted January 20, 2016. Finally, the notice clearly flags what it will not fund because other USFWS programs cover those areas: marine turtle projects, Neotropical migratory bird projects, and projects focused on Mexico or South America, directing applicants instead to the relevant USFWS grant programs for those topics.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is Wildlife Without Borders - Central America 2016 (F16AS00087)?
Wildlife Without Borders - Central America 2016 (Funding Opportunity Number F16AS00087) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI-FWS) grant/cooperative agreement opportunity focused on slowing biodiversity loss in Central America. The program emphasizes landscape-scale conservation because many protected areas in the region are too small and too isolated to maintain ecosystem functions on their own.
2) What is the main conservation approach this opportunity is built around?
The opportunity is built around a landscape-scale conservation strategy that prioritizes large, connected landscapes and ecological connectivity across protected areas and corridors. It also recognizes that many key landscapes cross national borders, so regional and transnational coordination is encouraged.
3) Why does this opportunity mention drought and El Nino?
The notice frames forest and wildlife protection in the context of severe drought linked to an unusually intense El Nino event. Conservation is presented not only as an environmental goal, but also as directly tied to watershed services, climate resilience, food security, livelihoods, and long-term economic stability.
4) Where are projects expected to take place?
Projects are expected to take place in Central America. Work proposed in the United States is only eligible if it clearly demonstrates a direct conservation benefit for Central American biodiversity.
5) What geographic landscapes are considered priority areas?
The program concentrates on priority landscapes considered regionally significant and viable for long-term conservation, including:
- Maya Mountains Massif (including Chiquibul-Cockscomb and the Central Belize Corridor in Belize; and the Maya Forest in Guatemala)
- Montecristo Massif and Trifinio Corridor (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras)
- Texiguat-Pico Bonito-Cuero y Salado complex (Honduras)
- Rio Platano-Tawahka-Patuca-Bosawas region (Honduras and Nicaragua)
- Osa Peninsula and Terraba-Sierpe (Costa Rica)
- Rio Indio Maiz (Nicaragua)
- La Amistad-Palo Seco (Costa Rica and Panama)
- Darien (Panama)
6) Are cross-border or regional policy efforts allowed or encouraged?
Yes. Because many priority landscapes cross borders, the fund encourages efforts operating at regional or political levels to reduce threats, improve policy alignment, and strengthen transnational cooperation.
7) Will grantees be expected to coordinate or share lessons with others?
Possibly. The notice states that grantees may be asked to join a community of practice so lessons learned and effective approaches can be shared across sites.
8) What are the main program tracks (priority areas of work) supported by this opportunity?
The opportunity highlights four main tracks:
- Reducing unsustainable agricultural and land-use practices that drive deforestation and habitat conversion
- A specific "cattle reporting" priority (structured as a cooperative agreement) leveraging journalists to produce stories on cattle and environmental impacts
- Jaguar conservation as an umbrella-species strategy to protect broader biodiversity and connectivity
- Improving wildlife security by reducing poaching, illegal extraction, and trafficking of wildlife and timber
9) What kinds of activities are supported under the land-use and agriculture track?
This track supports on-the-ground interventions in high-value landscapes (inside and outside protected areas) to reduce habitat conversion and protect forests and wetlands. The notice specifically points to major deforestation drivers such as cattle ranching expansion, oil palm development, and other agricultural encroachment. It also supports building political will, strengthening compliance and enforcement of protected-area laws, and improving policy incentives that discourage forest clearing while promoting biodiversity-friendly, drought-resistant, and climate-adapted farming and grazing systems.
10) What outcomes does the land-use and agriculture track want to see?
Desired outcomes include measurable reductions in encroachment and illegal incursions; increased hectares or producer participation under conservation-friendly production systems; stronger investigative capacity to detect and prosecute illegal pasture clearing; and stronger community and civil society participation in monitoring and decision-making, including development of young conservation leaders.
11) Is training or capacity development required or emphasized?
Yes. The notice strongly emphasizes capacity development. Proposals are expected to include practical training tied to real problem-solving.
12) Who should be targeted by capacity-building activities?
The notice identifies targeted audiences for training and capacity development, including protected-area and corridor managers; local and indigenous resource managers and producer groups; and underserved youth ages 18 to 25 in priority landscapes.
13) Are there any gender-related expectations for training?
Yes. Proposals are asked to describe how gender considerations will be incorporated into training design and delivery.
14) What is the "cattle reporting" priority and how is it different from the other tracks?
The "cattle reporting" priority is designed to improve regional understanding of how cattle production affects forests and wildlife. It is explicitly structured as a cooperative agreement (as opposed to a standard grant activity description) and is intended to leverage a network of journalists.
15) What activities are expected under the cattle reporting cooperative agreement?
The funded recipient would coordinate with USFWS-selected experts to develop key questions about the intersection of cattle ranching and environmental protection. Topics include links to food security, human health, economic production, ecosystem services, and climate change. The recipient would run an open call for story pitches and then commission and publish stories over the project period.
16) What deliverables or results are expected for the cattle reporting component?
The stated results include at least 10 feature stories produced and evidence of readership or pickup by third-party outlets.
17) Why does the program prioritize jaguar conservation?
The program prioritizes jaguar conservation as an umbrella-species strategy. Protecting jaguars is intended to protect broader biodiversity, ecosystem function, and connectivity across landscapes.
18) What threats to jaguars does this opportunity highlight?
The notice highlights habitat loss and fragmentation, direct killing due to conflict with people, and depletion of prey from hunting as key threats.
19) What types of jaguar conservation activities are eligible?
Eligible activities include securing protections for jaguar conservation units and corridors, maintaining or restoring connectivity, reducing persecution, and conserving prey species.
20) Which jaguar priority areas are specifically named?
The opportunity names priority jaguar areas including:
- Maya Biosphere Reserve
- Greater Bosawas landscape
- Wawashang and Indio Maiz reserves
- Jeannette Kawas and Pico Bonito National Parks
- Central Belize Corridor
- San Juan-La Selva corridor
- Central Volcanic to Talamanca corridor
- Amistosa corridor
- Santa Fe-Lago Gatun/Central corridor
21) What results are expected from jaguar-focused projects?
Expected results include improved management capacity; creation or designation of new protected areas or corridors; fewer human-jaguar conflicts and retaliatory killings; reduced livestock losses; wider adoption of conflict-mitigation practices by ranchers and farmers; and supportive incentive mechanisms that help landowners prevent predation without harming jaguars.
22) What does the wildlife security track focus on?
This track focuses on improving wildlife security by reducing poaching, illegal extraction, and trafficking of wildlife (terrestrial and marine) and timber. It supports both field-level protection in high-value sites and higher-level efforts to strengthen enforcement systems and disrupt trafficking networks.
23) What types of enforcement and governance elements are expected in wildlife security proposals?
Proposals are expected to address enabling conditions such as government resources and political will, existing intelligence/informant networks, and governance strategies that reduce the risk of corruption undermining enforcement.
24) What outcomes does the wildlife security track aim to achieve?
Desired outcomes include reduced illegal harvest and trafficking; decreased market availability and commercial consumption of illegal wildlife and timber; more effective field missions and investigations against large-scale traffickers; stronger application of laws by decision-makers; improved transnational cooperation; and more effective public messaging reinforcing that wildlife laws are being enforced.
25) Does the wildlife security track also require or emphasize training and youth involvement?
Yes. Like the land-use priority, this track emphasizes capacity development targeted at conservation and protected-area personnel; local and indigenous resource managers and organizations; and underserved rural youth ages 18 to 25, with attention to gender in training design.
26) What type of funding instrument is this opportunity?
The notice describes the opportunity as discretionary and offering grants/cooperative agreements. It also identifies the cattle reporting priority specifically as a cooperative agreement.
27) What is the maximum award amount?
Awards are up to $100,000.
28) How many awards does the program expect to make?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of roughly 12 awards.
29) Who is eligible to apply based on the notice?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits that do not have 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).
30) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 15.640.
31) What are the posting date and closing date listed for this funding opportunity?
The opportunity was posted January 20, 2016. The original and current closing date listed is April 1, 2016.
32) Are projects in the United States eligible?
Work proposed in the United States must clearly demonstrate a direct conservation benefit for Central American biodiversity to be eligible.
33) What types of projects does the notice say it will not fund?
The notice flags specific areas it will not fund because other USFWS programs cover them: marine turtle projects, Neotropical migratory bird projects, and projects focused on Mexico or South America.
34) If a project focuses on marine turtles, Neotropical migratory birds, Mexico, or South America, what does the notice suggest?
The notice directs applicants to the relevant USFWS grant programs for those topics rather than applying under this opportunity.
35) What is the overall rationale for focusing on connectivity and large-scale landscapes?
The program notes that protected areas in Central America are often too small and isolated to maintain ecosystem functions on their own. By focusing on priority landscapes and corridors, the opportunity aims to support connectivity and large-scale ecological processes that are necessary for long-term conservation.
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