Wildlife Without Borders Latin America and the Caribbean | Apply Online

Wildlife Without Borders - Latin America and the Caribbean (WWB LAC) Grant (WWBLAC2010) FAQs

1) What is the Wildlife Without Borders - Latin America and the Caribbean (WWB LAC) grant opportunity?

The Wildlife Without Borders - Latin America and the Caribbean (WWB LAC) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: WWBLAC2010) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary funding program that supports wildlife conservation work across Latin America and the Caribbean. It emphasizes practical improvements in conservation outcomes by investing in the people and institutions responsible for protected and conserved areas.

2) What is the main focus or theme of this funding opportunity?

The central theme is capacity building, especially for natural protected areas. The program prioritizes strengthening the ability of local and regional institutions to manage and conserve species, habitats, and ecological processes that sustain biodiversity.

3) What types of conservation outcomes does WWB LAC prioritize?

WWB LAC places major emphasis on practical, on-the-ground improvements in conservation outcomes. A specific priority is improving management effectiveness in protected areas so they move from being "paper parks" (legally designated but not effectively managed) to well-managed landscapes that deliver measurable conservation results, particularly for species of regional concern.

4) What does "paper parks" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this opportunity, "paper parks" refers to protected areas that exist on paper (are legally designated) but lack the staffing, skills, systems, resources, or management effectiveness needed to actually protect biodiversity. The program supports projects that help close those gaps.

5) Does the opportunity support training and workforce development?

Yes. WWB LAC seeks proposals that develop, strengthen, and replicate high-quality conservation training programs. These training efforts are intended to support better day-to-day management and long-term governance of protected and conserved areas.

6) Who are the intended audiences for training supported by this program?

The opportunity notes that training is expected to reach key audiences tied to protected areas, including protected area managers and staff, local conservation practitioners, partner institutions, and other stakeholders who influence management and governance.

7) What geographic area does this funding opportunity cover?

The program supports wildlife conservation work across Latin America and the Caribbean, with benefits framed for the region as well as for the broader Americas and the world.

8) What federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

9) What is the CFDA number associated with WWB LAC?

The CFDA listing associated with the program is 15.640 (Wildlife Without Borders - Latin America and the Caribbean).

10) Is this a discretionary program? What award instruments may be used?

Yes. This is described as a discretionary funding program, and awards may be made either as grants or cooperative agreements.

11) How many awards were expected to be made, and what was the total estimated funding?

The agency anticipated making about 35 awards, with an estimated total program funding amount of $1,020,000.

12) What is the expected award size (minimum and maximum)?

Individual awards were expected to range from $5,000 (award floor) to $50,000 (award ceiling).

13) What kinds of projects are a good fit given the award sizes?

Based on the stated award range, the program is designed to fund relatively small to mid-sized projects, pilot initiatives, targeted training efforts, and practical capacity-building activities rather than large infrastructure projects or multi-million dollar programs.

14) Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should be prepared to contribute non-federal resources (cash or allowable in-kind support, depending on the Notice of Funding Availability) to support the project budget.

15) What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes nonprofits (both with 501(c)(3) status and without), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and multiple levels of government including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments.

16) Does the eligibility list suggest partnerships are allowed or encouraged?

The mix of eligible applicants suggests the program is structured to support partnerships among NGOs, universities, and government entities commonly involved in protected area management, conservation science, workforce development, and training delivery in the region.

17) What were the key dates for this opportunity?

The posting date was October 15, 2009. The original and current closing date was October 20, 2009. The archive date was October 25, 2009.

18) How were proposals required to be submitted?

Proposals submitted through Grants.gov were required by October 20, 2009, in part to comply with posting requirements.

19) Where could applicants find the detailed technical requirements and selection criteria?

The full technical requirements, selection criteria, allowable activities and costs, matching rules, reporting expectations, and application instructions were contained in the attached Notice of Funding Availability, which applicants were expected to download and review.

20) Who was the point of contact for problems accessing the full announcement electronically?

For applicants experiencing difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, the listed point of contact for electronic access problems was Melinda Clarke, International Affairs Specialist.