Opportunity Information: Apply for F16AS00108
Apply for F16AS00108
- The DOI-FWS in the community development, education, employment, labor and training, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.676.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 06, 2016 and posted on Apr 06, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 21, 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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment Programs grant opportunity is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) through its National Youth Development Program. It is designed to fund cooperative, on-the-ground projects that give young people and certain military veterans meaningful paid work, training, and service experiences tied directly to conservation and stewardship. The core target participants are U.S. citizens and legal residents ages 15 to 25, plus military veterans up to age 35. Projects take place at USFWS regional and field offices and can also be carried out on non-federal lands in nearby communities, with project ideas driven by identified needs at the national, regional, and local USFWS levels.
The program supports two main project tracks. The first is employment-focused projects that combine job skills training, education, and professional development with practical work. These projects can be structured as youth crews, small teams, or individual placements. Crews generally work closely together under experienced crew leaders or conservation professionals, while teams and individuals may be assigned more specialized or focused tasks under professional direction. Much of the work is outdoors, but some roles can be indoors when tied to the Services mission, such as visitor services, administrative support, or research assistance. Typical work examples include visitor communications and support, historic and archaeological site data collection and research, fish and wildlife habitat inventory and monitoring, facility preservation and maintenance, restoration and rehabilitation work, trail building and trail maintenance, invasive species removal, habitat restoration, wilderness stewardship, support for outreach and educational events, and research or field activities related to endangered species monitoring and recovery.
The second track is education and public service projects, which emphasize civic engagement and community-based stewardship of natural and cultural resources. These projects use education strategies that help participants understand and communicate the USFWS mission of conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the benefit of the American people. Examples include place-based learning experiences, training seminars, and programs that prepare young people to serve as mentors or educational leaders for younger students and children. In practice, these efforts are meant to build both conservation knowledge and broader life and leadership skills, while strengthening participants sense of purpose and connection to their communities.
Rather than funding a single predefined project list, USFWS uses this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to identify qualified youth-serving organizations that can partner with the agency to develop and administer projects as needs arise. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), as long as they are not institutions of higher education. Successful applicants are placed on an approved partner list. Being selected for the list is an important step, but it does not guarantee funding by itself. USFWS then shares the partner list across its national, regional, and field offices, and those offices contact partners who operate in relevant regions or states when project opportunities come up. Regional points of contact and field station managers work with partners to shape project-specific scopes of work, timelines, and budgets.
Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, meaning USFWS expects active collaboration with the partner organization throughout project planning and delivery. Each individual project is funded through its own standalone cooperative agreement with a defined budget and period of performance. For this opportunity, the estimated nationwide funding availability for the fiscal year is up to $10,000,000 total (dependent on appropriations and availability), and the number of awards can vary based on agency priorities and available funding. The listed award ceiling is $500,000 per award. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and spans multiple activity areas including community development, education, employment and training, environment, and natural resources (CFDA 15.676).
This program aligns with the goals of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC), a broader interagency initiative associated with the Americas Great Outdoors effort to connect youth and veterans to conservation and public lands work, while delivering recreational, economic, and health benefits. USFWS also emphasizes inclusion and is explicit about its commitment to engaging youth from diverse cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds, strongly encouraging applications from partners who can reach and support those communities. The program is authorized under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1723). The posted closing date for the referenced cycle was May 21, 2016, and applicants selected as potential partners are required to provide additional pre-award documentation as specified in the NOFO before any project-specific award is finalized.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment Programs grant opportunity?
This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) run through the USFWS National Youth Development Program. It supports cooperative, on-the-ground projects that provide meaningful paid work, training, and service experiences tied directly to conservation and stewardship.
Who runs and administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) through its National Youth Development Program.
What is the overall purpose of the program?
The program is designed to connect youth and certain military veterans to conservation- and stewardship-related work and learning experiences, while also supporting USFWS mission needs at the national, regional, and local levels.
Who are the intended participants for funded projects?
The core target participants are U.S. citizens and legal residents ages 15 to 25, plus military veterans up to age 35.
Are military veterans eligible to participate, and is there an age limit?
Yes. Military veterans may participate up to age 35, based on the program description.
Where do projects take place?
Projects take place at USFWS regional and field offices and may also be carried out on non-federal lands in nearby communities.
How are project ideas selected or developed?
Project ideas are driven by identified needs at the national, regional, and local USFWS levels. USFWS offices and partners work together to develop project-specific scopes of work as opportunities arise.
Does this NOFO fund a single set list of predefined projects?
No. Instead of funding a single predefined project list, USFWS uses this NOFO to identify qualified youth-serving organizations that can partner with the agency and develop/administer projects as needs arise.
What are the two main project tracks supported by the program?
The program supports (1) employment-focused projects and (2) education and public service projects.
What are employment-focused projects under this program?
Employment-focused projects combine job skills training, education, and professional development with practical conservation- and stewardship-related work. They may be structured as youth crews, small teams, or individual placements.
How can employment-focused projects be structured (crews, teams, or individual placements)?
Projects can be structured as youth crews, small teams, or individual placements. Crews typically work closely together under experienced crew leaders or conservation professionals, while teams and individuals may be assigned more specialized tasks under professional direction.
Is the work always outdoors?
Much of the work is outdoors, but some roles can be indoors when tied to the USFWS mission (for example, visitor services, administrative support, or research assistance).
What are examples of work activities that may be supported?
Examples listed include visitor communications and support; historic and archaeological site data collection and research; fish and wildlife habitat inventory and monitoring; facility preservation and maintenance; restoration and rehabilitation work; trail building and trail maintenance; invasive species removal; habitat restoration; wilderness stewardship; support for outreach and educational events; and research or field activities related to endangered species monitoring and recovery.
What are education and public service projects under this program?
Education and public service projects emphasize civic engagement and community-based stewardship of natural and cultural resources. They use education strategies to help participants understand and communicate the USFWS mission of conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the benefit of the American people.
What are examples of education and public service activities?
Examples listed include place-based learning experiences, training seminars, and programs that prepare young people to serve as mentors or educational leaders for younger students and children.
What skills or outcomes does the program aim to build for participants?
Based on the description, projects are intended to build conservation knowledge along with broader life skills and leadership skills, while strengthening participants sense of purpose and connection to their communities.
Who is eligible to apply as an organization under this opportunity?
Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; and nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), as long as they are not institutions of higher education.
Are institutions of higher education eligible applicants?
No. The eligibility description specifies that eligible applicants include certain government entities and nonprofits, as long as they are not institutions of higher education.
Do nonprofit applicants need to be a 501(c)(3)?
No. Both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible, provided they meet the other eligibility conditions described.
What happens if an organization is selected under the NOFO?
Successful applicants are placed on an approved partner list. USFWS shares this list across its national, regional, and field offices, and offices contact partners in relevant regions or states when project opportunities arise.
Does being selected as an approved partner guarantee funding?
No. Selection for the approved partner list is an important step, but it does not guarantee funding by itself.
How are specific projects funded once a partner is selected?
Each individual project is funded through its own standalone cooperative agreement with a defined budget and period of performance.
What type of federal funding instrument is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding is provided through cooperative agreements. This means USFWS expects active collaboration with the partner organization during project planning and delivery.
How does USFWS collaborate with partners on project details?
Regional points of contact and field station managers work with partners to shape project-specific scopes of work, timelines, and budgets.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The estimated nationwide funding availability for the fiscal year is up to $10,000,000 total, dependent on appropriations and availability.
Is there a maximum award amount?
Yes. The listed award ceiling is $500,000 per award.
How many awards will be made?
The number of awards can vary based on agency priorities and available funding.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary.
What activity areas does this program cover?
The NOFO spans multiple activity areas including community development, education, employment and training, environment, and natural resources.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number listed is 15.676.
How does this program relate to the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC)?
The program aligns with the goals of the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC), an interagency initiative associated with the Americas Great Outdoors effort to connect youth and veterans to conservation and public lands work while delivering recreational, economic, and health benefits.
Does USFWS emphasize inclusion or serving diverse communities?
Yes. USFWS emphasizes inclusion and explicitly commits to engaging youth from diverse cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Applications are strongly encouraged from partners who can reach and support those communities.
What is the legal authority for this program?
The program is authorized under the Public Lands Corps Act of 1993, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1723).
What was the closing date for the referenced cycle?
The posted closing date for the referenced cycle was May 21, 2016.
Are there additional requirements after being selected as a potential partner?
Yes. Applicants selected as potential partners are required to provide additional pre-award documentation as specified in the NOFO before any project-specific award is finalized.
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| Ames-Based Traveling Conservation Corps Vegetation Team- HTLN Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00142 Funding Number: NPS NOIP18AC00142 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,248,000 |
| Park Based Traveling Conservation Corps Vegetation Team- HTLN Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00048 Funding Number: NPS NOIP19AC00048 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,125,000 |
| Youth Engagement, Education and Employment Programs Apply for F19AS00318 Funding Number: F19AS00318 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $77,794 |
| Teaching Traditional Building/Landscape Skills Training Project- SLBE Apply for NPS NOIP20AC00098 Funding Number: NPS NOIP20AC00098 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Education, Employment, Labor and Training, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $81,000 |
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