F23AS00233 FY 2023 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 7 | F23AS00233

Opportunity Information: Apply for F23AS00233

F23AS00233 is a FY 2023 funding opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, specifically the Traditional Conservation Grants Program for Region 7. It is a discretionary grant program (CFDA 15.615) designed to help state governments build, strengthen, and carry out their own conservation programs aimed at recovering and conserving species that fall under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and are within FWS jurisdiction. The central purpose is practical on-the-ground conservation that measurably improves the status of imperiled wildlife and plants, either by advancing recovery of already listed species or by preventing additional species from needing federal listing.

The program funds projects that provide direct benefits to species or their habitat. Eligible project targets include federally listed threatened and endangered species, as well as candidate species, at-risk species, and recently delisted species. In other words, the grants can support both recovery actions for species already protected under the ESA and proactive work that reduces threats before listing becomes necessary. States can also use grant support for monitoring efforts related to candidate, at-risk, and recently delisted species, which helps track population trends, evaluate whether conservation actions are working, and detect emerging threats early.

A wide range of conservation activities can be supported, as long as the project is clearly tied to conservation outcomes. The opportunity highlights management, research, monitoring, and outreach as allowable categories, and proposals may combine these approaches. Examples of the kind of work that fits this structure include habitat restoration or enhancement, threat reduction actions, field surveys and population monitoring, applied research that informs management decisions, and outreach efforts that lead to measurable conservation results (such as improved compliance, reduced conflicts, or increased adoption of best practices). What matters most in the application is a clear explanation of how the proposed activities will contribute to species recovery or prevent the need to list a species under the ESA, along with a strong demonstration that the benefits are direct and not merely incidental.

Eligibility is limited to state governments and specifically to state agencies that have a cooperative agreement with FWS pursuant to section 6(c) of the ESA. If a state agency does not already have this agreement in place, it must enter into or reaffirm the agreement within 30 days of the application deadline to be considered eligible. In addition, FWS cannot obligate federal funds until a complete, signed cooperative agreement is on file, consistent with the cited regulatory requirements (50 CFR 81.3, 50 CFR 81.5, and 43 CFR 12.50(b)(3)). While only states can be the direct recipients, the notice makes clear that other entities such as counties, tribes or local partners (if applicable through the state), nonprofits, and conservation organizations can still participate by working with the eligible state agency as subgrantees or partners, as long as the state remains the applicant and grant holder.

Key administrative details included in the source information are that the opportunity number is F23AS00233, the agency is the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the original application closing date was May 24, 2023. The award ceiling listed is $110,598. The main competitive factor emphasized is the quality and specificity of the proposal in showing how the work will directly benefit the focal species or its habitat, with successful applications typically being those that connect activities to measurable conservation outcomes and recovery-related objectives.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F23AS00233 FY 2023 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 7" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.615.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-02-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-24. (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 $110,598.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F23AS00233

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