Candidate Species Conservation

 

The objective is to secure candidate and other at-risk species information or undertake restoration actions that will help avert federal listing of species. The purpose is to provide a means by which the ecosystems upon which candidate and at-risk species depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of these species.

Active 15.660 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 The Program expects to issue 13 awards. he Service awarded 16 grants totaling $406,000 in FY 2017. Awards were made in three of the Service’s eight regions: Alaska, Northwest, and Pacific Southwest Regions.
Fiscal Year 2018 In FY18, the program received 11 applications and issued 11 awards.
Fiscal Year 2019 Varies by Region.
Fiscal Year 2020 15 awards were issued in FY20.
Fiscal Year 2021 In 2021 the program received applications across eight regions and resulted in the selection and funding of 22 Awards.
Fiscal Year 2022 Received 64 applications and funded 29 awards.
Fiscal Year 2023 Will receive approximately 60 applications and fund 25 - 30 awards
Fiscal Year 2024 Will receive approximately 60 applications and fund 25 - 30 awards Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 – Administrative Provisions (P.L. 117-328 [H.R. 2617-306]) Anyone except Federal Agencies. Not applicable. Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is required. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. FWS Regional Field Office contacts can provide specific information on the amount of funding available, as well as Regional recovery priorities. We encourage you to contact the appropriate FWS Regional and Field Office contacts to discuss potential projects. If funding is available and the potential project addresses a high priority Regional candidate conservation need, then the Regional contact will refer the potential applicant of the appropriate FWS Ecological Services Field Office for further coordination. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The following Federal regulations apply to this program: (1) Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 31.2; 2 CFR Parts 215, 220, 225, 230; 43 CFR Part 18; and 48 CFR 31. The following OMB Circulars apply to this program: OMB Circular No. A-102 and A-133. Applicant must complete the Standard Form (SF) 424, and the appropriate Budget and Assurances Forms (SF 424A and SF 424B - Non-construction; or SF 424C and SF 424D - Construction). Applicants must also submit a project summary page, and a project description. The project description section of the application should address the evaluation factors identified in the Full Announcement posted on www.grants.gov. Awards will be announced via letters sent directly to the applicants. No work may begin on a project until the appropriate legal contracting or procurement documents, and the required environmental compliance documents, have been signed by the authorized FWS official. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified either by letter, fax, email or by telephone. September 30, 2023 Awards will be announced and obligated on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal year based on regional priorities and available funding. Applicants are encouraged to work with FWS regional contacts to obtain additional details on funding and deadlines. From 120 to 180 days. Not applicable. Not applicable. This opportunity is limited to projects carrying out actions for candidate species describe in annual assessment; or for at-risk species in a conservation plan or strategy; or in a spotlight species action plan; or projects documenting species' response to climate change. The assistance can be used for Candidate Conservation. Funding maybe used for actions related to: (1) the development of scientific information that is useful in supporting candidate assessments, conservation actions and candidate conservation agreements; (2) reduce threats to a candidate and other high priority species, such as propagation of imperiled freshwater mussels; or (3) conservation of candidate species, such as biological field work to conduct species surveys; or (4) in a spotlight species action plan, or projects documenting species' response to climate change. These are discretionary funds that are used for project purposes to help ensure the use of the best available scientific information in making management decisions. Funding is not used for real property acquisition or construction. Performance Reports: Performance reports are required. Recipients must monitor and report on project performance in accordance with the requirements in 2 CFR 200.329. Final performance reports and final SF-425, Federal Financial Reports are due within 120 calendar days of the award period of performance end date, unless the awarding program approves a due date extension. The FWS details all reporting requirements including frequency and due dates in Notices of Award. Not applicable. Records must be maintained for 3 years following the submission of the final expenditure report or until final action has been taken on any litigation, claim or audit finding. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Funding must be spent within 3 years of awarding the grant. Program obligates funds and sends a notice of award to successful applicants. Recipients request funds in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles, unless otherwise dictated by program-specific legislation or special award terms. Program will include any special payment terms and conditions in the notice of award. None/Not specified. Ecological Services Program
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, 5275 Leesburg Pike (MS: ES)
Falls Church, VA 22041 US
fws_es_grants@fws.gov
Phone: (719) 651-7961 https://www.fws.gov/program/endangered-species 14-1611-0-1-302 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$2,539,088.00; FY 23 est $500,000.00; FY 24 est $500,000.00; FY 21$2,860,409.00; FY 20$877,264.00; FY 19$494,021.00; FY 18$339,507.00; FY 17$406,000.00; - This funding opportunity uses U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional and Field Office discretionary funding, if available. The amount of actual funding available in each Regional and Field Office will vary from year to year. Funding may not be available every year in each Regional or Field Office. If funding is available, it may be obligated on a per-project basis, rather than by fiscal year. Varies by Region. Not applicable. Fiscal Year 2017 The program anticipates funding projects similar to FY16 that secure candidate and other at-risk species information and that undertake restoration actions which help avert Federal listing of species. The Service awarded funding to 16 projects in FY 2017. The Alaska region funded a walrus mark recapture program; the Pacific Southwest region funded a project to develop a survey protocol for Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (VELB) that will improve detection probability, and to better distinguish between the VELB and closely related California elderberry longhorn beetle. The Northwest region funded 14 projects including an island marble butterfly habitat restoration project at American Camp in the San Juan Island National Historical Park. Also funded were five conservation projects benefitting greater sage-grouse and other sage-brush species; Packard’s milkvetch pollinator habitat restoration; whitebark pine restoration; and a project to determine the distribution and population connectivity of Merriam’s ground squirrel.
Fiscal Year 2018 Projects that were funded in FY 2018 include: Developed a genetics management and population-monitoring plan for Sierra red fox. Developed species status assessments for 3 species on the Service’s national listing workplan (western bumblebee, little brown bat, and northern bog lemming). Held a workshop to discuss and plan for the conservation of at-risk species in the Service’s southeast region. Restored stream channel to benefit Yellowstone cutthroat trout, boreal toad, and northern leatherside chub. Conducted surveys for western bumblebee and Suckley's cuckoo bee to help determine habitat and preferred foraging species in east-central Idaho. Monitored populations of northern leopard frogs and western toads, including monitoring for amphibian diseases, and eradicating nonnative bullfrogs. Eradicated invasive smooth broom adjacent to and within Christ's paintbrush habitat. Conducted trend monitoring and collected demographic data at Packard's milkvetch plots that were established in 2008. Collected basic life history data that is currently lacking or outdated in the literature for the status assessment for the sand-verbena moth. Conducted on-the-ground projects to conserve and improve sagebrush steppe habitat for greater sage-grouse.
Fiscal Year 2019 (1) Cooperative Surveys for Multiple At-Risk Species: The funds under this award are being used to conduct coordinated surveys for the Carolina pygmy sunfish, Tennessee clubshell, Tennessee pigtoe and alligator snapping turtle. These surveys use standard techniques and were designed to inform species status assessment for these species. All of these are species for which the Service must make a determination as to whether the species should be listed as threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. (2) Island Marble Butterfly Habitat Expansion Project: This project is increasing the amount of available habitat for the Island Marble Butterfly (Euchloe ausonides insulanus) to help the species expand beyond its extremely restricted distribution on San Juan Island, Washington. The project will aid our efforts to secure the species' survival and work toward its recovery. (3) Range-wide Strategic Planning and Conservation Actions for the Western Pond Turtle (WPT): The overall project goal is to advance priority conservation actions aimed at improving the population status of the WPT in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and California. The project will improve habitat conditions at known priority sites, ameliorate critical threats, and fill critical knowledge gaps. These actions may reduce the need for listing under the Endangered Species Act and provide vital information for future status review and conservation planning. (4) White Mountain Fritillary: Collecting Critical Species Information for a USFWS Species Status Assessment. The scope of work is for the assessment, monitoring, and captive rearing efforts of the White Mountain fritillary.
Fiscal Year 2020 Land Snail Extinction Prevention Program: The State of Hawaii Snail Extinction Prevention Program (SEPP) works to prevent the imminent extinction and local extirpation of rare and endangered land snail species across the islands. The program functions by integrating ex situ captive rearing with in situ predator control, predator exclusion fencing, and habitat management, as well as by syncing rare snail conservation objectives and management techniques across entities. SEPP has a fully functioning captive rearing facility and employs one full-time program coordinator, three field technicians, and one laboratory technician. Currently, SEPP maintains captive populations of 40 species of rare and endangered snails from five islands and has approximately 5000 individual snails. The majority of these species are unlisted but imperiled. All species at the facility are likely extinct in the wild or extremely close to being so. Funding provided will support ongoing captive propagation and reintroduction efforts including: care and maintenance of existing lab populations, management of existing predator-proof fence sites, and release of captive reared snails into existing predator-proof fences. All actions may help to prevent the listing of candidate or at-risk species. Hawaiian Lymnaeids Research: The Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office is using Candidate Conservation funds to support researchers affiliated with the Bishop Museum. The project will improve the understanding of the identity, distribution and conservation status of native freshwater snails in Hawaii so that they may be better managed along with other aquatic resources in the state. To accomplish this, we will 1) undertake surveys for freshwater snails, predominantly native species belonging to the Lymnaeidae, on five of the main Hawaiian Islands where these snails have been historically recorded and in novel sites where they may persist; 2) complete targeted surveys of historical sites for Erinna newcombi to provide conservation updates needed for reassessment of this listed species; and 3) carry out a pilot study to examine the feasibility of captive rearing one species, Lymnaea reticulata, which was historically abundant on Oahu. The results of this project regarding the taxonomy, distributions, diversity and life history of Hawaiian lymnaeids will allow resource managers and USFWS to more effectively make decisions about listing species. Reporting will evaluate taxonomy, genetic diversity, effective population sizes, distributions and numbers of populations for each species encountered. In addition, a wide variety of data associated with these taxa will be recorded, including habitat type, elevation, and more, from which guides for their identification and assessments of their current conservation status will be generated. The results of captive rearing studies will be critical for population viability assessments and aid efforts to stabilize and protect remaining populations.
Fiscal Year 2021 Seabird Population Restoration and Invasive Green Iguana Management on Desecheo Island; Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas; Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Recovery and Aquatic Habitat Surveys.
Fiscal Year 2022 Funded Financial Assistance projects to secure candidate and other at-risk species information or undertake restoration actions that will help avert federal listing of species. The purpose is to provide a means by which the ecosystems upon which candidate and at-risk species depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of these species.
Fiscal Year 2023 The Program has not yet selected projects. We anticipate selecting projects that accomplish the principal objective of this Candidate Species Conservation funding opportunity. That is to accomplish conservation tasks for high priority candidate species (based on our annual Candidate Species Assessments) or other at-risk species in the United States, such that identified threats to the species may be reduced or eliminated.
Fiscal Year 2024 The Program has not yet selected projects. We anticipate selecting projects that accomplish the principal objective of this Candidate Species Conservation funding opportunity. That is to accomplish conservation tasks for high priority candidate species (based on our annual Candidate Species Assessments) or other at-risk species in the United States, such that identified threats to the species may be reduced or eliminated.