National Outreach and Communication

 

To improve communications with anglers, boaters, and the general public regarding angling and boating opportunities, to reduce barriers to participation in these activities, to advance adoption of sound fishing and boating practices, to promote conservation and the responsible use of the nation's aquatic resources, and to further safety in fishing and boating.

Active 15.653 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 A single cooperative agreement was funded to implement the program nationally. In addition to completing national outreach efforts, the cooperative agreement recipient provided subgrant award opportunities to state fish and wildlife agencies and other organizations for programs to increase fishing and boating participation. Federal funds were leveraged by $10,162,524 of cash and in-kind contributions.
Fiscal Year 2018 The program received 4 applications and issued a single five-year cooperative agreement. In addition, the award recipient provided subgrant awards to state fish and wildlife agencies and other organizations for programs to increase fishing and boating participation.
Fiscal Year 2019 Funds were awarded to the recipient selected in FY18 to continue to implement the program nationally. The recipient provided subgrant award opportunities to state fish and wildlife agencies and other organizations for programs to increase fishing and boating participation.
Fiscal Year 2020 Funds were awarded to the recipient selected in FY18 to continue to implement the program nationally. The recipient provided subgrant award opportunities to state fish and wildlife agencies and other organizations for programs to increase fishing and boating participation.
Fiscal Year 2021 Funds awarded to the recipient selected in FY18 to continue to implement the program nationally. The recipient provided subgrant award opportunities to state fish and wildlife agencies and other organizations for programs to increase fishing and boating participation.
Fiscal Year 2022 The program issued 1 continuation award to the recipient selected in FY18.
Fiscal Year 2023 The program received 8 applications and issued 1 award.
Fiscal Year 2024 The program expects to issue 1 continuation award to the recipient selected in FY2023. Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 101 §7402), and Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act—National Outreach and Communications Program (16 U.S.C. §777g(d)). To apply for grant funds, the applicant must provide documentation of marketing expertise in sport fishing and boating. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Not applicable. To apply for grant funds, the applicant must provide documentation of marketing expertise in sport fishing and boating. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Funding recommendations, based upon a process outlined in the funding announcements, will be forwarded to the Awarding Official. Applicants will be notified by Awarding Official. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Within 120 days. Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national headquarters office. Contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service national headquarters office. Each grant application will be reviewed for documentation required in the Program Guidelines and Application Kit. The recipients’ work is focused on strategies and activities identified in the “Strategic Plan for the National Outreach and Communication Program as required by the “Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998”. These activities are intended to increase participation in recreational boating and fishing. For example, program funds have been used to develop a national database of fishing and boating locations that is available on the internet. Current focuses of the program are angler and boater R3 efforts (recruit, retain and reactivate) and development of pilot R3 projects with state fish and wildlife agencies. If work is to be conducted outside of those identified in the original plan, the activity must show a clear relevance to the Strategic Plan. Performance Reports: Performance reports are required. Recipients must monitor and report on project performance in accordance with the requirements in 2 CFR 200.329. The final performance report is 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. All records must be maintained for 3 years after submission of the financial report. 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. Projects may be approved for up to five years with annual incremental funding available. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump. None/Not specified. Holly Richards
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Mailstop FAC,
Falls Church, VA 22041 USA
holly_richards@fws.gov
Phone: 703-358-2523 https://fws.gov/service/national-outreach-and-communications-program 14-8151-0-7-303 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$13,607,000.00; FY 23 est $14,232,000.00; FY 24 est $13,941,999.00; FY 21$14,169,446.00; FY 20$12,592,882.00; FY 19$12,415,685.00; FY 18$12,263,000.00; FY 17$12,150,266.00; - Not applicable/available. Guidelines and literature on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs is available at: http://www.fws.gov. Federal financial assistance regulations can be accessed at: https://edit.doi.gov/pam/programs/financial_assistance/award. Fiscal Year 2017 A single cooperative agreement is being funded from this program. The recipient is expected to maintain a national web site that provides information needed to go fishing and boating. The recipient is continuing innovative programs that seek to increase fishing and boating participation by minorities and other underrepresented groups, such as a partnership with the Disney Corporation. A single cooperative agreement was funded from this program. The recipient used program funds to develop and distribute various conservation stories and a public service announcement that informed consumers about the role that anglers and boaters have in funding conservation. These efforts resulted in 994 million media impressions on conservation. The recipient developed a pilot angler retention program with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources that resulted in increased fishing license sales and revenue. In addition, program funds were also used to continue a boat registration reactivation program with state agencies. This effort resulted in more than 51,000 additional boat registrations nationwide.
Fiscal Year 2018 A single cooperative agreement was funded from this program. Program funding was used to maintain national and state level campaigns that promote recreational fishing and boating participation and provide the public with information needed to go fishing and boating. Program funding was also used for the initial year of the pilot First Catch Centers in Pennsylvania and Texas. These centers provide the public with skills and training needed to learn how to fish. They provide repeat fishing opportunities throughout the year to increase anglers’ skills and abilities.
Fiscal Year 2019 Funding was used to implement tactics identified in the program’s strategic plan. These tactics included educational and outreach efforts that reduce barriers to fishing and boating participation via the Take Me Fishing and Vamos A Pescar brand campaigns. Projects were done in partnership with corporate organizations such as the Walt Disney World Company, state fish and wildlife agencies and other fishing and boating industry stakeholders.
Fiscal Year 2020 Program funding was used to execute a new strategic plan with one major goal – increase the number of Americans participating in recreational fishing from the current 49.1 million to 60 million by the end of 2021, aka “60 in 60.” Program funding supported the plan’s four major objectives: (1) Consumer Engagement to inspire consumers to participate in fishing and boating, and teach them how to get started; (2) State Engagement to support states in their efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate (R3) fishing and boating participants; (3) Industry Engagement to provide fishing and boating industry stakeholders with the tools they need to increase category growth and; (4) Federal Engagement to work collaboratively with the USFWS and other Federal partners to promote fishing participation on public lands.
Fiscal Year 2021 Program funding was used to execute the second year of a three-year strategic plan with one major goal – increase the number of Americans participating in recreational fishing from 49.4 million to 60 million by the end of 2021, aka “60 in 60.” Program funding supports the plan’s four major objectives: (1) Consumer Engagement to inspire consumers to participate in fishing and boating, and teach them how to get started; (2) State Engagement to support states in their efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate (R3) fishing and boating participants; (3) Industry Engagement to provide fishing and boating industry stakeholders with the tools they need to increase category growth and; (4) Federal Engagement to work collaboratively with the USFWS and other Federal partners to promote fishing participation on public lands.
Fiscal Year 2022 Program funding used to support (1) Consumer Engagement to inspire consumers to participate in fishing and boating, and teach them how to get started; (2) State Engagement to support states in their efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate (R3) fishing and boating participants; (3) Industry Engagement to provide fishing and boating industry stakeholders with the tools they need to increase category growth and; (4) Federal Engagement to work collaboratively with the USFWS and other Federal partners to promote fishing participation on public lands.
Fiscal Year 2023 Program funding used to support multi-year efforts to (1) inspire consumers to participate in fishing and boating, and teach them how to get started; (2) support state and federal efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate (R3) fishing and boating participants; (3) provide fishing and boating industry stakeholders with the tools they need to increase category growth; (4) work collaboratively with partners to promote fishing participation on public lands; (5) promote fishing and boating practices that are sound, safe, and advance aquatic conservation. Funded activities include: (1) new and expanded marketing campaigns, including the Take Me Fishing™ communications, (2) branded social media campaigns and new content partnerships, (3) both earned media and paid media advertising partnerships, (4) maintaining and expanding both English and Spanish language web content, (5) development of new fishing outreach initiative geared to youth, families, and females; (6) support for state and federal R3 programs through training, subgrants, marketing and partnerships; (7) communication programs to promote fishing license and boat registration purchases.
Fiscal Year 2024 Program funding used to support multi-year efforts to (1) inspire consumers to participate in fishing and boating, and teach them how to get started; (2) support state and federal efforts to recruit, retain and reactivate (R3) fishing and boating participants; (3) provide fishing and boating industry stakeholders with the tools they need to increase category growth; (4) work collaboratively with partners to promote fishing participation on public lands; (5) promote fishing and boating practices that are sound, safe, and advance aquatic conservation. Funded activities include: (1) new and expanded marketing campaigns, including the Take Me Fishing™ communications, (2) branded social media campaigns and new content partnerships, (3) both earned media and paid media advertising partnerships, (4) maintaining and expanding both English and Spanish language web content, (5) development of new fishing outreach initiative geared to youth, families, and females; (6) support for state and federal R3 programs through training, subgrants, marketing and partnerships; (7) communication programs to promote fishing license and boat registration purchases.