White-nose Syndrome National Response Implementation

 

To conserve and recover bat species affected by the fungal disease white-nose syndrome through support to States and Tribes for their management planning and actions, coordination of research activities, and collaboration with partners. Provide for research projects that address information needs for managing white-nose syndrome and species affected by it. Develop and implement management tools and strategies to lessen the impacts of white-nose syndrome and recover affected species. Conduct monitoring efforts to assess status and trends of North American bat populations.

Active 15.684 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2019 In FY19 white-nose syndrome funding was awarded under Assistance Listing number 15.657. $1.3 million was awarded to 32 states and 3 tribes through the white-nose syndrome grants to states and tribes opportunity (41 proposals received, $1.6 million requested). Up to $1.3 million is anticipated to be awarded for the white-nose syndrome research grants funding opportunity (20 proposals received, $3.7 million requested).
Fiscal Year 2020 In FY20, the Service awarded ~$2 million through the WNS Grants to States and Tribes, ~$1 million for research and management grants, and ~$500,000 for a cooperative agreement to support implementation and coordination of the North American Bat Monitoring Program.
Fiscal Year 2021 The Service awarded $1.55 million through the White-nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes opportunity, $700,000 for White-nose Syndrome Research for Conservation Grants, and $30,000 for cooperative agreements to support national priorities for the white-nose.
Fiscal Year 2022 For the WNS Grants to States and Tribes opportunity in FY22, the Service received 38 applications with total request of ~$1,635,000 and issued 38 awards totaling ~$1,500,000. For the WNS Research and Conservation opportunity, the Service received 17 applications with a total request of $2,528,000 and issued 6 awards totaling ~$721,000.
Fiscal Year 2023 The Service anticipates awarding up to $2 million through the WNS Grants to States and Tribes opportunity, up to $1.5 million for the WNS Research and Management and Research and Development of Biotechnological Tools opportunities. Up to $500,000 for cooperative agreements will be awarded to support national priorities for the white-nose syndrome response, implementation and coordination of the North American Bat Monitoring Program, and implementation of management strategies to mitigate the impacts of white-nose syndrome.
Fiscal Year 2024 The Service anticipates awarding up to $2 million through the WNS Grants to States and Tribes opportunity, up to $1.5 million for the WNS Research and Management and Research and Development of Biotechnological Tools opportunities. Up to $500,000 for cooperative agreements will be awarded to support national priorities for the white-nose syndrome response, implementation and coordination of the North American Bat Monitoring Program, and implementation of management strategies to mitigate the impacts of white-nose syndrome. Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §1531 et. seq.), Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act—Cooperation of agencies (16 U.S.C. §§ 661), Fish and Wildlife Act (16 U.S.C. §742 et seq.) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 – Administrative Provisions (P.L. 117-328 [H.R. 2617-306]). Eligibility varies by funding opportunity. 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. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for a complete list of the application requirements. The required components of proposals are specific to the different funding opportunities in this program. Specific requirements are outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. In general, these will include a scope of work, budget and budget justification, the SF424 family of standard forms, letters of support and any other information identified in the Notice. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Coordinator for White-nose Syndrome or his or her designee recommends proposals for funding, and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior or his or her designee approves or disapproves proposed grants. Regional Offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee. Awards will be announced via letters sent directly to the applicants. No work may begin on a project until the award, and the required environmental compliance documents, have been signed by the authorized Service official, unless conditioned by the program on a case by case basis. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified either by letter, fax, email or telephone, generally within 90 days from the deadline for submission of proposals. Funding opportunities are announced through GrantSolutions and Grants.gov with deadlines specific to each announcement. From 90 to 120 days. Not applicable. Recipients may request period of performance and/or reporting due date extensions and should submit such requests in advance of the period of performance end date or report due date. Current recipients may seek funding in subsequent years to continue similar actions or lines of research by submitting a new application in response to an open competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity. The program will evaluate such applications according to the priorities, requirements, and criteria identified in the funding opportunity. The criteria for selecting proposals are specific to the different funding opportunities posted to GrantSolutions and Grants.gov. Specific criteria are outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. In general, these criteria include project relevance and need, cost efficiency, and other criteria identified in the Notice. Projects must carry out actions in support of the white-nose syndrome national response plan, including priorities and efforts identified within that context. Such actions include management activities of state and Tribal wildlife and natural resource agencies working to conserve and recover bats and combat white-nose syndrome. Congress appropriated these funds to the Service to apply them in support of the National Response to White-nose Syndrome and the North American Bat Monitoring Program. 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 Service details all reporting requirements including frequency and due dates in Notices of Award. Not applicable. Recipients will maintain records in accordance with 2 CFR 200. Program-specific legislation/regulation may dictate additional records retention requirements. Program will detail all non-standard records retention requirements in the notice of award. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is voluntary. Voluntary committed cost sharing is encouraged, but not required.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Program funding is appropriated each year and is obligated within 2 years. Specific funding opportunities may require shorter or longer timeframes for obligation. Assistance is available throughout the year depending on issuance of Notices of Funding Opportunities, which will accept applications for at least 60 calendar days from the date they are posted. Program obligates funds and sends a notice of award to successful applicants in a competitive process. Recipients request funds in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Subpart E-Cost Principles. Program will include any special payment terms and conditions in the notice of award. See Regional Assistance Locations. Jeremy Coleman, National Coordinator for White-Nose Syndrome US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 300 Westgate Center, Hadley, MA 01035 Jeremy_Coleman@fws.gov 413-253-8223. Jonathan Reichard, National Assistant Coordinator for White-Nose Syndrome US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 300 Westgate Center, Hadley, MA 01035 Jonathan_Reichard@fws.gov 413-335-2886. Contact information for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regional coordinators for white-nose syndrome are available at: https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/contact/region Jeremy Coleman, National Coordinator for White-Nose Syndrome
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 300 Westgate Center
Hadley, MA 01035 USA
Jeremy_Coleman@fws.gov
Phone: 413-253-8223 https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/contact/region 14-1611-0-1-302 (Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 22$2,220,000.00; FY 23 est $3,500,000.00; FY 24 est $3,000,000.00; FY 21$2,250,000.00; FY 20$3,500,000.00; FY 19$2,500,000.00; - Award amounts vary by funding opportunity. Project grant awards range from $10,000 to $300,000, with average awards about $120,000. Cooperative agreements of up to $1,000,000 may be awarded, with average amounts about $200,000. Not applicable. Fiscal Year 2019 White-nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes: Awarded to state natural resource agencies and Tribe natural resource departments to assist information gathering and management of bats. Awards support acoustic monitoring in accordance with the North American Bat Monitoring Program, surveys of caves and mines to estimate population statuses of bats, coordination of research and management focusing on white-nose-syndrome affected bats. White-nose Syndrome Research Grants: Funded critical research to address priorities of the white-nose syndrome national response. Projects address priorities identified by the working groups of the national response to white-nose syndrome for conservation and recovery, disease management, epidemiology, diagnostics, surveillance, and data management.
Fiscal Year 2020 The Service administered White-nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes, and the White-Nose Syndrome Research Grants. Funds were awarded to support surveillance for WNS, management of bats and their habitats, and population monitoring. Additional funding was provided to support critical needs for protecting important bat roosts and conduct research needs identified through the White-nose Syndrome National Response and the White-nose Syndrome Challenge.
Fiscal Year 2021 The Service awarded funds through the White-nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes and the White-Nose Syndrome Research for Conservation Grants. Awarded projects supported critical management and research activities for bats, including acoustic and visual population monitoring, protection of important roosts, and disease surveillance. Funds also supported critical research advancing white-nose syndrome treatments, risk assessments, and epidemiology. Awarded projects contributed to the North American Bat Monitoring Program.
Fiscal Year 2022 The Service provided awards through the White-nose Syndrome (WNS) Grants to States and Tribes and WNS Research and Management Grants. Funds supported management actions for white-nose syndrome affected bats, WNS surveillance, bat population monitoring, treatments to reduce impacts of WNS and other conservation activities for hibernating species of bats. Funds awarded through the WNS Research and Conservation Grants are addressing critical information needs about life history of impacted species and disease dynamics, developing WNS management tools, and implementing disease management strategies.
Fiscal Year 2023 The Service intends to provide awards through the WNS Grants to States and Tribes to support state agencies and tribes in their activities to manage WNS and bats affected by it. Funds will be used to implement and advance WNS treatments, conduct bat population monitoring, secure important bat roosts and maintain capacity for partners to engage in the WNS National Response. WNS Research and Management Grants will support projects to improve our knowledge about WNS and susceptible bats to inform management decisions. Potential projects include investigation of WNS disease dynamics and epidemiology, physiological and behavioral mechanisms of resistance to WNS, life history of affected species, testing of WNS treatments, and population demographics and trends. Funded projects may also include implementing adaptive management strategies with the goal of using appropriate WNS treatments in the field. The Research and Development of Biotechnological Tools for WNS funding opportunity will award projects that leverage knowledge about WNS, fungal pathogens, invasive species, wildlife diseases and other relevant topics to produce enduring pathogen-specific, effective, scalable, and safe tools manage WNS.
Fiscal Year 2024 The Service intends to provide awards through the WNS Grants to States and Tribes to support state agencies and tribes in their activities to manage WNS and bats affected by it. Funds will be used to implement and advance WNS treatments, conduct bat population monitoring, secure important bat roosts and maintain capacity for partners to engage in the WNS National Response. WNS Research and Management Grants will support projects to improve our knowledge about WNS and susceptible bats to inform management decisions. Potential projects include investigation of WNS disease dynamics and epidemiology, physiological and behavioral mechanisms of resistance to WNS, life history of affected species, testing of WNS treatments, and population demographics and trends. Funded projects may also include implementing adaptive management strategies with the goal of using appropriate WNS treatments in the field. The Research and Development of Biotechnological Tools for WNS funding opportunity will award projects that leverage knowledge about WNS, fungal pathogens, invasive species, wildlife diseases and other relevant topics to produce enduring pathogen-specific, effective, scalable, and safe tools manage WNS.