F24AS00331-Multistate Conservation Grant Program Announcement | F24AS00331

Opportunity Information: Apply for F24AS00331

The F24AS00331 Multistate Conservation Grant Program Announcement is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in partnership with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA). It covers two closely related competitive programs that operate in much the same way: the Traditional Multistate Conservation Grant Program (T-MSCGP) and the Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation Multistate Conservation Grant Program (R3-MSCGP). AFWA plays the lead role in setting the strategic direction each year by identifying and updating the Strategic Priorities and then providing USFWS with a prioritized list of projects to consider. USFWS then administers the funding, makes awards, and manages the resulting grants. In other words, applicants need to align their proposals with AFWA priorities, but the federal agency ultimately issues and oversees the awards.

The central purpose of both programs is to fund projects that address regional or national conservation and recreation needs that go beyond what a single state can reasonably tackle on its own. The emphasis is on multistate relevance and collaboration, with funding intended to support states and their partners in work that has broad value across jurisdictions. Projects selected and funded are reported publicly each year in the Federal Register, and historical award lists are available through USFWS and AFWA, which can help applicants understand the kinds of projects that have been competitive in the past.

To be considered, proposals must clearly fit within one or more of the AFWA Strategic Priorities in effect for the year of the competition, and they must involve eligible activities under the specific program track. Under T-MSCGP, eligible work includes sport fisheries and wildlife management efforts such as research, fish and wildlife habitat improvements, and other activities consistent with the program's enabling legislation. Importantly, activities tied to R3 for sport fishing or boating are only eligible if submitted under the Traditional program (T-MSCGP), not under the R3 program.

Under R3-MSCGP, eligible activities focus specifically on hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment, along with the communications and outreach work needed to support a national hunting and shooting sports recruitment program. This track is geared toward increasing participation and strengthening the pipeline of hunters and target shooters through coordinated, scalable approaches. In addition, the announcement notes that USFWS, a single state, or a group of states may apply for the purpose of conducting the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, making that survey an explicitly eligible effort within the program framework.

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.628 and falls within the Natural Resources funding activity category. Eligible applicants include state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities that are not higher education institutions), and other eligible applicants as allowed by the announcement. The award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000. The original closing date shown is June 15, 2023, and the funding instrument is a grant.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F24AS00331-Multistate Conservation Grant Program Announcement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.628.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-15. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others.

Apply for F24AS00331

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