ContactsNicholas Throckmorton, 703/358-2235
The Fish and Wildlife Service will be seeking public comments on the Request for Proposals, the proposal scoring criteria and scoring process that will improve the solicitation and selection of proposals, and the implementation and management of the Tribal Wildlife Grants program.
In 2003, we launched two competitive grant programs for federally recognized Indian Tribes: the TWG program and the Tribal Landowner Incentive Program (TLIP). To date, we have provided more than $51 million to 167 Indian Tribes for 288 projects through TWG. Although TLIP has not been funded in the most recent fiscal years, TWG has become an important and highly successful component of our continually expanding effort to partner with tribal governments. TWG has been funded at $6 million/year in the past.
Tribal Wildlife Grants are used to provide technical and financial assistance to Tribes for the development and implementation of programs that benefit fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. Activities may include, but are not limited to, planning for wildlife and habitat conservation, fish and wildlife conservation and management actions, fish and wildlife related laboratory and field research, natural history studies, habitat mapping, field surveys and population monitoring, habitat preservation, conservation easements, and public education that is relevant to the project. TWG funds may also be used for salaries, equipment, consultant services, subcontracts, acquisitions, land leases, and travel.
Tribal grant recipients are selected through a nationally competitive process. Proposals are evaluated according to resource benefit, performance measures, work plan, budget, capacity building and their partnerships and contributions.
The Service expects the formal request for comments for the Tribal Wildlife Grants program will publish in the Federal Register December 1, 2008. At the time of publication in the FR, all interested parties will have 90 days (March 1, 2009) to submit their comments.
Comments and requests for information should be sent to Patrick Durham, Native American Liaison, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop 330, Arlington, Virginia 22203, telephone (703) 358-1728, or e-mail to TWG_COMMENT@FWS.gov.
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