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National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Program
The Plant Conservation Alliance (PCA) promotes development of conservation solutions and sharing of information to benefit declining native plant species and communities throughout North America. PCA is a cooperative program created in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Bureau of Land Management, USDA-Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological Survey (Biological Resources Division), Natural Resources Conservation Service, Agricultural Research Service, Department of Defense, Office of Surface Mining, Federal Highway Administration and more than 260 non-governmental organizations.
Since 1995, PCA has put out a yearly call for proposals for all projects to be funded under a PCA and NFWF partnership called the Native Plant Conservation Initiative. The result has been the funding of 274 projects worth a total of over $13.4 million within the past thirteen years. Project preproposal deadlines are being determined and will be announced soon. Preproposals are examined and, if they qualify, are invited to complete a full proposal. Proposals are reviewed by a panel of experts and ranked on merit against other projects submitted for PCA. Grant applicants are contacted by NFWF or the panel during the process if additional information or clarification is required. Within the limits of available funds for PCA, the highest ranked projects are funded. The challenge grants are then awarded.
CHALLENGE GRANTS
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is a private, non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization established by Congress in 1984. NFWF works to foster cooperative partnerships to conserve fish, wildlife and plant resources. NFWF stimulates private funding for conservation through the use of challenge grants which encourage partnerships and bring non-federal dollars to the aid of exciting and meaningful projects. NFWF awards federal matching funds, given to NFWF by various federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), USDA Forest Service (FS), National Park Service, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. These funds must be matched at a minimum 1:1 (non-federal:federal) ratio. Please note: USDA staff cannot apply for or administer NFWF funds under this RFP. NPS units submitting project proposals must enter those proposals into the NPS Project Management Information System (PMIS) in accordance with the Service-wide Comprehensive Call.
GENERAL GRANT CRITERIA
In general, the call for proposals seeks to provide funding for projects that provide plant conservation benefit, projects with multiple partnerships, demonstrate the ability to find matching funds exceeding the minimum 1:1 federal/non-federal requirement, and use of innovative ideas such as landscape approach, shareable new technologies, and teaching by example. All proposals are evaluated on the following criteria.
- Project Scope: Projects that benefit multiple species, achieve a variety of resource management objectives, and/or lead to revised management practices that reduce the causes of habitat degradation. A special emphasis is placed on larger projects that demonstrate a landscape-level approach and produce lasting, broad-based results on the ground.
- Conservation Need: Projects that demonstrate a critical conservation need, are identified as high priority, and/or work to conserve an area documented for unique biodiversity or containing a special-status species.
- Innovation: Projects that encourage public involvement, develop new technologies which can be applied successfully elsewhere, and/or teach proven habitat restoration methodologies by example.
- Leverage: Projects that highly leverage the funds requested under this RFP with non-federal funds, in the form of cash and/or contributed goods and services.
- Partnerships: Projects that involve multiple federal, tribal, state, and local governments; corporations; private landowners; communities; and/or non-profit groups.
- Federal Agency Benefit: Projects that directly benefit fish, wildlife, and other biotic resources on federal land or land that directly affects federal land and programs.
Grants cannot be used for the following objectives.
- Support litigation expenses or lobbying activities. "Lobbying" is defined as "attempting to persuade members of any legislative or administrative branch, on the federal, tribal, state, or local level, to enact, defeat, or repeal legislation or regulations of any kind."
- Cover general operating expenses, overhead, or other indirect expenses without the Foundation's prior written approval.
- Supplement shortfalls in government agency budgets. For example, funds cannot be used for salaries of permanent federal employees.
- Support multi-year grants, due to the nature of the Foundation's annual appropriations. Grantees may reapply in subsequent years if substantial progress has been made on the original grant.
- Basic research.
Please see the links below for information on the online grant application process.
MORE INFORMATION:
- Application Information and Preproposal Form
- Description of projects funded in 2007
- Description of projects funded in 2006
- Description of projects funded in 2005
- Description of projects funded in 2004
- Description of projects funded in 2003
- Description of projects funded in 2002
- Description of projects funded in 2001
- Description of projects funded in 2000
- Description of projects funded in 1999
- Description of projects funded in 1998
- Description of projects funded in 1997
- Description of projects funded in 1996
- Description of projects funded in 1995
For more information about the grant program, contact the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
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