Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act
Conserving Birds Across The Americas
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) addresses migratory bird population needs on a continental scale and conserves birds throughout their life cycles. The projects our grants support in other countries foster security, generate good will, and improve foreign relations, while sustaining healthy bird populations.
Since 2002, the NMBCA has provided nearly $75 million in grants to support 628 projects in 36 countries. These projects have positively affected approximately 5 million acres of bird habitat and spurred partnerships on multiple levels contributing an additional $286 million. The networks that have developed as a result of NMBCA funding have evolved into powerful conservation alliances.
- Learn how to apply for a NMBCA Grant.
- View the most recent approved projects.
- Download the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Fact Sheet (975.7KB)
About the Grants Program
The NMBCA program provides matching grants to Neotropical migratory bird conservation projects throughout the Western Hemisphere, with at least 75 percent of funding going to projects outside the United States. The competitive grants require that grant requests be matched by partner contributions at no less than a 3-to-1 ratio.
The purpose of the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act is to provide financial support and foster international cooperation for initiatives that will perpetuate healthy bird populations.
The NMBCA program operates on an annual grant cycle. Each year, a panel of Service staff and outside experts reviews eligible project proposals and makes recommendations for funding to the FWS Director. The Director approves the projects for funding on behalf of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior. An Advisory Group convened by the Secretary of the Interior makes policy recommendations to the program.
Identifying Measures of Performance and Achieving Conservation Targets (IMPACT)
The IMPACT program targets a portion of NMBCA funding on a group of particularly threatened Neotropical migratory birds with the goal of achieving a measurable biological improvement in these species over the next 5-10 years. Twenty-five to 30 percent of available NMBCA funding will be dedicated in support of projects that propose to address these species and shorebird initiatives as outlined in these instructions. The remaining 70-75 percent of funds will be dedicated in support of the traditional NMBCA program, where conservation projects addressing any Neotropical migratory bird species are eligible.
Download the IMPACT Program Fact Sheet (751.3KB)
Contacts
If you would like to receive important announcements about NMBCA (about three times per year, via e-mail) or if you have questions about the NMBCA program, please contact us.
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E-mail: neotropical@fws.gov
Telephone: 703/358 1784
Fax: 703/358 2282
Resources
Bird Conservation Plans
- North American Bird Conservation Initiative
- Partners in Flight North American Landbird Conservation Plan
- U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan
- Waterbird Conservation for the Americas