Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00031
The North America Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) 2020-1 U.S. Standard Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00031) is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). It provides competitive funding to support on-the-ground wetlands conservation work within the United States, specifically projects that advance the goals of NAWCA by delivering lasting benefits for migratory birds. The program is designed to encourage strong public-private partnerships, meaning proposals are generally expected to be collaborative efforts that combine the capacity of government agencies, nonprofits, conservation organizations, and other partners to achieve measurable habitat outcomes.
The core purpose of the program is habitat-focused and long-term in nature. Funded projects must involve only the long-term protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetland habitats and associated upland habitats. In practical terms, this can include activities such as securing permanent conservation protection (for example, through acquisition or conservation easements), restoring degraded wetlands, improving habitat quality through enhancement actions, or creating/establishing wetlands where appropriate. A central requirement is that these habitat actions must be aimed at benefiting migratory birds, aligning the program squarely with broader continental bird conservation priorities and the statute that authorizes NAWCA.
A key financial feature of this opportunity is the matching requirement: applicants must provide a 1:1 non-federal match. This means every federal dollar requested must be matched by at least one dollar from non-federal sources, which can come from partners and other eligible non-federal contributions. Because the program is built around leveraging federal funds with partner resources, the competitiveness of a proposal often depends on both the conservation impact and the strength and credibility of the partner match.
The opportunity is open in terms of applicant type, listed as “Unrestricted,” meaning it is broadly available to any type of entity as long as it meets any additional eligibility details included in the full announcement. The funding activity category is Environment and Natural Resources, and the assistance listing is CFDA 15.623. Importantly, the program does not fund research; research funding is explicitly ineligible. The emphasis is on implementation and tangible habitat outcomes rather than studies or exploratory work.
For this cycle, the announcement indicates an award ceiling of $1,000,000 per award and an expectation of approximately 50 awards. The posting lists a creation date of December 20, 2018, with an original closing date of February 22, 2019. Submission requirements included sending the SF-424 and SF-424D forms through Grants.gov by midnight Eastern Time on the closing date, along with emailing the proposal and other required documents to the designated FWS email address by the same deadline. This reflects a dual-submission process where standard federal forms are routed through Grants.gov while the full proposal package is also provided directly to the program office for review.
Finally, the opportunity is framed as supporting the broader Department of the Interior and FWS mission to conserve and manage the nation’s natural resources. The grant program explicitly ties wetlands conservation to collaboration with partners and stakeholders, conservation of land and water, and expanding outdoor recreation and access. In other words, while migratory bird habitat is the central driver, the program also fits within a wider public benefit context that includes durable conservation outcomes and, where relevant, improved opportunities for people to engage with conserved landscapes.Apply for F19AS00031
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "North America Wetlands Conservation Act 2020-1 U.S. Standard Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.623.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 20, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 22, 2019 February 22,2019 SF-424 and SF-424D due to grants.gov by midnight EST on February 22, 2019. Email proposal and other documents to dbhc@fws.gov by midnight EST on February 22, 2019.. (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.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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NAWCA 2020-1 U.S. Standard Grants (F19AS00031) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NAWCA 2020-1 U.S. Standard Grants opportunity (F19AS00031)?
The North America Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) 2020-1 U.S. Standard Grants opportunity is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). It offers competitive funding for on-the-ground wetlands conservation projects within the United States that advance NAWCA goals by providing lasting benefits for migratory birds.
Which federal agency administers this grant program?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number (FON) is F19AS00031.
What is the main purpose of this program?
The core purpose is to fund long-term, habitat-focused wetlands conservation actions in the United States that deliver lasting benefits for migratory birds. The emphasis is on implementation and measurable habitat outcomes rather than research.
What types of activities can be funded under this opportunity?
Funded projects must involve only long-term protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetland habitats and associated upland habitats. Examples described in the opportunity include permanent conservation protection (such as acquisition or conservation easements), restoration of degraded wetlands, habitat enhancement actions, and establishing wetlands where appropriate.
Does the project have to benefit migratory birds?
Yes. A central requirement is that habitat actions must be aimed at benefiting migratory birds and aligned with NAWCA priorities.
Where must projects take place to be eligible?
Projects funded under this opportunity must support on-the-ground wetlands conservation work within the United States.
Are upland habitats eligible, or only wetlands?
Associated upland habitats are included, but they must be part of projects that focus on long-term protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetland habitats and associated upland habitats.
Is research an allowable use of funds?
No. Research is explicitly ineligible. The program does not fund research and is focused on implementation and tangible habitat outcomes.
Is this a competitive grant program?
Yes. The opportunity provides competitive funding, meaning applications are evaluated against others and selected based on merit and alignment with program goals.
Is there a required match? If so, what is it?
Yes. Applicants must provide a 1:1 non-federal match. For every federal dollar requested, at least one dollar must come from eligible non-federal sources.
What does "1:1 non-federal match" mean in practical terms?
It means the total non-federal contributions must be at least equal to the federal amount requested. The match can come from partners and other eligible non-federal contributions as described in the opportunity.
Why does the program emphasize partnerships?
The program is designed to encourage strong public-private partnerships. Proposals are generally expected to be collaborative efforts that combine the capacity of government agencies, nonprofits, conservation organizations, and other partners to achieve measurable habitat outcomes and provide credible non-federal match.
Who is eligible to apply?
The applicant type is listed as "Unrestricted," meaning it is broadly available to any type of entity, as long as the applicant meets any additional eligibility details included in the full announcement.
What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Environment and Natural Resources.
What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this program?
The assistance listing is CFDA 15.623.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed for this cycle is $1,000,000 per award.
How many awards were expected for this cycle?
The opportunity indicated an expectation of approximately 50 awards.
What were the key dates listed in the announcement?
The posting listed a creation date of December 20, 2018, and an original closing date of February 22, 2019.
How were applications submitted?
The submission process described was a dual-submission approach: applicants were required to submit the SF-424 and SF-424D forms through Grants.gov by midnight Eastern Time on the closing date, and also email the proposal and other required documents to the designated FWS email address by the same deadline.
Which standard federal forms were required to be submitted through Grants.gov?
The opportunity specifies the SF-424 and SF-424D forms were to be submitted through Grants.gov.
Was the full proposal submitted through Grants.gov?
Based on the opportunity description, the standard forms (SF-424 and SF-424D) were routed through Grants.gov, while the proposal and other required documents were emailed to the designated FWS email address.
What time zone applied to the submission deadline?
The deadline was specified as midnight Eastern Time on the closing date.
What kinds of outcomes does the program prioritize?
The program prioritizes durable, on-the-ground habitat outcomes tied to long-term wetlands conservation, including permanent protection and lasting restoration, enhancement, or establishment actions that benefit migratory birds.
How does this opportunity connect to broader Department of the Interior and FWS goals?
The opportunity is framed as supporting the Department of the Interior and FWS mission to conserve and manage the nation’s natural resources, emphasizing collaboration with partners and stakeholders, conservation of land and water, and expanding outdoor recreation and access where relevant, while keeping migratory bird habitat as the central driver.
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