Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00307
FY18 FWS Urban Waters - Urban Refuge Partnership (Opportunity No. F18AS00307) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of the Interior discretionary funding action structured as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.654 (Natural Resources). Rather than an open, competitive grant round for new applicants, this posting is a Notification of Intent to make a single-source award. The total federal amount is $200,000, with an expected single award to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The posting notes the recipient has already been selected, and the original closing date (Aug. 25, 2018) reflects the administrative window for the notice rather than an opportunity for a new applicant pool.
The main purpose of the agreement is to continue FWS support for the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program, which NFWF manages as a national public-private partnership. FWS funding is used to support an Urban Refuge focal area within that larger, highly competitive program. In practice, the $200,000 from FWS is meant to be leveraged with other partner contributions, including private-sector and philanthropic dollars (for example, Southern Company, FedEx, and a private foundation) as well as federal partner support from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This blended funding model is intended to stretch the impact of FWS dollars while allowing NFWF to target funds toward specific, mission-based conservation and community priorities tied to urban wildlife refuge partnerships.
Programmatically, the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program solicits project proposals from a wide range of local implementers, including state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, Tribes, and academic institutions. The projects supported are community-based conservation efforts that improve and protect fish and wildlife and their habitats while also promoting watershed health and increasing access to outdoor recreation. A central requirement is that projects actively involve urban, suburban, or rural residents in place-based outdoor experiences that help people connect with fish, wildlife, and habitat in their own communities. For projects supported through the FWS Urban Refuge set-aside, there is an added geographic and partnership emphasis: selected projects must be near FWS lands or offices, or located where established FWS urban partnerships already exist.
A key organizing framework for eligible activities is alignment with at least one of the eight Standards of Excellence for Urban Wildlife Refuges and Partnerships. These standards emphasize practical community engagement and long-term viability, including knowing and relating to the community, creating stepping stones of engagement that connect urban residents with nature, building partnerships, being a community asset, ensuring adequate long-term resources, providing equitable access, making visitors feel safe and welcome, and modeling sustainability. Within that framework, the opportunity highlights several outcome expectations: proposals are expected to be partnership-driven (typically involving at least five partner organizations across public and private sectors), produce measurable benefits such as increased participation in fish- and wildlife-related activities and improved public understanding of conservation benefits, build community capacity so neighborhoods can stay engaged beyond the grant period, and generate tangible community assets such as technical assistance, youth pathways and employment exposure, recreation support, and education or stewardship opportunities.
Because this is a cooperative agreement, FWS anticipates substantial involvement in how the program is carried out. That includes reviewing and approving the request for proposals language to ensure FWS priorities are accurately reflected, participating in or coordinating internal review of applications that meet urban refuge-related criteria, engaging with NFWF and other partners in review discussions, confirming that selected projects genuinely foster place-based connections to fish and wildlife and meet at least one Standard of Excellence, and approving the final slate of projects that will receive FWS funds.
The period of performance runs from August 24, 2018 through December 31, 2021. The notice also lays out a planned operating schedule for administering the program during the award term: outreach to potential applicants beginning around October 2018; publication of the RFP and application materials in November 2018 along with an applicant webinar; proposal submission due in February 2019; proposal review from mid-February through March and a review committee meeting in April; final approvals in May and June followed by congressional notification; award announcements and grant agreement negotiations through mid-summer; and then ongoing monitoring and results tracking through September 2021, with the FWS-NFWF agreement concluding at the end of 2021.
Finally, the notice cites a broad set of legal authorities that underpin FWS refuge management, conservation, recreation, volunteerism, youth engagement, cultural resource protection, and public lands stewardship. Collectively, those authorities support the overall intent of the Urban Waters - Urban Refuge Partnership: to strengthen stewardship relationships with communities near refuges and FWS offices, restore habitat and related infrastructure where needed, support species recovery outcomes, and expand inclusive opportunities for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation through locally grounded partnerships.Apply for F18AS00307
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY18 FWS Urban Waters â¿¿ Urban Refuge Partnership" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.654.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 17, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 25, 2018 This is a Notification of Intent to award a single source cooperative agreement in the amount of 200,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The recipient has already been selected.. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "FY18 FWS Urban Waters - Urban Refuge Partnership" (Opportunity No. F18AS00307).
Which federal agency is offering this award?
This is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Department of the Interior discretionary funding action.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which means FWS anticipates substantial involvement in carrying out the program.
What is the CFDA number and program area?
The CFDA number is 15.654, and it is categorized under Natural Resources.
Is this an open, competitive grant opportunity for new applicants?
No. This posting is a Notification of Intent to make a single-source award rather than an open, competitive grant round for a new applicant pool.
Who is the expected recipient of the single-source award?
The expected single award recipient is the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).
Has the recipient already been selected?
Yes. The posting notes that the recipient has already been selected.
What is the total federal funding amount?
The total federal amount is $200,000.
What does the original closing date mean in this notice?
The original closing date (Aug. 25, 2018) reflects the administrative window for the notice, not a deadline for submitting applications as part of an open competition.
What is the main purpose of the cooperative agreement?
The main purpose is to continue FWS support for the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program, which NFWF manages as a national public-private partnership. FWS funding supports an Urban Refuge focal area within that broader program.
How will the $200,000 from FWS be used in practice?
The FWS funds are intended to be leveraged with other partner contributions (including private-sector and philanthropic dollars and federal partner support) to expand impact and help target funding toward conservation and community priorities tied to urban wildlife refuge partnerships.
What other partners are mentioned as part of the blended funding model?
The notice provides examples of private-sector and philanthropic contributions (including Southern Company, FedEx, and a private foundation) and notes federal partner support from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
What larger program is being supported through this agreement?
The cooperative agreement supports the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program managed by NFWF.
Who can submit project proposals to the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program?
The program solicits proposals from a wide range of local implementers, including state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, Tribes, and academic institutions.
What kinds of projects does the program support?
Supported projects are community-based conservation efforts that improve and protect fish and wildlife and their habitats, promote watershed health, and increase access to outdoor recreation.
Is community involvement a requirement for supported projects?
Yes. A central requirement is that projects actively involve urban, suburban, or rural residents in place-based outdoor experiences that help people connect with fish, wildlife, and habitat in their own communities.
What additional emphasis applies to projects supported through the FWS Urban Refuge set-aside?
For the FWS Urban Refuge focal area, selected projects must be near FWS lands or offices, or located where established FWS urban partnerships already exist.
Do projects need to align with specific standards?
Yes. Eligible activities are organized around alignment with at least one of the eight Standards of Excellence for Urban Wildlife Refuges and Partnerships.
What are the Standards of Excellence for Urban Wildlife Refuges and Partnerships referenced in the notice?
The standards emphasize: knowing and relating to the community; creating stepping stones of engagement to connect urban residents with nature; building partnerships; being a community asset; ensuring adequate long-term resources; providing equitable access; making visitors feel safe and welcome; and modeling sustainability.
What does "partnership-driven" mean for proposals under this program?
The notice indicates proposals are expected to be partnership-driven and typically involve at least five partner organizations across public and private sectors.
What outcomes or benefits are proposals expected to demonstrate?
Proposals are expected to produce measurable benefits such as increased participation in fish- and wildlife-related activities and improved public understanding of conservation benefits, while also building community capacity to remain engaged beyond the grant period.
What are examples of tangible community assets mentioned in the notice?
Examples include technical assistance, youth pathways and employment exposure, recreation support, and education or stewardship opportunities.
Why is this considered a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant?
Because FWS anticipates substantial involvement in implementation, including shaping the request for proposals, participating in reviews, confirming alignment with urban refuge criteria and Standards of Excellence, and approving the final slate of projects receiving FWS funds.
What role will FWS play in the selection of projects funded through the Urban Refuge focal area?
FWS will review and approve RFP language to ensure priorities are reflected, participate in or coordinate internal review of applications meeting urban refuge-related criteria, engage with NFWF and partners in review discussions, confirm projects meet place-based connection expectations and at least one Standard of Excellence, and approve the final slate of projects receiving FWS funds.
What is the period of performance for this agreement?
The period of performance runs from August 24, 2018 through December 31, 2021.
What is the planned operating schedule mentioned for administering the program?
The notice outlines a schedule including: outreach beginning around October 2018; publication of the RFP and application materials in November 2018 (with an applicant webinar); proposal submission due in February 2019; review from mid-February through March with a committee meeting in April; final approvals in May and June followed by congressional notification; award announcements and negotiations through mid-summer; and monitoring and results tracking through September 2021, with the agreement concluding at the end of 2021.
Does the notice describe how awards are announced and finalized?
Yes. It references final approvals in May and June followed by congressional notification, then award announcements and grant agreement negotiations through mid-summer.
How long does monitoring and results tracking continue under this schedule?
The schedule indicates ongoing monitoring and results tracking through September 2021.
What is the overarching intent of the Urban Waters - Urban Refuge Partnership described in the notice?
The intent is to strengthen stewardship relationships with communities near refuges and FWS offices, restore habitat and related infrastructure where needed, support species recovery outcomes, and expand inclusive opportunities for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation through locally grounded partnerships.
What kinds of legal authorities are referenced by the notice?
The notice cites a broad set of legal authorities supporting FWS refuge management, conservation, recreation, volunteerism, youth engagement, cultural resource protection, and public lands stewardship.
Does this posting itself fund local projects directly?
The notice describes FWS providing support to NFWF through a single-source cooperative agreement; NFWF manages the broader program that solicits project proposals from local implementers.
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