F24AS00008 - NAWCA 2024-2 US Standard Grants | F24AS00008

Opportunity Information: Apply for F24AS00008

F24AS00008, NAWCA 2024-2 U.S. Standard Grants, is a competitive discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior) under CFDA 15.623. It is designed to fund public-private partnership projects within the United States that advance the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). The core purpose is straightforward: support on-the-ground habitat work that delivers long-term benefits for wetlands and the birds that rely on them, especially waterfowl and other wetlands-associated migratory species.

Projects funded under the U.S. Standard Grants Program must focus on long-term protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetland habitats and associated upland habitats. The emphasis is on durable conservation outcomes, such as securing habitat through protection mechanisms or implementing restoration and enhancement actions that improve wetland function and biodiversity over time. The program also ties project outcomes to maintaining abundant populations of waterfowl (ducks, geese, and swans) and other migratory birds associated with wetland ecosystems. In doing so, proposals are expected to align with major bird conservation frameworks, including the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, the Waterbird Conservation Plan for the Americas, and the Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan.

A defining feature of this opportunity is that it is a matching grant program with a required 1:1 non-federal match. That means applicants must bring at least an equal amount of eligible non-federal partner contributions compared to the federal funds requested. This matching structure reinforces the program’s intent to leverage partnerships and shared investment across governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and other stakeholders. Another key restriction is that research funding is ineligible, so proposals should be centered on implementation and measurable habitat conservation results rather than stand-alone research activities.

Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, counties, cities or townships, special district governments, independent school districts, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status), and small businesses. This wide eligibility supports NAWCA’s partnership model, where conservation outcomes are often achieved through multi-entity collaborations that combine funding, land interests, technical expertise, and long-term stewardship capacity.

Funding is provided through a grant instrument, with an award ceiling of $3,000,000 per award. The opportunity listing shows an original closing date of 2023-07-07 and a creation date of 2023-04-19. While the posting indicates “ExpectedAwards:” without a number, the program is described as competitive, so applicants should assume proposals are evaluated against others based on program priorities, partnership strength, conservation benefits, and readiness to deliver durable habitat outcomes.

In addition to direct habitat and bird conservation goals, the opportunity is positioned as supporting broader Department of the Interior and Fish and Wildlife Service priorities, including conserving land and water through collaboration, expanding outdoor recreation and access, and contributing to climate-related objectives. Specifically, the notice highlights contributions to reducing climate pollution and supporting climate resilience, alongside land conservation and biodiversity outcomes, largely through projects that protect and restore wetlands (which can improve landscape resilience and provide ecosystem services) and through leveraging strong partner-based investment.

More information and program-specific guidance is available through the Fish and Wildlife Service’s NAWCA U.S. Standard Grants page at https://fws.gov/service/north-american-wetlands-conservation-act-nawca-grants-us-standard.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F24AS00008 - NAWCA 2024-2 US 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 2023-04-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-07. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), 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, Private institutions of higher education, Small businesses.

Apply for F24AS00008

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