U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Great Lakes Habitat Restoration and Protection Grant

Information and Guidance for Fiscal Year 2011

Program Overview Information

Federal Agency Name:

U.S. Department of the Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)
Division of Migratory Birds, Joint Ventures (JV) and
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR)

Funding Opportunity Title:

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection

Announcement Type:

Announcement of availability of funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 and request for proposals (RFP)

Funding Opportunity Number: FWS-JV-GLRI-11

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.662 – Great Lakes Restoration – Restoration, protection and enhancement of Great Lakes fish, wildlife, and their habitats.

Dates:
Email or paper applications are due to the appropriate Regional Fish and Wildlife Service WSFR Offices by Friday, April 1, 2011, 4:00 p.m. local time at the Regional Office. Email applications should be incorporated into a single PDF file and paper applications should include a PDF copy of the application on CD. See table at the end of this RFP for mail and email addresses. Electronic applications submitted through Grants.gov will be accepted up until Friday, April 1, 2011, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Late applications will not be accepted.

Purpose:
The goal of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem by funding and implementing federal projects that address these problems. As part of this initiative, the two bird habitat joint ventures that are in the Great Lakes watershed – the Upper Mississippi and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture and the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture – will be working with the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration programs in the Midwest and Northeast Regions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to competitively fund state and other partner projects for long-term habitat restoration, enhancement or protection, for conservation of native Great Lakes fish and wildlife populations, particularly migratory birds. Preference will be given to activities that help meet the habitat goals of the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture Implementation Plan or the Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain (BCR 13) Bird Conservation Region Plan, other relevant bird conservation plans, and State Wildlife Action Plans.

Award Information:
Up to $1 million in funds may be available during fiscal year 2011. Grant requests between $50,000 and $500,000 will be accepted. We expect to announce the awards in June, 2011.

Eligibility and Match Requirements:
Eligible applicants for this competitive grant program include state fish and wildlife agencies and other non-federal conservation agencies or organizations that provide at least 25% of the grant request (Federal share) as non-federal match for habitat restoration, enhancement and protection activities. (Note: grants cannot be awarded to outside entities for restoration or enhancement work on Federal lands). Projects must be within the U.S. watershed of the Great Lakes as defined by the U.S. EPA (links to maps of the Great Lakes Watershed and Lower Great Lakes Watershed in NY and PA) within states bordering the Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). A Federal interest will be attached to real property interests acquired with grant funds or contributed as match and must be titled to, or held by, either the Grantee or an approved Subgrantee.

An eligible proposal is a plan of action supported by grant and partner funds to conserve habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife through acquisition (including fee title, permanent conservation easements and donations of real property interests), restoration and/or enhancement that contains a grant request between $50,000 and $500,000 and matching contributions of at least 25% of total grant request (Federal share), with a target completion date within one year of the date of award. Grant awards may only be used for activities that begin after the grant agreement is signed – this grant program is not eligible for reimbursement of completed or ongoing projects.

Matching contributions may take the form of cash, goods, services, or land value and must equal at least 25% of the requested Federal funds; permanent, non-reimbursable, and dedicated to a project; and documented by a signed letter of commitment from an authorized representative of the match provider in the application. The letter of commitment must detail the amount of matching funds or value of donated land and/or services. Land as match must have a current (less than 1 year) appraised value.

Proposal Submission and Ranking Process:
Each proposal must include: applicant and organization contact information, a detailed scope of work that describes the need, approach and benefits, project timeline, a budget table identifying partners and match with project-cost details, a project map, aerial photograph if available (Google Earth map is fine) and a completed SF-424 form, Application for Federal Assistance. This form with instructions can be found at: http://www.grants.gov/agencies/approved_standard_forms.jsp.

Ranking and selection of projects will be based on information provided in the application. Highest consideration will be given to projects with several of the following attributes, in priority order: 1) Benefits to priority bird species, habitats and geographic areas indentified in applicable Joint Venture bird conservation plans; 2) readiness to begin project (to ensure completion within one year of the grant award date); 3) long-term duration of resource benefits; 4) involvement of two or more partners including state partners; 5) higher ratio of non-Federal match to grant request than the required 25% minimum; 6) importance as a catalyst to future conservation actions or as part of a larger set of connected conservation lands or actions in the landscape and 7) documented benefits to federally-listed species, and/or those identified as highest priorities in the relevant State Wildlife Action Plan. It is highly recommended that applicants consult with the appropriate joint venture coordinator prior to submitting an application to ensure that adequate and relevant information is provided.

Administration, Compliance and Reporting:
Grantees for selected projects will be required to work with the respective Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program to develop and sign a grant agreement and complete necessary compliance with National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1534), Floodplain Management Act, Protection of Wetlands, Executive Orders 11988 and 11990, Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 1451, et seq.) and National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 1451, et seq.) and regulations listed below. Real property acquisition projects will require an appraisal completed in accordance with the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). Upon project completion, a detailed project report will be submitted to the grant specialist in the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program. The applicant is responsible for ensuring the full amount of the non-Federal match as listed on the SF-424.

All projects must comply with pertinent federal regulations and cost principles including: 2 CFR Part 225 Cost Principles for State, Local and Tribal Governments or 2 CFR Part 230 Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations, 43 CFR Part 12 Administrative and Audit Requirements and Cost Principles for Assistance Programs, The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users, August 10, 2005, Public Law 109-59, Section 1119(o) and Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.) and its implementing regulations at 49 CFR 24. It is the applicant’s responsibility to comply with these regulations and it is highly recommended that applicants that are unfamiliar with these regulations consult with the appropriate Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program grant specialist prior to submitting an application to ensure that they will be able to comply.

Contacts:

Potential applicants may contact the pertinent Regional Joint Venture Coordinator to discuss eligibility of project proposals prior to the deadline. Applications will be received through the Grants.gov web site, or via email to the pertinent Regional Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program office (r3fedaid@fws.gov or FW5FAReports@fws.gov). Below is a list of Regional Office and Joint Venture contact information:

States by Fish and Wildlife Service Region Regional Contact Information and address for submitting applications Joint Venture Contact Information
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 3
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program
Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building
1 Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
612-713-5130
Primary Contact: Lucinda Corcoran
612-713-5135, Lucinda_Corcoran@fws.gov
Email for submitting applications: r3fedaid@fws.gov
Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Region Joint Venture
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1 Federal Drive
Fort Snelling, MN 55111
Contact:
Andy Forbes, Ph: (612) 713-5364 andrew_forbes@fws.gov
Barb Pardo, Ph: (612) 713-5433
Barbara_pardo@fws.gov

New York, Pennsylvania U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5
Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, MA 01035-9589
Primary Contact: Colleen Sculley
413-253-8508
colleen_sculley@fws.gov
Email for submitting applications: FW5FAReports@fws.gov
Atlantic Coast Joint Venture
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, MA 01035
Contact: Mitch Hartley 413-253-8779 mitch_hartley@fws.gov