Opportunity Information: Apply for F20AS00041
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) 2021-1 U.S. Standard Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F20AS00041) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under CFDA 15.623. It is designed to fund on-the-ground habitat conservation projects in the United States that advance NAWCA goals, with a clear emphasis on wetland ecosystems and the associated upland habitats that support migratory birds. The program is built around competitive selection and encourages strong public-private partnerships, meaning applicants are generally expected to bring multiple partners to the table and demonstrate coordinated conservation outcomes rather than isolated, stand-alone actions.
The program specifically supports projects that deliver long-term conservation results through protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetlands and related uplands. In practical terms, that can include acquiring interests in land for permanent or long-duration protection, restoring degraded wetland functions, improving habitat quality through enhancement activities, or creating new wetland habitat where appropriate. A key limitation is that funded work must be focused on habitat outcomes that benefit migratory birds; proposals that drift into unrelated conservation aims or broader environmental work without a clear migratory bird habitat benefit are not a fit for this opportunity. Another important restriction is that research funding is not eligible, so proposals centered on studies, monitoring as research, or experimental work without direct habitat implementation would be considered nonresponsive.
A central feature of the U.S. Standard Grants Program is its matching requirement: the grant requires a 1:1 non-federal match. That means every federal dollar requested must be matched by at least one dollar from non-federal sources, which can come from partners such as state agencies, local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations, or private entities, depending on the program rules and the proposal structure. This match requirement reinforces the partnership model and ensures that projects have significant buy-in and shared investment beyond federal funding.
In terms of scale and competitiveness, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and anticipates making around 50 awards. The overall structure suggests that proposals need to be well-developed, technically sound, and partnership-driven, with budgets and match commitments that are clearly documented and feasible. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full notice, which generally means a wide range of applicant types may apply as long as they can meet program requirements and successfully deliver the conservation outcomes.
The application timeline provided indicates the opportunity was created on December 19, 2019, with an original closing date of February 21, 2020. Submission instructions required applicants to submit the SF-424 and SF-424D via Grants.gov by midnight Eastern Time on February 21, 2020, and also email the proposal and other required documents to dbhc@fws.gov by the same deadline. While those dates reflect the specific cycle referenced in the listing, they also signal that the program may require both Grants.gov submission and a parallel email submission of the full proposal package, which is a detail applicants typically need to plan for early to avoid last-minute compliance issues.
Finally, the opportunity aligns with the broader Department of the Interior and FWS mission by emphasizing collaborative conservation of land and water resources. The notice highlights that these investments support protection and management of natural resources through partnerships and stakeholder engagement, and it notes a connection to expanding outdoor recreation and access. Even with that broader mission context, the core purpose remains tightly focused: durable, on-the-ground wetland and associated upland habitat conservation in the United States for the benefit of migratory birds, delivered through cost-shared, partner-led projects.Apply for F20AS00041
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "North American Wetlands Conservation Act 2021-1 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 19, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 21, 2020 SF-424 and SF-424 D due to grants.gov by midnight EST on February 21, 2020. Email proposal and other documents to dbhc@fws.gov by midnight EST on February 21, 2020.. (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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FAQs: NAWCA 2021-1 U.S. Standard Grants (F20AS00041)
What is this grant opportunity?
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) 2021-1 U.S. Standard Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F20AS00041) is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), under CFDA 15.623. It funds on-the-ground habitat conservation projects in the United States that advance NAWCA goals, with a strong focus on wetlands and associated upland habitats that support migratory birds.
Who runs the program?
The program is run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed is 15.623.
What kinds of projects does the program fund?
The program supports projects that produce long-term habitat conservation results through protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetlands and related uplands in the United States, with benefits tied clearly to migratory birds.
What does "on-the-ground habitat conservation" mean in this context?
Based on the opportunity description, it means implementation-focused work that directly results in habitat protection or habitat improvements (for example, protecting land interests for long-term conservation, restoring degraded wetland functions, enhancing habitat quality, or establishing new wetland habitat where appropriate).
What habitat types are emphasized?
The emphasis is on wetland ecosystems and the associated upland habitats that support migratory birds.
Does the project need to benefit migratory birds?
Yes. A key limitation is that funded work must be focused on habitat outcomes that benefit migratory birds. Proposals that do not clearly connect activities to migratory bird habitat benefits are not considered a fit for this opportunity.
Are research projects eligible for funding?
No. Research funding is not eligible under this opportunity. Proposals centered on studies, monitoring as research, or experimental work without direct habitat implementation would be considered nonresponsive.
What activities are explicitly mentioned as eligible approaches?
The notice describes eligible approaches as protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetlands and related uplands. It also notes that projects may include acquiring interests in land for permanent or long-duration protection, restoring degraded wetland functions, improving habitat quality through enhancement activities, or creating new wetland habitat where appropriate.
Is this program competitive?
Yes. The program is built around competitive selection, so proposals are expected to be well-developed, technically sound, and aligned with the program purpose and restrictions.
Does the program encourage partnerships?
Yes. The opportunity emphasizes strong public-private partnerships and coordinated conservation outcomes rather than isolated, stand-alone actions. Applicants are generally expected to bring multiple partners and demonstrate shared investment and coordinated results.
What is the matching requirement?
The grant requires a 1:1 non-federal match. For every federal dollar requested, at least one dollar must be provided from non-federal sources.
What counts as match according to the description?
The description indicates that match can come from non-federal sources, including partners such as state agencies, local governments, tribes, nonprofit organizations, or private entities, depending on program rules and the proposal structure.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed is $1,000,000.
How many awards are anticipated?
The opportunity anticipates making around 50 awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full notice. In practical terms, this suggests a wide range of applicant types may apply as long as they can meet program requirements and deliver the conservation outcomes.
Where must projects take place?
The funded projects are intended to be implemented in the United States.
What makes a proposal nonresponsive based on the description?
Examples mentioned include proposals that drift into unrelated conservation aims or broader environmental work without a clear migratory bird habitat benefit, and proposals centered on research rather than direct habitat implementation.
What application forms were required?
The submission instructions referenced SF-424 and SF-424D as required forms to be submitted via Grants.gov.
How was the application submitted?
The listing indicates a two-part submission process for that cycle: (1) submit SF-424 and SF-424D via Grants.gov, and (2) email the proposal and other required documents to dbhc@fws.gov by the deadline.
What email address was provided for proposal submission?
The email address listed is dbhc@fws.gov.
What was the application deadline for the cycle described?
The listing states an original closing date of February 21, 2020, with submissions due by midnight Eastern Time on February 21, 2020 (for both Grants.gov submissions and the email submission of the proposal package).
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on December 19, 2019.
Does the opportunity suggest any practical submission planning considerations?
Yes. The description signals that applicants may need to complete both a Grants.gov submission and a parallel email submission of the full proposal package, which requires early planning to avoid last-minute compliance issues.
How does this opportunity connect to broader agency goals?
The notice aligns with the broader Department of the Interior and FWS mission by emphasizing collaborative conservation of land and water resources through partnerships and stakeholder engagement. It also notes a connection to expanding outdoor recreation and access, while keeping the core purpose centered on durable wetland and associated upland habitat conservation for migratory birds.
What is the core purpose of the grant in one sentence?
To fund cost-shared, partner-led, on-the-ground wetland and associated upland habitat conservation in the United States that delivers durable benefits for migratory birds.
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