Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00285
The 2018 FWS NWR System Friends Program (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00285) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cooperative agreement designed to strengthen and support the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) by investing in the network of community-based "Refuge Friends" organizations. The overall goal is to provide both technical and financial assistance that helps identify, conserve, manage, and enhance refuge lands and waters, while also improving public access and the quality of outdoor recreation. A major emphasis is on building a strong volunteer base and encouraging the next generation of hunters, anglers, and wildlife enthusiasts through projects that take place on and off refuge-managed areas.
This opportunity is structured as a single-source award to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). In practice, that means the federal government is not running an open competition for this specific award; instead, it issues one cooperative agreement (with an expected single award) to NFWF, and NFWF then manages a competitive sub-grant program for Refuge Friends groups. Refuge Friends organizations are described as essential partners in refuge operations because they expand what refuges can accomplish through community outreach, environmental education, habitat restoration, event support, and hands-on volunteer engagement.
The Service funding provided under this agreement totals $150,000, with an award ceiling of $150,000 and one expected award. The period of performance runs from August 6, 2018 through December 31, 2021. The funding is tied to CFDA 15.654 (National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements) and is supported by multiple statutory authorities, including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, Fish and Wildlife Act, Refuge Recreation Act, National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, Public Lands Corps authorities (including Youth Conservation Corps), the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and certain highway-related authorities.
NFWF uses these funds to run a competitive grant process for Refuge Friends organizations, supporting both direct, on-the-ground work and the longer-term capacity of the organizations themselves. The program outlines four main grant categories. First, nonprofit capacity building grants help both new and established Friends groups become more effective and sustainable. For newer or restarting groups, this can cover basic start-up needs like membership drives, training costs, branding and logo design, or professional help building a website. For established groups, capacity building can include expanding or launching events, conducting strategic planning, improving volunteer or membership development, purchasing software to improve operations, or forming new community partnerships.
Second, on-the-ground project grants fund projects that are initiated and managed by the Friends organizations, with a clear requirement that Friends demonstrate meaningful involvement across all project elements. These projects must also show how they will increase engagement with the public, volunteers, members, or the broader community. Examples include designing and delivering environmental education programs for local schools, leading habitat restoration projects from start to finish, constructing and activating an observation tower as a community engagement tool, or creating interpretive materials and programming that Friends will deliver or use.
Third, peer-to-peer coaching (P2P) grants support Friends groups that can train and mentor other Friends organizations by coordinating and delivering a workshop for at least three other groups. This category is aimed at spreading practical know-how across the national Friends network, so successful practices in fundraising, volunteer management, programming, and partnership-building can be replicated.
Fourth, public access enhancements and hunting/fishing experience grants focus on improving or expanding public access and recreation infrastructure, as well as supporting hunting and fishing recruitment, retention, and reactivation. Projects may include repairing, improving, or building access points and facilities; creating new recreational infrastructure; and offering outreach, education, or hands-on experiences. These efforts are expected to be coordinated with state, local, and Tribal governments and may be paired with habitat restoration work that helps sustain or improve long-term hunting and fishing programs.
Finally, while the eligible applicant categories listed include nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, excluding institutions of higher education), the notice makes clear this particular announcement is a notification of intent to award a single-source cooperative agreement and that the recipient has already been selected: the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. In other words, the main path for Refuge Friends organizations to benefit from this funding is through the NFWF-managed competitive grant process rather than applying directly to the Service under this specific notice.Apply for F18AS00285
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2018 FWS NWR System Friends Program" 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 01, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 05, 2018 This is a Notification of Intent to award a single source cooperative agreement in the amount of 150,000.00 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 $150,000.00 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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FAQs: 2018 FWS NWR System Friends Program (F18AS00285)
What is the 2018 FWS NWR System Friends Program (F18AS00285)?
It is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) cooperative agreement intended to strengthen and support the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) by investing in the nationwide network of community-based "Refuge Friends" organizations. The program provides technical and financial assistance to help conserve, manage, and enhance refuge lands and waters, and to improve public access and outdoor recreation quality.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The overall goal is to support the National Wildlife Refuge System by strengthening Refuge Friends organizations and enabling projects that identify, conserve, manage, and enhance refuge lands and waters, while also improving public access and outdoor recreation opportunities.
What does the program emphasize beyond conservation work?
A major emphasis is building a strong volunteer base and encouraging the next generation of hunters, anglers, and wildlife enthusiasts. Projects may occur on and off refuge-managed areas and are intended to expand public engagement and participation.
Is this an open, competitive federal grant that any organization can apply to directly?
No. This specific federal opportunity is structured as a single-source award, meaning FWS is not running an open competition for this award under this notice.
Who receives the cooperative agreement under this notice?
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is the selected recipient. The notice states the award is expected to be a single award to NFWF.
How can Refuge Friends organizations benefit from this funding if they cannot apply directly to FWS under this notice?
Refuge Friends organizations can benefit through the competitive sub-grant program managed by NFWF. NFWF uses the cooperative agreement funds to run a competitive grant process for Refuge Friends groups.
Why are Refuge Friends organizations important to the National Wildlife Refuge System?
The notice describes Refuge Friends organizations as essential partners because they expand what refuges can accomplish through community outreach, environmental education, habitat restoration, event support, and hands-on volunteer engagement.
How much funding is available under the FWS cooperative agreement?
The Service funding totals $150,000. The award ceiling is $150,000, and one award is expected.
How many federal awards are expected under this opportunity?
One federal award is expected (a single cooperative agreement), issued to NFWF.
What is the period of performance for the cooperative agreement?
The period of performance runs from August 6, 2018 through December 31, 2021.
What CFDA program is this funding associated with?
The funding is tied to CFDA 15.654, National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements.
What types of activities does the program support?
Supported activities include both direct, on-the-ground work and longer-term organizational capacity building for Refuge Friends organizations. The program also supports public access improvements and efforts connected to hunting and fishing recruitment, retention, and reactivation.
What are the main grant categories described for the NFWF-managed competitive process?
The program outlines four main categories: (1) nonprofit capacity building grants, (2) on-the-ground project grants, (3) peer-to-peer coaching (P2P) grants, and (4) public access enhancements and hunting/fishing experience grants.
What is a nonprofit capacity building grant in this program?
Capacity building grants are intended to help Friends groups become more effective and sustainable. The notice describes support for both new/restarting groups and established groups, covering organizational development needs rather than only field projects.
What are examples of capacity building activities for newer or restarting Friends groups?
Examples include basic start-up needs such as membership drives, training costs, branding and logo design, and professional assistance to build a website.
What are examples of capacity building activities for established Friends groups?
Examples include expanding or launching events, conducting strategic planning, improving volunteer or membership development, purchasing software to improve operations, and forming new community partnerships.
What is an on-the-ground project grant in this program?
On-the-ground project grants fund projects initiated and managed by Friends organizations. A key requirement is that Friends demonstrate meaningful involvement across all project elements.
What additional requirement applies to on-the-ground project grants besides Friends involvement?
Projects must show how they will increase engagement with the public, volunteers, members, or the broader community.
What are examples of eligible on-the-ground projects mentioned in the notice?
Examples include designing and delivering environmental education programs for local schools, leading habitat restoration projects from start to finish, constructing and activating an observation tower as a community engagement tool, and creating interpretive materials and programming that Friends will deliver or use.
What are peer-to-peer coaching (P2P) grants?
P2P grants support Friends groups that can train and mentor other Friends organizations by coordinating and delivering a workshop for at least three other groups. The purpose is to spread practical know-how across the national Friends network.
What is the minimum number of other Friends groups that must be served by a P2P workshop?
The notice specifies a workshop for at least three other Friends groups.
What types of skills or practices are P2P grants intended to spread across the Friends network?
The notice highlights sharing successful practices in fundraising, volunteer management, programming, and partnership-building so they can be replicated by other Friends organizations.
What are public access enhancements and hunting/fishing experience grants?
This category focuses on improving or expanding public access and recreation infrastructure, and supporting hunting and fishing recruitment, retention, and reactivation through outreach, education, and hands-on experiences.
What are examples of projects under the public access enhancements and hunting/fishing experience category?
Examples include repairing, improving, or building access points and facilities; creating new recreational infrastructure; and offering outreach, education, or hands-on experiences related to hunting and fishing.
Do public access and hunting/fishing projects need to coordinate with other governments?
Yes. The notice states these efforts are expected to be coordinated with state, local, and Tribal governments.
Can public access projects be paired with habitat restoration?
Yes. The notice indicates these projects may be paired with habitat restoration work that helps sustain or improve long-term hunting and fishing programs.
Are projects required to take place only on refuge-managed lands?
No. The notice notes that projects may take place on and off refuge-managed areas, while still supporting refuge goals and public engagement.
What eligible applicant categories are listed in the notice?
The notice lists nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, while excluding institutions of higher education. However, the notice also makes clear this particular announcement is a single-source cooperative agreement where the recipient has already been selected (NFWF).
If nonprofits are listed as eligible, why can Friends groups not apply directly to FWS under this notice?
Because the announcement is a notification of intent to award a single-source cooperative agreement, and the recipient has already been selected: the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The practical path for Friends groups described in the notice is through NFWF's competitive sub-grant process.
What legal or statutory authorities support this program?
The notice cites multiple statutory authorities, including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Fish and Wildlife Act, the Refuge Recreation Act, the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, Public Lands Corps authorities (including Youth Conservation Corps), the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, and certain highway-related authorities.
What kind of support does the cooperative agreement aim to provide to the Refuge Friends network?
It aims to provide both technical and financial assistance, with investments channeled through NFWF to support Refuge Friends organizations via a competitive grant process.
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