Funding Opportunity to Conserve the World's Most Threatened Species

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has announced the call for proposals for two different species funds administered by the Division of International Conservation: the 2012 Wildlife Without Borders (WWB)-Critically Endangered Animals Conservation Fund (CEACF), and the 2012 WWB-Amphibians in Decline Fund.  Each fund supports projects that conserve the world’s most threatened species.  Please circulate widely to your conservation colleagues.  CEACF proposals are due APRIL 1, 2012, and Amphibian proposals are due MAY 1, 2012.

For 2012 proposal requirements, submission instructions (note that domestic applicants must now apply through Grants.gov), and eligibility criteria for species and projects, please refer to: http://www.fws.gov/international/DIC/howtoapply.html  Notices of Funding Availability are available in English, French, and Spanish, but proposals must be submitted in English.

For answers to Frequently Asked Questions, see below.

• Which species are eligible for funding? In general, animal species that face a very high risk of extinction in the immediate future are eligible for funding. Species should meet the criteria to be listed as “Critically Endangered” or “Endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Species listed as “Data Deficient” on the IUCN Red List are also eligible if the applicant can provide information that suggests a similar urgency for conservation action. Species supported through the USFWS Multinational Species Conservation Fund programs (e.g., elephants, rhinoceroses, tigers, apes, and marine turtles) are ineligible for funding.

• Are subspecies eligible for funding?  Generally, no. The funds provide financial assistance for conservation of species that are globally highly threatened. If applicants can provide a compelling case that a taxonomic assessment is outdated and can also provide evidence that the taxon merits a species rank, the proposal will be considered.
• Are species eligible that are regionally or locally endangered, but not globally endangered?  No. The funds provide financial assistance for conservation of species that are globally highly threatened.
• Are species eligible that meet the criteria to be listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, but are currently not assessed, or are listed as Data Deficient or under a lower threat category?  Yes. If applicants can provide a compelling case that the species merits a global listing of Endangered or Critically Endangered, the proposal will be considered.
• Are species eligible that occur in the United States?  No.  The funds are global, but species are not eligible for funding if their natural habitat range is located primarily within the United States, territories of the United States, Canada, or the high-income economies of Europe.  Projects are also ineligible if they occur in countries that the U.S. Department of State has identified as state sponsors of terrorism (e.g., Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria).
• What activities are appropriate or are a “good fit” for funding consideration? Generally, activities that reduce threats to highly threatened wildlife in their natural habitat are appropriate for funding consideration.  See the Notice of Funding Availability for details on ineligible activities (e.g., the purchase of firearms or ammunitions).  The funds prioritize field conservation activities that directly reduce threats, over data collection, research, and management of captive populations. Proposals that emphasize data collection and status assessment should describe a direct link to management action, and explain how lack of information has been a key limiting factor for management action in the past. Proposals that do not identify how actions will reduce threats, or do not demonstrate a strong link between data collection and management action, have a lower likelihood of being selected.  Activities should occur within the species range, or, if work is to be conducted outside of the range, or out of the field, the proposal should demonstrate a clear relevance to the species’ conservation.
• If a project has received USFWS support in the past, may it apply for funding again?  Yes.
• Do I need to register with the CCR Database? As of October 1, 2010, all domestic and foreign applicants MUST be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) Database to receive funding. The following applicants are exempted from this new requirement: 1) all individuals 2) all Federal agencies 3) foreign applicants submitting a proposal for less than $25,000.  This database is used by the U.S. government as the repository for standard information about applicants and recipients of federal funds.  Recipients must maintain an active CCR registration with current information at all times during the project period.   If you are NOT registered, please visit one of the following websites:  US registrants go to: http://www.ccr.gov (Before registering, click on “What You Need to Register” on the homepage).  FOREIGN registrants go to: https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/international.aspx

Additional questions?

• CEACF: fw9_wwb_ceacf@fws.gov
• Amphibians:  fw9_wwb_ad@fws.gov