Under this cooperative agreement, the national fish and wildlife foundation (nfwf) and U.S. Fish and wildlife (FWS) will manage year four of the americas ecosystem restoration initiative (aeri, the…

Under this $8,952,649 Cooperative Agreement awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on February 1, 2025, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will manage Year 4 of the Americas Ecosystem Restoration Initiative (AERI) program. Funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NFWF will administer a competitive grant program to support new voluntary conservation and restoration projects across the United States. The goal is to streamline funding opportunities and advance existing landscape conservation plans or develop new stakeholder partnerships to implement conservation and ecosystem restoration initiatives. Funded projects will maximize conservation and ecosystem services, bolster local economies, engage communities, expand public access to nature, and improve community resilience. This aligns with the FWS Collaborative Landscape Conservation program (CFDA 15.669), which promotes an inclusive, landscape-scale approach to address complex environmental challenges through collaborative partnerships.

Under this cooperative agreement, the national fish and wildlife foundation (nfwf) and U.S. Fish and wildlife (FWS) will manage year four of the americas ecosystem restoration initiative (aeri, the program). Utilizing funding authorized by bipartisan infrastructure law (also known as the infrastructure investment and jobs act) P.L. 117-58 section 40804(4) ecosystem restoration, nfwf will work with FWS to administer a competitive grant program with the goal of streamlining funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects around the united states. Nfwf has a shared mission with FWS and a longstanding commitment to successful competitive conservation grant programdelivery around the country. Funded projects will advance existing landscape conservation plans and or propose to knit together a diverse stakeholder partnership that develops and or implements new conservation plans. Aeri projects will maximize conservation and ecosystem services, bolster local economies, engage communities, expand public access to nature, and improve community resilience.