The intermountain west includes most of north america s sagebrush ecosystem, an array of rivers, streams, and floodplains with productive wetlands, and vast western forests

Funding Agency & Program: U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Fish and Wildlife Service Region 6 under the Migratory Bird Joint Ventures (CFDA 15.637) program

Award Details: Ducks Unlimited Inc. received a Cooperative Agreement award of $520,001.10 on May 1, 2025, with a completion date of May 24, 2028. Under this agreement, Ducks Unlimited serves as the fiscal agent for the Intermountain West Joint Venture (IWJV), providing comprehensive administrative and operational support services. Key deliverables include managing payment processing for vendors, contractors, and sub-awardees; maintaining detailed financial records and expense documentation; administering service contracts and sub-awards; and ensuring financial oversight and solvency of IWJV operations. These services support the IWJV's mission to address threats to sagebrush ecosystems, rivers, streams, wetlands, and western forests across the Intermountain West through proactive, community-led conservation on private and public lands.

The funding also supports partnerships and joint conservation initiatives that leverage Ducks Unlimited's expertise in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Two sub-awardees were designated to deliver specialized conservation services: the Harney Soil & Water Conservation District (awarded January 11, 2026) to provide technical assistance, biological science coordination, conservation planning, and infrastructure repair project implementation; and the Eastern Sierra Land Trust (awarded January 7, 2026) to coordinate with landowners, implement range and habitat improvements, and develop adaptive management plans.

The intermountain west join venture (iwjv) works to address threats to these habitats by catalyzing proactive voluntary and community led conservation across both private and public lands. Ducks unlimited (DU) will provide a variety of support services for iwjv operations and programs. DU will act as a fiscal agent for iwjv. Fiscal agent activities will focus on payment of expenses incurred via vendors, contractors, and sub awardees associated with iwjv operations and programs. The iwjv will provide payment approval and direction with respect to which funds should be used to pay expenses. DU will maintain a record of expenses incurred and payments made under this project and work with the iwjv to ensure financial solvency for the project. The iwjv requires a variety of services for its operations and to implement its programs. These services are provided through service contracts with consultants, vendors and sub awards with government agencies, universities, nonprofits and other entities. Services contract and subawards will follow DUS procurement policy and be developed in coordination with the iwjv to maintain mission congruity. DU will enforce service contract and subaward terms to ensure services are provided as required deliverables are met and progress reports are provided. DU is the world s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation and as such their expertise and leadership in these areas is invaluable to the iwjv operations and programs. Wetlands and working wet meadows are obvious nexuses for DU and the iwjv. The sonec wwmi and the water 4 program are examples of our project partnerships. DU and the iwjv will pursue additional partnership projects under this agreement as opportunities arise. FWS and iwjv staff will direct and oversee all major activates associated with operations and program work. FWS and iwjv staff will manage the cooperative agreement. FWS and iwjv staff will provide administrative support as needed to ensure successful implementation of the project. This includes contract and subaward development and management, budget tracking, budget management, and payment approval.