The pittman-robertson wildlife restoration act and dingell-johnson sport fish restoration act, as amended by the wildlife and sport fish restoration programs improvement act of 2000, authorize the…

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.628 - Multistate Conservation Grant Program) provides $199,487.74 in funding to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) for a one-year period from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. The primary objective is to continue AFWA's responsibilities as the program manager for the Multistate Conservation Grant Program, which includes maximizing benefits to state fish and wildlife agencies, program evaluation, communication of results, and outreach to underserved communities. Specific activities involve administering the overall grant program, attending relevant training, and developing meaningful relationships to support wildlife conservation, management, and public participation initiatives across multiple states.

The pittman-robertson wildlife restoration act and dingell-johnson sport fish restoration act, as amended by the wildlife and sport fish restoration programs improvement act of 2000, authorize the secretary of the interior to make up to USD $6,000,000 available annually to fund multistate conservation grant (mscg) projects. The U.S. Fish and wildlife service (service) cites this traditional portion of the multistate conservation grant program (mscgp) as traditional multistate conservation grants (t-mscg). In addition, the modernizing the pittman robertson fund for tomorrow needs act amended the pittman-robertson wildlife restoration act to, among other measures, authorize the service to make hunter recruitment and recreational target shooter recruitment grants that promote a national hunting and shooting sports recruitment program including related communication and outreach activities. The service will cite this portion of the mscgp as recruitment retention reactivation as R3-mscg. Up to USD $5,000,000 will be available specifically for the R3-mscg projects. The association of fish and wildlife agencies (association) and the service work cooperatively to manage t-mscg and R3-mscg. The association sets the strategic priorities for project activities and provides the service with a list of recommended projects to be considered for awards. The service administers the program and manages the awards. In 2024, the association was awarded a one-year mscg supporting the mscg program manager through december 2024. The primary objective is to continue meeting the association responsibilities as required under the federal legislation authorizing the administration and coordination of the mscgp. These acts did not provide any administrative funds for the association use in administering and implementing its significant responsibilities under this grant program.as a program manager the mscgp manager will maximize the benefits to the state fish and wildlife agencies throughout the grant cycle and proposal selection process. Additional emphasis will be placed on program evaluation communication of program results and outreach by developing meaningful relationships with individuals and groups that have been marginalized and underserved.professional development will also remain a priority and the mscgp manager will continue to attend pertinent grant administrative training. The mscgp manager manages the activities that implement the grant program. This project would provide continued program manager funding and support those administrative responsibilities necessary to implement the mscgp.