2016 nmbca core program instructions.pdf

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 1

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.635 Funding Opportunity Number: F15AS00455

Submission Deadline: November 5, 2015 Program Authorizing Statute: Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000, Public Law 106-247, 16 U.S.C. 6101.

APPLYING FOR A NMBCA GRANT: OVERVIEW

All applicants (except offices of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) must apply through Grants.gov, which provides an online form that you must fill out completely and correctly. However, before you begin filling out the online form, you should familiarize yourself with the guidance on this page. If you understand the guidance before you begin, the application process will likely be easier. In addition, you should review the management and reporting pages as well as the following grant administration standards to understand your commitments before writing a proposal; if you are selected and accept an award, you will agree to comply with these standards. (Nonprofit organizations based outside the USA are legally required to comply with 2 CFR 200. Public international organizations retain their privileges and immunities, but are encouraged to address this OMB Circular.)

For projects with field activities located exclusively within the United States: U.S. Grant Administration Standards.

For projects with field activities located exclusively outside of the United States: Grant Administration Guidelines for Projects Outside of the US.

For projects with field activities located both inside and outside the United States: both the U.S. Grant Administration Standards and Grant Administration Guidelines for Projects Outside of the US apply.

Your application will consist of five parts: a proposal narrative, Partner Contribution Statements, a Standard Form 424 (“Application for Federal Assistance”), a second Standard Form (either 424b or 424d, “Assurances”) and a GIS shapefile (or Google Earth .kmz file) of your project area. Each is described in the steps and instructions below.

APPLYING FOR A NMBCA GRANT: STEPS

1. Register in Grants.gov. You should start this very early in the process! Registering in Grants.gov requires several preliminary steps. First your organization must have a current Dun and Bradstreet number (DUNS). Organizations that do not have a DUNS number will need to go to the Dun & Bradstreet website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform to obtain the number. This generally takes 12 business days. After acquiring a DUNS number, you will then need to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) or update your previous registration. You must have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration to apply through Grants.gov, to receive an award, and to be able to receive funds. (We recommend that you read the steps to register an organization in Grants.gov.) We strongly encourage applicants to initiate this process at least 6 weeks before our deadline, because it can be a complex process. If your organization is registered with SAM.gov but your status is not listed as “active”, you must update your registration prior to submitting an application through grants.gov. You must renew and revalidate the SAM registration at least every 12 months and ensure that all information is up to date. Additional information in Spanish can be found at http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/guia-introductoria-para-inscripcion-en-duns-ncage-y-sam.pdf.

a. If your organization is based outside the USA, you will need to go through additional steps in SAM, which could take additional weeks. Only then can you register in Grants.gov. For organizations outside the USA, NCAGE Codes are required prior to starting a SAM registration. The organization’s name, address, and email information used to request your NCAGE Code must match exactly what you used to request your DUNS Number. Otherwise, you will receive error messages when applying for the NCAGE code. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code using the NCAGE Request Tool at https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/scage/CageList.aspx. Detailed instructions are posted at that site.

For additional information, call 1.269.961-4623 or send an email message to NCAGE@dlis.dla.mil. If you are not based in USA and wish to be paid directly to a United States bank account you must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in SAM. (Click here to see a more detailed overview of the Grants.gov application process and SAM.)

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 2

b. If you are an office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service you do not need to apply through Grants.gov; follow the instructions for the proposal narrative and submit your proposal narrative to neotropical@fws.gov.

c. If you encounter problems with SAM, DUNS or GRANTS.GOV, go to the NMBCA application page at http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/how-to-apply.php and click on the link to Troubleshooting DUNS, SAM, and Grants.gov issues.

2. Your application will consist of a proposal narrative (12 pages), Partner Contribution Statements, a Standard Form 424 (“Application for Federal Assistance”), another Standard Form (either the SF-424B or D “Assurances”) and a project area shapefile or .kmz file. Each is described below.

3. Write the proposal narrative, as described below. If you are applying through the IMPACT Program, you also need to follow the instructions in the second pdf, “Applying for a NMBCA IMPACT Program Grant”, to include additional IMPACT Program proposal information. You will be attaching the proposal narrative to your grants.gov application.

4. Obtain signed Partner Contribution Statements. You will be attaching these to your grants.gov application.

5. Make your project area shapefile using a GIS or create a .kmz file using Google Earth. For instructions, go here:

http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/pdf/grants/InstructionsforSubmittingDataviaGoogleEarth.pdf

6. Start your online application in grants.gov and fill out all required fields. Go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html. In the “Search by CFDA Number” insert “15.635”. This is the CFDA number for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act. Your Grants.gov application is the equivalent of Standard Form (SF) 424. If there is a Grants.gov system outage on the application deadline, you must submit your complete application, including a SF-424 with assurances (SF-424 B or D) to us via an email to neotropical@fws.gov before the deadline.

7. If you are unable to complete the Assurances via Grants.gov, fill out the SF-424 Assurances separately by going to either Assurances Non-construction Programs: SF-424B or Assurances Construction Programs: SF-424D.

8. In box 15 of your Grants.gov application package, use the “Add Attachments” button to upload your 12-page proposal narrative, your signed Partner Contribution Statements, your SF-424 Assurances if not digitally signed (either Assurances Non-construction Programs: SF-424B or Assurances Construction Programs: SF-424D) and your project area shapefile or .kmz files.

9. We recommend that you also submit all application materials as one single PDF file (except the Project Area GIS Shapefile/Google Earth .kmz, which should be attached separately) to: neotropical@fws.gov. Please include the complete proposal title (identical to that in your grants.gov application) in the subject line of this email. Your official application, however, is the package submitted through Grants.gov.

10. Applications must be submitted to grants.gov, and emailed to neotropical@fws.gov, no later than November 5, 2015.

New for 2016 Application Deadline is November 5, 2015.

Several sections of the application instructions have been changed to clarify various items; please review all sections carefully.

Phased projects must evaluate their progress towards long-term goals with measurable indicators and provide those measures to justify continued funding (see Proposal Narrative: Section 3f and Section 9).

The program’s Fiscal Year 2016 funding may not be appropriated by Congress before your proposal is submitted;

therefore any grant selections are contingent on the availability of funds.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Read these instructions carefully before writing your proposal narrative. Proposal narratives that do not follow the instructions may be determined to be ineligible for funding. Before contacting us with questions, please read the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) and the document “Troubleshooting DUNS, SAM, and Grants.gov issues when applying to the NMBCA Program” available from the NMBCA application page, http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/how-to-apply.php. They provide suggestions that may improve the competitiveness of your proposal, will help you plan your project and may facilitate the application process.

There are two programs that you can apply to under the NMBCA. One is the Core (traditional) Program benefitting any eligible Neotropical migratory bird. The other is the IMPACT (Identifying Measures of Performance and Achieving Conservation Targets) Program, which is designed to focus resources to a specific set of Neotropical migratory bird species or needs. Proposals not selected under the IMPACT Program are automatically considered for funding under the Core Program. The instructions in this document apply to both the Core (traditional) program and the IMPACT Program. If you are applying to the IMPACT program, first finish reading this document, then also read the instructions that are specific to the IMPACT Program, available as a link from the NMBCA application page, http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/how-to-apply.php.

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 3

What is a Neotropical migratory bird?

For the purposes of the NMBCA, a Neotropical migratory bird is one that breeds in the continental United States or Canada and spends the boreal winter in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, or South America. Birds from all taxa are included, so that proposals may benefit land birds, waterbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, and others. Go to http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/nmbca-bird-list.php for a list of these birds.

NOTE: Non-migratory subpopulations of a species that is listed as an eligible Neotropical migratory bird are a lower conservation priority for the program.

Who may apply?

An individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other private entity;

An officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, state, municipality, or political subdivision of a state, or of any foreign government;

A state, municipality, or political subdivision of a state;

Any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or of any foreign country; or An international organization.

Where may a project be located?

Project activities may be carried out in the USA, in Canada, or in any country or territory in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Should projects with activities in the USA coordinate with a Migratory Bird Joint Venture?

For projects with activities in the USA, applicants should contact the Migratory Bird Joint Venture (JV) where the project activities are planned. Proposals with activities that are coordinated with a JV and specifically address Joint Venture needs and priorities will be more competitive. We strongly recommend that you share your project proposal narrative with the appropriate Joint Venture Coordinator before submitting it for review; however you may also copy the JV coordinator on your email submission to neotropical@fws.gov. Check the JV Map and Directory to find the JV appropriate for your project area.

Is there a maximum or minimum grant amount for which I can apply?

The maximum request per proposal is US$200,000 for a two-year project. Projects of one year in duration are limited to a request of $100,000. The average award is about US$100,000. Requests under US$10,000 are discouraged; please contact us if you are planning such a proposal. Requests at or near $200,000 (or $100,000 for a one-year project) will likely receive additional scrutiny during review to make sure the investment is fully justified and reasonable.

What is the duration of a grant?

The applicant may choose a funding period of either one or two years. A grant project period starts on the date on which the grant is awarded, which typically occurs about 3 months after the selected projects are announced. The announcement is expected to occur no later than International Migratory Bird Day, in early May.

What kinds of projects are eligible?

Protection and management of Neotropical migratory bird populations;

Maintenance, management, protection, and restoration of Neotropical migratory bird habitat;

Research and monitoring;

Law enforcement; and Community outreach and education.

Because NMBCA funds are limited, please note that:

Proposals for wetland habitat conservation in the United States and Canada should be directed to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council. Go to http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/north-american-wetland-conservation-act.php.

Proposals involving NAWCA priority wetlands in Mexico should be submitted to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council. See http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/north-american-wetland-conservation-act/standard-grants/mexico.php. (Priority wetlands are described in the Application Instructions here.)

Proposals for species on the Endangered Species Act (ESA) List, seeking funds for domestic conservation work, must explain why NMBCA funding is needed in addition to available ESA funding.

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What activities are ineligible?

We cannot pay salaries or travel expenses for permanent, full-time US Federal employees. We will not fund or accept as match any activity that would circumvent the laws or regulations of either the USA or the country in which the activity would occur. Any activities that do not comply with the applicable NMBCA Grant Administration Guidelines are ineligible.

In addition, the following categories are ineligible for grant funding or matching contributions:

1. General contingency costs

2. Principal contributed to endowment funds

3. Financing

4. Costs for activities that were not preapproved by USFWS/DBHC or that are not in the application

5. Proposed (or preapproved) costs that remain unexpended at the end of the project

If ineligible activities are part of your proposal, we may reduce the match and grant requested accordingly if the change is less than 5% of the total proposal cost, in which case your proposal will remain eligible. Should you be funded you would need to provide a revised Summary, Budget Table, and Budget Narrative that reflect the reduced grant amount. If the ineligible activities are more than 5%, your proposal is ineligible.

Can grant funds be used to purchase a vehicle?

Generally, the purchase of vehicles with grant funding is discouraged. However, in certain circumstances the purchase of a vehicle might be justified. The vehicle must be used only for the project as long as it is needed, whether or not the project continues to be supported with US Federal funding in the future. Any vehicle purchased with grant funding is subject to our regulations for the purchase of equipment; please review the applicable guidance here.

Can project funds be used for environmental mitigation?

While eligible, a proposal for such work would be considered a lower priority. The NMBCA program is interested in funding new conservation work that results in a net gain for conservation.

What compliance reviews are required for projects in the USA?

All projects occurring in the USA require National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA Section 7) compliance consultations. Activities involving habitat restoration, research and monitoring involving the capture and possible take of migratory birds, and activities that could affect species threatened or endangered under the ESA usually require more intensive compliance review. In particular to facilitate NEPA review, if your project involves prescribed burning or the use of herbicides/pesticides, please provide the prescribed burn plan and the exact chemicals (pesticides/herbicides) to be used. These plans and products must be approved by the USFWS. It is preferred that these plans and pesticides by vetted with your regional USFWS office before proposal submission. (Please provide documentation of these consultations). For NHPA, if your project involves disturbance of habitat or earthwork as a result of restoration activities (such as dirt work, hole digging, stump grinding) such that compliance with NHPA might require surveying and other NHPA consultation costs to obtain NHPA clearance, you may include a line item for this in your budget, either as grant or match, or both. If you have already consulted with the appropriate USFWS Regional Historic Preservation Officer, and have completed a NHPA consultation, for these project activities please include documentation of this with your proposal. If your project will potentially impact a species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and Section 7 compliance might require a Biological Opinion or other significant compliance review, you may include a line item for this in your budget, either as grant or match, or both. If you have already consulted with USFWS on Section 7 compliance for these project activities please include documentation of this with your proposal.

Are there special rules for land acquisition (fee simple or easement purchase) outside of the USA?

If your project will acquire land (all property rights in fee title) or partial property rights (easements or similar arrangements) outside the USA with Federal (U.S.) funds, the title holder (owner) or easement holder must be an in-country organization and you must clearly state this in your proposal and identify the future title holder. You will also need to provide proof (e.g., correspondence in the form of an email or letter) with your proposal that you have communicated your intention to acquire land during this project to the appropriate government agency in the country. Additionally, if possible, include correspondence from the government agency acknowledging or endorsing the proposed acquisitions. (The correspondence must reference your NMBCA proposal). As soon as an acquisition is completed, you will need to submit copies of legal and other documentation (settlement statements, appraisals, deeds, maps, and GIS shape files) showing that all acquisitions were completed within the project period. As soon as possible, you will need to submit similar documentation for land acquisitions provided as match, even if the match was donated and the acquisition occurred before the beginning of the project period.

Should I provide governmental letters of support?

Non-governmental organizations working in a foreign country are encouraged to include a recent (no older than two years) letter of support from the appropriate local, regional, or national government wildlife or conservation authority or other

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 5 appropriate government agency with jurisdiction over the resources addressed by the project. Where appropriate, letters of support from local communities or project beneficiaries should also be provided. These letters should make specific reference to the project by its title, as submitted on the applicant’s proposal. These governmental letters will factor into the evaluation of your project, see section 5 of the proposal narrative.

What are the match requirements?

Federal funds (i.e., funds from the USA government) requested under the Act must be matched 3:1 by non-Federal funds.

That is, for every NMBCA grant dollar, a minimum of three non-Federal dollars are required. Match contributions must not have been used (or be used) to match another project funded by the Federal government of the USA, under any assistance program! For example, if you included the purchase of a particular tract of land or a vehicle as match in a previous phase that was funded in part through NMBCA, you may not include the purchase cost of this tract or vehicle again. All match contributions must be committed in Partner Contribution Statements (also called “match confirmation letters”) from the contributing partner or from the applicant.

Please note that -

For project activities in the United States (except Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Canada, the 3:1 non-Federal share must be in cash.

For project activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the 3:1 non-Federal share may be cash or in-kind contributions.

“Cash” in this context means the recipient's cash outlay (including the outlay of money contributed to the recipient by third parties) to be expended after the date the application is submitted and during the project period. (Note that equipment depreciation and volunteer labor are not considered cash.) Contributions that have been expended up to two years prior to the date the application is submitted may be considered in-kind contributions; however, contributions made after the application is submitted are preferred. Contributions made more than two years before proposal submission are not eligible as match.

Match contributions must be directly related to the proposed project and the types of activities eligible under the Act and occur within the proposed project area. All match activities (cash and in kind) must be: 1) necessary and reasonable for accomplishing the project objectives, 2) described in the objectives and evaluation section of the proposal narrative, and 3) listed in the approved proposal budget. The importance to Neotropical migratory bird conservation of the activities funded with match must be clearly explained in the proposal narrative, budget table and budget justification. It is important to note that proposal reviewers consider match-funded activities to be an integral part of the project. All project activities should result in tangible, “on-the-ground” accomplishments. For instance, unused financing or product sales, or other unused funds are not acceptable forms of match.

Our reporting and documentation requirements apply to all match funded activities. For example, if you propose to provide a 1,000-acre easement as in-kind match (which is only allowed as match for grant funded activities outside the USA) you will need to send us copies of all required property documentation (deed, settlement statement, appraisal, map, GIS shape file). Grantees must maintain detailed accounting of receipts and expenditures of their own and of all partner organizations’ matching funds and in-kind match. All match records must identify the specific NMBCA grant to which they contributed. Reports summarizing these accounting records must be maintained by the grantee, and must be submitted as part of the final report. Detailed records (including all supporting documentation) may be requested for review at any time, up to three years after the final report was received by FWS; therefore, grantees must keep all project records for at least 3 years after FWS acknowledges receipt of the complete final report. Any match that is not supported by adequate documentation may be disallowed. Records for in-kind match must explain and show how the values of in-kind contributions were determined (for example, number of hours of volunteer time contributed, basis on which the hourly rate was calculated, rental rates for meeting space and vehicles, records of actual calculations for valuing in-kind contributions). The rates for volunteer or staff services must be consistent with those paid for similar work in the labor market in which the grantee competes for the type of service and skill. The value of donated equipment cannot exceed the fair market value of equipment of the same age and condition at the time of donation. The value of loaned equipment cannot exceed its fair rental value. The value of donated facilities cannot exceed the fair rental value of comparable facilities in the same locality.

Yes, but only if the migratory bird species benefitting from the matching contributions supported work in country A is also benefitting from the grant supported activities in country B. Your proposal will be even stronger if you show evidence (for example from band recoveries or satellite tracking data) that the same individual birds that depend on the conservation sites in country A also depend on the sites in country B.

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 6

Should I submit Partner Contributions Statements (match confirmation letters)?

To confirm match contributions, we require that the applicant include, with the application, letters verifying each partner’s (including the applicant) committed dollar amount. We prefer to see a statement from each partner listed in the proposal narrative. If a particular partner cannot commit to the funds by the application submission date, we will accept a letter from the applicant committing to that uncommitted partner’s match contribution; however, the applicant then incurs the obligation to provide this match if the partner cannot. A proposal with letters from multiple partners committing funds will be more competitive. If you want to show support from non-funding sources, unless otherwise requested in this guidance, do not send letters, but instead include a description in the proposal narrative. For example: "To illustrate the overwhelming support for this proposal, we have 37 letters on file from landowners in the project area.”

Partner Contribution Statements must comply with the following:

Each statement must be submitted with the proposal before the deadline date.

The statements must be dated and signed by the partner.

All matching contributions must be shown in US dollars, and, if applicable, the conversion rate from the local currency on a specific date should be shown.

Make sure that the contribution from each partner on the statement is the same as the amount shown in the proposal narrative and budget table. If there is a difference in the amounts contributed either in the proposal narrative or between the proposal narrative and the partner statement, the lowest amount will be considered that partner’s contribution. (If there are excessive inconsistencies in the proposal narrative, it will be returned as ineligible.)

We will only accept properly formatted Partner Contribution Statements as verification of partner match. Submitting partner letters that do not include answers to the following questions will have an adverse effect on your proposal.

1. What is the title of the proposal?

2. What is the name of your organization (private individuals may indicate “Private”)?

3. When will you make the contribution?

4. What is the value of your contribution in US dollars (with conversion rate used) and how did you determine the value?

5. If your contribution is based on a fund-raising event or other future action and that future action fails, will you still provide the same contribution amount?

6. Does the contribution have a non-Federal origin? Has the contribution not been matched with any past, current or future US Government grant funds, including previous phases of NMBCA projects?

7. What long-term Neotropical migratory bird conservation work will the contribution support?

8. Does the proposal correctly describe the amount and nature of your contribution?

9. If applicable, is your organization competent to hold title to, and manage, land or easements acquired with grant or match funds?

10. Can you affirm that all proposed match activities (cash and in-kind) are necessary and reasonable for accomplishing the project objectives, are described in the objectives and evaluation section of the proposal, and are listed in the approved proposal budget?

11. For the letter from the applicant only, can you affirm the following? a) Your organization will maintain a detailed accounting of receipts and expenditures of your own and of all your partner organizations’ matching funds and in-kind match, and this accounting will identify the specific NMBCA grant to which each match was contributed. b) You understand that you must be able to show how values of in-kind contributions were determined. c) If selected, you will submit reports summarizing these accounting records as part of the final report, and will keep all records (including supporting documents) for at least 3 years after FWS acknowledges receipt of the complete final report.

d) You understand that any match that is not supported by adequate documentation may be disallowed. e) You have verified and filed copies of source documentation for all match already contributed, either by your organization or by your partners, before the time the proposal was submitted.

12. Do you have any additional comments?

13. Did you include the required signatures?

14. Did you include your Name (printed), Organization, and Title?

15. Did you include the date signed?

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Who chooses the proposals to be funded?

After an eligibility review, a panel of experts reviews the eligible project proposals and makes recommendations for funding to the FWS Director, who selects the projects for funding. The USFWS may solicit advice from qualified experts during the technical review of your proposal narrative. We also may contact past and proposed partners about the costs included in your proposal.

Will prior performance influence future selection?

Yes, during the selection phase, reviewers will take into consideration an applicant’s prior performance in past and current projects with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. On-time submission of all required reports and documentation is an important performance component.

Can I apply for a second or third phase of a project?

Yes, but you must explain the results and progress from your prior phases and how this current proposed phase builds upon those results and any lessons you learned from previous phases. You can use an additional page (for a total of 13 pages) to explain this previous work and your progress to date, but only phased projects are allowed 13 pages.

How can I improve my chances of receiving a grant?

The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) grants program is very competitive and good proposals are turned down every year because unfortunately, we cannot fund all of the projects that are proposing high priority conservation activities to help Neotropical migratory birds. We’ve put together a list of FAQs to help you submit the strongest possible application here: FAQs for NMBCA Grant Proposals.

What criteria are used in selecting projects?

To facilitate review, each proposal will be scored and ranked on how well it addresses all of the selection criteria listed in the table. Proposal reviewers will consider all of the information requested in this document. Within the proposal narrative, sections relevant to particular selection criteria are referenced, for example by a [Q1] notation. The scores determine a preliminary ranking that is used to direct additional review and discussion leading to a final ranked recommendation to the Director of the USFWS. Additional factors may be evaluated, depending on programmatic considerations to achieve an effective conservation portfolio; examples of factors considered in the final portfolio include geographic distribution, total funding amounts to applicants, conservation needs not adequately addressed by existing efforts, new applicants, diversity of organizational size and capacity and capability of an organization to execute all of its current projects and submitted proposals.

How does the proposal address the requested elements and program priorities? Points

Q1. Does the project address Neotropical Migratory Birds (NMBs) identified as a conservation priority by a government agency or bird conservation initiative?

Example: Two of the NMB species that are the focus of the project are Birds of Conservation Concern (a publication of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). See our this list for marked high priority species:

http://www.fws.gov/birds/grants/neotropical-migratory-bird-conservation-act/nmbca-bird-list.php

Q2. Does the project satisfy other important national or local conservation objectives, in addition to NMB conservation? For research and monitoring, are new and innovative technologies or techniques being tested or deployed? Is the research and monitoring beneficial to other suites of species or will it improve understanding of the ecosystem and its management?

Example: The project supports other biodiversity conservation goals, such as habitat improvement for endemic bird species.

Example: The research project requires training of local biologists which will improve their research capacity and contribute to capacity building goals of the local government.

Q3. Is the project located in important breeding or nonbreeding areas for Neotropical Migratory Birds or does the project further our knowledge of these sites?

Example: Area 1 in this project is located in an Important Bird Area and is a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Site.

Q4. Are natural resources (i.e., habitat or species) in the project area under immediate and significant threat?

For research and monitoring, does the lack of knowledge pose a significant threat to conservation of the species?

Example: Timber is being harvested in an unsustainable manner in the project area, reducing its value to an NMB which consequently could be locally extirpated within 10 years.

Q5. Will the project contribute to a direct or indirect benefit to this population of NMB? How important is this benefit? Does this benefit apply locally, regionally, or population-wide?

Example: The species population is known to be limited by food availability on its wintering grounds and the

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 8 project addresses this major population bottleneck (limiting factor).

Example: Residents of communities near important NMB habitats are informed about the value of the birds, and take actions to conserve them.

Example: The project will increase wintering habitat availability and quality and consequently increase over wintering survival of the target species.

Q6. Does the project contribute to achieving goals and objectives of an international bird conservation plan?

Example: The project delivers high priority actions as identified in the species’ conservation business plan or conservation action plan.

Q7. Does the project provide good benefits to Neotropical Migratory Birds for the costs?

Example: The budget table clearly lays out budget items and costs (for both grant and match funds) in enough detail and with enough explanation to determine what actions are being taken to achieve the project goals and whether they are reasonably priced and overall provide good conservation benefit for the cost.

Q8. How will conservation activities continue after the project is completed? Is the project sustainable?

Example: After land acquisition, NMB habitat will be managed for conservation as part of a private reserve network that has a dedicated endowment fund for management.

Q9. Does the proposal represent a partnership among public, private and/or other organizations with appropriate local involvement?

Example: The local community is engaged in the proposal development and integrally involved in the delivery of project activities. The appropriate governmental agencies support the project and are committed to participate in the project or use project results to improve their resource management.

Q10. Are the implementers capable and qualified to deliver the objectives for which they are responsible? Are there risk factors for the grantee or contributing partners? Have they effectively delivered and demonstrated conservation outcomes in previous work?

Example: The applicant has received previous NMBCA awards, delivered on objectives and measured project outcomes as well as met all administrative requirements such as on-time and complete reporting.

Q11. Is the proposal well written, does it have clear objectives, and are the desired conservation outcomes measurable?

Example: Objectives are specific, measurable, practical and results-oriented.

Q12. Is the project designed well? Is your methodology clearly explained and logical for your project goals?

Are your measurable outcomes appropriate indicators and measurable within the project period?

Examples: Project is logical and well designed to achieve the desired outcome. Research project identifies a clear conservation or management question to be answered and will collect the appropriate data in the appropriate manner to answer the question. Monitoring project includes appropriate design elements and, where possible, is connected with other regional- or international-scale monitoring efforts. Monitoring project is developed to determine project effectiveness. NOTE: You can use Appendix A to explain your methodologies in detail.

Q13. Does the project reduce the effects of a predicted or current climate change impact on a highly vulnerable species or habitat? (If your proposal addresses climate change impacts on Neotropical migratory birds, please provide citations for the research guiding your proposed conservation actions.)

TOTAL 60

Is there a suggested proposal narrative format?

Yes. See the section below, “APPLYING FOR A NMBCA GRANT: How to write the proposal narrative”.

In what languages may I submit proposals?

You may submit your proposal in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Applicants should use the language in which they can best describe their project; a badly translated proposal in English will not have better chances than the same, but well-written proposal in Spanish. However, all proposal narratives must have an English summary of your objectives and of all the grant- and match-funded activities.

When is the deadline for proposals?

For Fiscal Year 2016 funding, project proposals must be submitted to grants.gov no later than November 5, 2015. There is only one submission opportunity per year. We strongly encourage applicants to submit their proposals well in advance of this deadline to ensure the on-time arrival of their proposals and to avoid unforeseen complications with the new submission process through Grants.gov. Proposals received after the deadline will not be eligible.

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 9

Where do I send the proposal?

You must submit your application through Grants.gov. In addition, we strongly recommend that you submit a copy of your proposal narrative, SF-424, SF-424B or D, matching contribution letters, letters of support, project area GIS shapefiles (or Google Earth .kmz files) and other documentation as electronic mail attachments to neotropical@fws.gov. Except for the shapefiles or .kmz files, all documents should be attached as a single .pdf file. Please put your proposal title into the subject line of your email message. Receipt of your application will be acknowledged by email. Please ensure that at least one functional and correctly spelled email address is listed on the first page of your proposal narrative. If we have any questions regarding your proposal, we will send them only to that email address.

How do I know that my proposal was received in Grants.gov?

The Grants.gov website will send you an email message acknowledging receipt of your proposal.

Whom do I contact for further information?

Contact information is available on the Contacts page.

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APPLYING FOR A NMBCA GRANT: How to write the proposal narrative

General instructions for the proposal narrative

The narrative can be written in Spanish, Portuguese or English. However, the summary must be in English.

BE CONCISE

Submit a digital file in Adobe PDF (preferred) or Microsoft Word. Do not send printed materials.

The electronic filename should be the same as the proposal title and must follow the Grants.gov naming convention: 50 characters or less, no spaces, no special characters (example: -, &, *, %, /, #, \) including periods (.), blank spaces and accent marks.

Do not include photos within the document.

We recommend you keep the file size as small as possible (around 10MB if you send a copy to neotropical@fws.gov; you can attach up to 200MB of files in Grants.gov).

Use a font of at least size 11 in Times New Roman.

The proposal narrative must be no longer than 12 pages, including the cover page, the maps and the budget.

(Appendices such as The Partner Contribution Statements and SF-424 forms do not count toward the 12 pages.)

Pages should be numbered.

See the Appendix section for allowable appendices. Append the SF-424, either the form “SF 424B” or “SF 424D” and the Partner Contribution Statements, so that everything is in one, single .pdf file. These do not count towards your 12-page limit. If you attach any other additional pages or appendices, your proposal is ineligible!

Specific instructions for each section of the proposal narrative

There are 13 sections to a NMBCA proposal narrative. You should include all sections in your proposal narrative. If a section is not applicable, include the subtitle and insert “Not applicable”.

1. Cover Page Provide all information listed below, showing the item letter and name, e.g., “g. DUNS Number: 123456789”. We recommend a one-page maximum. Please check that your numbers (dollars and acres/hectares) are consistent throughout the proposal narrative, including in your budget.

a. Project title The title should be in English and no more than 50 characters. Use initial capital letters, as appropriate for a title. If this is a subsequent phase of a previous NMBCA project, use a roman numeral at the end of the title to show the phase number. Immediately after the title, but on a separate line, insert “Submitted to the IMPACT Program”, if applicable.

b. Project Area Briefly describe the area within which your project will take place. This should refer to the area within which the project’s on-the-ground activities take place. Do not merely show the location of your office or a species range.

There may be more than one specific location within your project area. Also include the state/province and the country/island. Your map (see item 11) should also depict the project area described here. You must provide a GIS shapefile of your project area, and attach this file to your email with the copy of this proposal (we do not know if

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 10 these files can be uploaded to Grants.gov). We suggest creating a .kmz file using Google Earth, if you do not have your own GIS software. If you cannot provide a shapefile, please include the approximate project location’s centroid. If possible, use Degrees/Minutes/Seconds, but if you use UTM, include the zone, easting, and northing.

c. Ecoregion name and code For assistance see http://worldwildlife.org/science/wildfinder/, where you can input species or location to identify your project area’s Ecoregion.

d. Project Officer (only one) Insert the name of the person who will coordinate the project and will be the primary point of contact if the project is funded. Include only professional contact information; do not include personal information.

e. Name of organization applying for the grant (only one)

f. Type of organization

Insert one of the following: USA federal government, non-USA national government, state/provincial government, local/municipal government, aboriginal organization/tribal government, conservation NGO, private corporation/business, school/college/university, other.

g. DUNS number and CAGE/NCAGE code

h. Organization’s official mailing address

This address must be the official address of the organization, which must be identical to that listed in its DUNS registration.

i. Project Officer’s office Street (physical) address, State/Province, Country; insert postal code where appropriate.

j. Telephone numbers (Project Officer)

k. Fax number (Project Officer)

l. E-mail address (Project Officer)

Please ensure that this is a functional email address! Do not include personal email addresses.

m. Duration of proposed project (1 or 2 years only)

n. For projects in the United States only

County and Congressional District

o. For projects in North America only

Bird Conservation Regions (see http://www.nabci-us.org/map.html) and Joint Venture in which the project is located.

p. Project summary The summary must be in English and must include a clear statement of your objectives and of all the grant- and match-funded activities. For habitat protection and restoration you must include the acres to be affected.

q. Eligible activities that are included List only those activities that are explicitly described as objectives in your proposal. For example, if you only propose restoration, then only list restoration under item (ii). For each activity involving habitat, list how many acres or hectares are impacted. For each activity, list how much grant and match contributes to completing that activity.

(i) protection or management of Neotropical migratory bird populations

(ii) maintenance, management, protection, or restoration of Neotropical migratory bird habitat Only list the activities described in your proposal and give the number of acres or hectares directly impacted by each of the sub-activities, and clearly show if any of the acres are counted more than once. For example: “protection and restoration of bird habitat: 1,000 Ha easement donated [$100,000 match funds] (tract 1), 500 Ha tract acquired [$40,000 grant funds, $30,000 match funds] (tract 2), 200 Ha (in tract 1) fenced [$20,000 grant funds], 100 Ha (in tract 2) reforested [$50,000 match funds]. Note that the term “protection” in the NMBCA program means only the legal (formal) protection of a piece of land, such as fee title acquisition, easement acquisition, “servidumbre”. For example, fencing out cattle and patrolling park boundaries are not “protection” activities; they are restoration and law enforcement activities, respectively.

(iii) research, monitoring

(iv) law enforcement

(v) community outreach, education

r. Total funding requested from NMBCA (in USA dollars)

s. Total matching funds (in USA dollars)

t. Total non-matching funds (in USA dollars)

These are funds originating from the Federal government of the USA, and therefore not eligible to meet the match requirements, but nevertheless essential to the project.

u. List of all partners contributing match and their respective contribution amounts This should be the same dollar amounts shown in the Partner Contribution Statements. Show each contribution in USA dollars, and include the grantee’s contribution. Include the full name of each partner (i.e., no acronyms) and the organization type (see item f. above). For example: Healthy Bird Observatory, NGO, $5,600. Please check that your numbers are consistent throughout the proposal narrative!

v. List of top 10-15 Neotropical migratory birds to benefit from the project. Both IMPACT Program and Core Program applicants should include this information because IMPACT project proposals will be considered in the Core Program if they are not accepted as an IMPACT project.

How to Apply for a NMBCA Grant (updated 8 September 2015) Page 11

2. Qualifications of Key Individuals Conducting the Project Concisely explain, in a page or less, the roles that key individuals will play in the project, e.g., project lead, researcher, restoration coordinator, trainer, financial manager. Usually these individuals are included as personnel in the budget, either funded by grant funds or by matching funds or matching in-kind contributions. Summarize the skills, training, experience, or education the individuals possess that is necessary to successfully fulfill their role in the project. [Q10] What are the specific credentials that demonstrate they are capable of delivering this particular project? For instance, if you propose research, has the researcher performed the studies, techniques or methodologies before and had the research peer reviewed? You should include how many person-months per year will be dedicated to the project. Do not include Social Security numbers, personal identification numbers, personal addresses, phone numbers, or any other personal or sensitive information.

3. Project Description Demonstrate that the project will improve the conservation of Neotropical migratory bird species in a specific measurable way in the United States, Canada, Latin America, or the Caribbean. In describing your project, be succinct. Explain the problem (usually, a threat to Neotropical migratory birds or the habitat upon which they depend) [Q4], the proposed solution to the problem (your actions) [Q5], why the proposed activities and objectives are best suited to alleviate the problem [Q12], and how you intend to measure your success [Q11, Q12]. Focus on the geographical context and the importance to bird conservation. This basic analysis is the core conceptual model of your project.