Call for Canadian NAWCA Proposal 2022-2.docx

CALL FOR CANADIAN

NAWCA PROPOSALS

FUNDING WINDOW 2022-2

For funding consideration through the North American Wetlands Conservation Council Under authority of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) of the United States of America

Wetlands Office Environment and Climate Change Canada Place Vincent Massey – 14th Floor 351 St. Joseph Boulevard Gatineau, Québec K1A 0H3

Table of Contents

Determining Eligibility and Accounting for Expenditures for Activities in

Introduction

This document, Call for Canadian NAWCA Proposals: Funding Window 2022-2, describes in detail the preparation and submission of Canadian applications for funding consideration through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) of 1989, PL 101-233, as amended (16 USC 4401 et seq.). It provides guidelines to assist in developing a proposal for wetlands conservation partnerships in which U.S. federal NAWCA grant monies and other U.S. and Canadian funds are used to secure, enhance or manage wetlands in Canada. Legal obligations pertaining to the fulfilment of objectives in the NAWCA proposals and grant agreements exist only between the successful Grantee and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

The objective of the NAWCA is to encourage partnerships to protect North America’s wetlands as habitat for waterfowl and other wetland-associated migratory birds, fish and wildlife. It should be noted that the statutory criteria encourage proposals with multiple partnerships, projects supporting the purposes of the Act, and projects that have multiple benefits in addition to those for wetland-associated migratory birds.

The key participants in the NAWCA Canada proposal process and their roles are described in Figure 1. The North American Wetlands Conservation Council (Canada), or the NAWCC (Canada), is the body responsible for reviewing and endorsing NAWCA Canada proposals. Proposals must be submitted to the Wetlands Office at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for initial review and revision. Proposals are then forwarded to the NAWCC (Canada) for review and endorsement before being recommended to its U.S. counterparts, the NAWCC (U.S.), for consideration. Proposals are then forwarded to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC) for final funding approval. The USFWS, more specifically the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (DBHC), then creates grant agreements for the approved proposals and administers the grants to completion.

This document includes an explanation of the NAWCA grant application process, definitions, timeline for proposals, description of information required in the proposal, and the format for proposals. In addition, reference materials (e.g., 2018 North American Waterfowl Management Plan Update) are available online or from the Secretariat to assist proposal Grantees (see the Key Documents and Reference Materials section on page 5).

Grantees are strongly encouraged to use the instructions found in this document and the attached Proposal Template to develop proposals in order to avoid delays in submitting materials to NAWCC (Canada) and NAWCC (U.S.). When the application is complete and has been vetted by the applicable Habitat Joint Venture Management Board in Canada, it should be forwarded to the Wetlands Office, Canadian Wildlife Service.

If you are a new NAWCA grantee you must first determine whether or not your organization qualifies for NAWCA funding by contacting your regional Habitat Joint Venture. Furthermore, you must ensure your application meets the definition of a wetlands conservation project, see page 9.

A list of Canadian Joint Ventures is found on page 43.

►Please read these instructions thoroughly before developing your proposals, as incomplete or inappropriate proposals will be returned to proposal writers for corrections and formatting. See page 13 for submission and timeline details.

Any questions regarding the development of the Canadian NAWCA 2022-2 Proposals can be directed to your regional Habitat Joint Venture Coordinator or the Wetlands Office (for contact information see page 43).

Figure 1 The Canadian NAWCA proposal process within Canada and the United States. The Wetlands Office (Canadian Wildlife Service), Environment and Climate Change Canada facilitates this process in Canada and the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (DBHC) administers the process in the U.S.

Key Documents and Reference Materials

Key Documents available online where indicated and/or from the Wetlands Office:

· Final Report on NAWCA Funding Allocations: NAWCA Funding Task Force Report 2004, available at request from the Wetlands Office

· Form SF-425, Federal Financial Report (U.S.)

· North American Wetlands Conservation Act

· System for Award Management (SAM) There is NO FEE to register or maintain your SAM.gov registration. If you get an email, text, or phone call from a company asking you to contact them right away about your SAM.gov registration, be cautious. If you are asked to pay money to complete or renew your SAM.gov registration, be cautious. These messages are not from the United States Federal Government. It is *FREE *to register in SAM.gov for any entity.

· 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards

· 2 CFR 200, Subpart E, formerly called “OMB Circular A122” and “2 CFR 230” (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations)

· Federal Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR)

Reference Materials for Proposal Development available online where indicated and/or from the Wetlands Office:

· 2018 North American Waterfowl Management Plan Update

· North American Waterfowl Management Plan 2012 Revision

· Bird Conservation Plans

· Threatened and endangered species in the United States

· Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada

· Species at Risk Public Registry Canada

· U.S. Standard grant proposal instructions

· U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service climate change strategy, “Rising to the Urgent Challenge: Strategic Plan for Responding to Accelerating Climate Change,”

Purpose of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA)

The 101st Congress of the United States enacted the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) "to conserve North American wetland ecosystems and waterfowl and the other migratory birds and fish and wildlife that depend upon such habitats". Senator George Mitchell championed passage of this legislation, cited as the Public Law 101-233, with the support and encouragement of U.S. President George Bush who signed it on December 13, 1989. The NAWCA is United States law and final decision-making rests with U.S. administrative bodies (Migratory Bird Conservation Commission). Canada is a major beneficiary of NAWCA funding, but its powers are limited to recommending projects and programs to the NAWCC (U.S.).

In recognition of the many public values that wetland ecosystems across North America provide, the purposes of the Act are to:

... encourage partnership among public agencies and other interests --

(1) to protect, enhance, restore, and manage an appropriate distribution and diversity of wetland ecosystems and habitats associated with wetland ecosystems and other fish and wildlife in North America;

(2) to maintain current or improved distributions of wetland associated migratory bird populations; and,

(3) to sustain an abundance of waterfowl and other wetland associated migratory birds consistent with the goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the United States Shorebird Conservation Plan, the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, the Partners in Flight Landbird Conservation Plan and the international obligations contained in the migratory bird treaties and conventions and other agreements with Canada, Mexico, and other countries.

The NAWCA further establishes the North American Wetlands Conservation Council in the United States, or the NAWCC (U.S.), and instructs the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to appoint an individual to serve as Council Coordinator. Both Canada and Mexico sit as ex-officio (non-voting) members on the NAWCC (U.S.). The fourteen member federal-state-private Council recommends wetlands conservation projects to the United States Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC). The MBCC, composed of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, two Congressmen, and two Senators, approves funding for the wetlands conservation projects.

In Canada, implementation of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) and actions by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change under the Canada Wildlife Act established a structure similar to that in the United States, which brings forward proposals to the U.S. MBCC. A series of mechanisms including the Joint Venture Provincial Steering Committees and Habitat Joint Venture Management Boards (with federal-provincial/territorial and non-government representation) evaluate and recommend proposals to the NAWCC (Canada).

NAWCC (Canada) is responsible for the delivery of long term strategies and ongoing actions that connects the NAWCC’s (Canada) mission (purpose) to its vision that “Canada has abundant and resilient wetlands that are sustained and valued, and whose health and maintenance contribute to waterfowl and wetland-dependent species conservation, as well as broader biodiversity and environmental objectives” (NAWCC (Canada) Strategic Plan 2020-2030, updated, 2020). NAWCC (Canada) members originate from federal, provincial and/or territorial governments and non-government organizations. The partnership includes 16 members and is co-chaired by the Director General of Regional Operations of the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment and Climate Change Canada and a non-federal council member (currently Ducks Unlimited Canada). The NAWCC (Canada) includes the chairpersons of the four Habitat Joint Ventures, the co-chairs of the three Species Joint Ventures, representatives of Ducks Unlimited Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Wildlife Habitat Canada, Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation, The Nature Trust of British Columbia, Birds Canada, and 4 provincial/territorial representatives. The NAWCC (Canada) reviews and endorses Canadian NAWCA proposals to ensure they align with Canadian programming and recommends them for funding to the NAWCC (U.S.).

Box 1 – NAWCA Funding Structure The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) provides U.S. federal funding grants for North American wetlands conservation projects. This grant funding shall be referred to as NAWCA Funds or NAWCA Funding throughout this document.

The NAWCA provides a mechanism to leverage NAWCA Funds with other funding and to provide this combined funding to Canada and Mexico in support of wetland projects that benefit the bird conservation plans noted in the Act’s purpose (see (3) above, page 6). At least 50% and not more than 70% of the NAWCA Funds are available each year to be spent on proposals submitted from Canada and Mexico. NAWCA proposals from Canada must have at least a one-to-one ratio of matching funds to the NAWCA Funds requested through the Act. Match Funds or Match Funding can include U.S. non-federal funding and/or Canadian federal or non-federal funding. It is important to note that the Canadian portion may comprise up to 50% of the total Match Funds. The NAWCC (U.S.) will not consider a project which does not have the necessary Match Funds therefore confirming such Match Funds should be initiated early in the project development process.

In addition to the NAWCA Funds and the Match Funds, contributions from Canadian or other international partners related to the project that is above and beyond the required Match Funding, and any funding that will be used for project activities that are not eligible for NAWCA Funding or Match Funding are hereafter referred to as Other Contributions or Other Contributors, are not legally required under NAWCA, but they do however increase investment in Canadian NAWCA projects, allow for expanded programs, and indicate the level of support for the project to the NAWCC (U.S.).

Figure 2 NAWCA funding structure, in terms of percent of total project funding, allowed according to the 2010 Amendment. Several possible funding scenarios within the NAWCA framework are shown. The Canadian portion of the Match Funds can be up to 50% of the Match Funds. Note that Other Contributions (not shown) are funds above and beyond the NAWCA and Match Funding (U.S. and Canada) sources shown here.

Definition of a Wetlands Conservation Project

Section 4402(9) of the Act (amended in March 2010) states that the term "wetlands conservation project" means:

(A) the obtaining of a real property interest in lands or waters, including water rights of a wetland ecosystem and associated habitat, if the obtaining of such interest is subject to the terms and conditions that will ensure that the real property will be administered for the long-term conservation of such lands and waters and the migratory birds and other fish and wildlife dependent thereon; and

(B) the restoration, management, or enhancement of wetland ecosystems and associated habitat for migratory birds and other fish and wildlife species if such restoration, management, or enhancement is conducted on lands and waters that are administered for the long-term conservation of such lands and waters and the migratory birds and other fish and wildlife dependent thereon.

In Canada, wetlands conservation projects should also:

1. Contain specific objectives with measurable outputs (e.g., milestones, products, accomplishments) on at least an annual basis.

2. Have specific geographic and temporal bounds (i.e., define the area affected and the time period required to develop the project/program).

3. State whether they are single or multi-year efforts. Submissions to the NAWCC (Canada) must be accompanied by information as to whether the effort will be completed over one year or contribute to a multi-year initiative. Funding of a single year portion of a multi–year proposal will assist in securing, but does not guarantee future funding in subsequent funding windows. Each portion should be submitted annually and will be reviewed with other proposals for that funding window. NAWCC (Canada) recommendations for funding subsequent years of multi-year wetlands conservation proposals will be partially based on satisfactory completion of the earlier funded submissions related to the initiative within specified time frames.

4. Conserve wetland values in the long term. Conservation agreements for any tenure less than perpetuity may qualify as long term project elements if:

a. they are likely to result in the landowner agreeing to a longer term conservation agreement at the end of the initial agreement;

b. it is likely the landowner will continue the practice encouraged by the agreement; or,

c. it is the maximum length of time that provincial, territorial or federal law will allow or the area is highly valued and present landowner will not support long term agreements.

The longest possible length of agreement should be pursued that is appropriate for the intended land management practice, with a minimum of 10 years duration for securement activities. Agreements less than 10 years are permissible but must be classed as one-time demonstration projects and included under stewardship activities (see Eligible and Ineligible Expenditures for Activities in NAWCA Proposals pages 35- 42).

5. Consider public access in the proposal. When it is appropriate and compatible with the purposes for which the land was secured, public access should be allowed and should not be discriminatory (e.g., based on membership to a club). Limitations on the number of people permitted access or the time at which access is permitted may be appropriate and should be adequate to protect the conservation purposes of the project. Also note that those lands secured under Conservation Easements through the Canadian NAWMP process remain as private property, thus while access provisions are included in conservation easement agreements, discretionary access remains the purview of the landowner.

Generally, non-commercial pedestrian access (walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing) is permitted on all Canadian NAWMP partner-owned lands. Hunting is usually permitted on all properties unless Federal, Provincial/Territorial, or Municipal restrictions indicate otherwise. When decisions to restrict access or to permit or restrict activities are made the properties will be clearly and accordingly signed and the decision will generally be based on the following criteria:

· The ecological values of the property identified as critical for conservation could be negatively impacted by public access.

· There is a public safety or community concern or a government authority prohibits the activity.

· Access is against the wishes of a donor who solely enabled the acquisition of the property or donated land.

6. Identify the needs for adequate Match Funds. A minimum of a 1:1 Match Funds from U.S. (non-federal) and/or Canadian (federal or non-federal) sources is required by the NAWCA. Up to 50% of the required Match Funds (50% of the grant amount requested) may be from Canadian sources. The NAWCC (U.S.) will not consider a project which does not have the necessary Match Funds therefore confirming such Match Funds should be initiated early in the project development process.

7. Identify Other Contributions, which are those not included in the NAWCA and Match Funding components.

NABCI, NAWMP and NAWCA

The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) was initiated in 1999 to facilitate coordination and communications among public and private organizations, initiatives, and individuals across the continent involved in conserving North American birds and their habitats (all birds, all habitats). The need for the NABCI stems from growing conservation needs for many of North America’s more than 1,100 bird species. Many of their populations are in decline, some moderately, some precipitously; and their habitats continue to be degraded or lost. A key focus of the NABCI is to deliver comprehensive “all bird” conservation through regionally-based, biologically-driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.

The pillars of the NABCI are the four bird conservation plans – the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), the Shorebird Conservation Plan, the Waterbird Conservation Plan and the Partners in Flight Landbird Conservation Plan. The NAWMP is the oldest and most established Plan, having been signed in 1986 by the United States Canada, and by Mexico in 1994.

In 1989, the NAWCA was enacted to protect, enhance, restore and manage wetland ecosystems and sustain an abundance of waterfowl and other migratory birds consistent with the goals of the NAWMP.

Following subsequent amendments to the Act, the purpose of the Act is to protect, enhance, restore and manage wetland ecosystems; to maintain and improve distributions of wetland-associated migratory birds; and to sustain an abundance of waterfowl and other wetland-associated migratory birds consistent with the goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the Shorebird Conservation Plan, the Waterbird Conservation Plan and the Partners in Flight Landbird Conservation Plan.

NAWMP relation to NAWCA proposals In October 2004, the NAWCC (Canada) agreed that in Canada “future NAWCA funding will be used with a primary focus on implementing the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, and with consideration to implementation of the other bird plans where NAWCA rules permit and respecting the availability of U.S. and/or Canadian Match Funds”.

NAWCA funding cannot be used to fund “all bird, all habitat” conservation projects. NAWCA funding must be used for wetland conservation projects that benefit waterfowl and wetland-associated migratory birds, with an emphasis on NAWMP priority species.

Schedule and Timelines for Submission

The 2022-2 schedule and timelines are outlined in Table 1. Project proposals must be vetted and evaluated by the Joint Venture Provincial Steering Committees, and applicable Habitat Joint Ventures in Canada, reviewed by the Wetlands Office, and then submitted to the NAWCC (Canada).

Joint Venture vetted proposals must be submitted to the Wetlands Office by the dates outlined in Table 1. The Wetlands Office reviews each proposal and works with proposal writers to make any necessary revisions. The purpose of this review is to ensure national consistency according to the template, and ensuring compliance with NAWCA eligibility and U.S. MBCC. Once finalized, the proposals are submitted to the NAWCC (Canada) for review and endorsement. If any revisions are requested or if any issues are raised by NAWCC (Canada), these must be resolved to the satisfaction of the NAWCC (Canada) Executive Secretary before the proposals are submitted through the GrantSolutions portal.

Each proposal endorsed by the NAWCC (Canada) will be submitted for consideration to the NAWCC (U.S.) Staff and NAWCC (U.S.) Council via GrantSolutions portal before the due date listed on the USFWS NAWCA Canada website. The DBHC will review proposals to ensure compliance with applicable rules and regulations regarding U.S. Federal financial assistance, as well as NAWCA eligibility and DBHC program requirements. Proposals are then forwarded to the NAWCC (U.S.) Staff and NAWCC (U.S.) Council for review and consideration. Proposals approved by the NAWCC (U.S.) are submitted for final consideration and approval at the MBCC. At any point prior to recommendation by NAWCC (U.S.), DBHC Staff may contact a Canadian Project Officer directly to request changes or clarifications to a proposal. The project is only approved once the MBCC has ruled on it. All Grantees will be notified directly by DBHC of NAWCC (U.S.) and MBCC decisions concerning recommendations, approval, and funding of project proposals. Revised proposals resubmitted after the DBHC receives a final budget can be submitted directly to the NAWCA Canada Program Coordinator at DBHC.

After the MBCC approves a project for funding, DBHC prepares the grant agreement, working directly with the Canadian Project Officer from the Grantee organization identified in each approved proposal. Issuance of grant agreements is contingent upon available funding. If actual funding is below estimates, DBHC will work with the Wetlands Office and the Grantees to modify funding amounts accordingly.

Table 1 Schedule & Timelines for 2022-2 NAWCA Canadian Proposals:

April 15 - May 6, 2021 Wetlands Office staff, JV Coordinators, and Grantees to discuss the allocation of 2022-2 traditional NAWCA funding (based on estimates, or actuals if available) among Grantees. As soon as possible following the Call for Proposals.

April 15 - July 16, 2021

Proposal/project planning with provincial steering committees, proposal writing, and Habitat Joint Venture review and approval of proposals[footnoteRef:1]. [1: Joint Venture Coordinators are responsible for ensuring proposals meet the goals and objectives of the Implementation Plans and activities are eligible under NAWCA.]

July 19 - August 6, 2021 The Wetlands Office staff review proposals and work with Grantees on revisions[footnoteRef:2]. [2: The Wetlands Office is responsible for ensuring national consistency according to the template and ensuring consistency with NAWCC (Canada) direction, and compliance with NAWCA eligibility.]

NAWCA Proposals

Box 2: Terminology

Project Officer: The individual who is responsible for overseeing the project implementation (may be the same person who writes the proposal) and prepares the agreement; identified on the cover page of the proposal.

Proposal Writer: The individual who writes the proposal; identified on the cover page of the proposal.

Grantee, aka Applicant: The organization (1) to which the DBHC would award the grant, (2) that will be accountable for reporting on and managing the grant and, (3) that will be responsible for compliance with regulatory requirements. Note that the Grantee organization is an “Applicant” during the application process and prior to NAWCA grant approval. However for simplicity the term “Grantee” is used in this document.

Partner: Agency or organization working with and providing funds and/or support to the Grantee for the purposes of the NAWCA proposal.

Wetlands Office: Team in the Regional Operations Directorate of the Canadian Wildlife Service at Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for administering the Canadian NAWCA proposal process.

Program vs. Project: In the context of Canadian NAWCA proposals, "project" refers to individual work within a proposal, and "program" refers to a larger, multi-year initiative. “Project" is used when specifically referring to a proposal or its content, and "program" is used when referring to how the proposal fits in with other work, Implementation Plans, previous NAWCA endeavours, etc. A more complete definition for “project” is provided on pages 9-10.

NAWCA Funding – Important Notes

· Application is for one NAWCA Funding contract with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service only. Subsequent funding for continuation of the same project requires a separate application along with the title and grant number of the previous grant agreement.

· NAWCA Funding must be matched 1:1 with Match Funding, of which up to 50% can be from federal or non-federal Canadian sources.

· NAWCA Funds and Match Funds allocated to Canada must be expended in Canada within the appropriate Habitat Joint Venture(s). The location where all activities will be undertaken must be clearly indicated in the proposal and executive summary (i.e., provinces within the Joint Venture).

· The total NAWCA Funding outlined in all of the 2022-2 proposals must be equal to the 2022-2 NAWCA funding estimates provided by the USFWS.

· Funding from Other Contributors, referred to as Other Contributions, (cash and/or in-kind) is not a part of the core NAWCA proposal, instead if a Grantee wishes to list its Other Contributions this can be done in appendix A. These Other Contributions are not referenced in the body of the proposal including the Executive Summary.

►To ensure consistency across tables, do not round figures in the Partners and Funding Table, the Work plan Budget and Acres Table or the Budget Table[footnoteRef:3]. As per direction from the DBHC: “Budgets should match [NAWCA Funding] requests, and [Match Funds] reported by the Grantee on the front page of the proposal". [3: Note that the Wetlands Office will provide estimates for NAWCA funding in round numbers (to the nearest $100). ]

Proposal Format

A Proposal Templates has been developed for the Canadian NAWCA 2022-2 proposals to facilitate proposal writing.

► Proposal writers must use the appropriate template to ensure compliance with U.S. content and formatting requirements, and to ensure a national consistency across all Canadian proposals.

► All proposals must be submitted in MS Word format and use 11 pt Calibri font, with one inch margins.

► All documentation must refer to areas in acres, be written in English, and show proposed contributions and expenditures in U.S. dollars. Do not convert any U.S. dollars in the proposal to Canadian dollars.

► Any questions or clarifications regarding the template, and general proposal development, can be directed to the Wetlands Office or your regional Habitat Joint Venture Coordinator (for contact information see page 45).

· Limit the amount of narrative information in the proposal to a minimum to adequately convey the required information.

► The proposal body (section beginning after the executive summary) cannot exceed 12 pages, single-sided, of text using 11 pt Calibri font. This page limit excludes appendices, maps and photos.

· Use unique language to describe the proposed work rather than language used in previous NAWCA proposals.

· The proposal will be incorporated as part of the legal grant agreement with the DBHC; therefore information provided in the proposal must be accurate. Double check to ensure acreage and dollar figures add correctly and are consistent between text and tables.

· The proposal must state in the executive summary and budget that any currency exchange gains will be directed back into NAWCA projects within the same Joint Venture, as previously allocated.

· In developing proposals, remember that this project will be reviewed by U.S. decision-makers who may not be familiar with Canadian needs, landscapes, partners and projects. It is incumbent on the grantee to ensure that proposals are complete, clear and succinctly written. Each proposal should be able to stand on its own, as should each executive summary.

· Ensure that guidelines relating to the use of acronyms and abbreviations are respected. All acronyms and abbreviations must be spelled out in full when they first appear in the proposal, including the executive summary.

· Ensure that guidelines relating to the use of common names of waterfowl species are respected. In general, two proper names are capitalized (i.e. Redhead Duck); names following a hyphen are not capitalized (but the second part of the name is, i.e. Long-tailed Duck); when speaking of eiders, geese, ducks generically, names are not capitalized. Common species names can also vary between countries. Please refer to the following website for the correct format for specific species names: North and Middle American Checklist - American Ornithological Society (americanornithology.org)

Proposal Activities

· Project Officers must review all types of activities permitted by the NAWCA, as well as eligible and ineligible expenditures before addressing the activities in the proposal (see Eligible and Ineligible Expenditures for Activities in NAWCA Proposals pages 35-42.

· All activities funded by U.S. grants must be in compliance with the U.S. 2 CFR part 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards). Please see the “Key Documents and Reference Materials” section, on page 5, to view the Cost Principles section for Non-Profit Organizations portion of this regulation, 2 CFR 200, Subpart E.

· Please ensure that proposal activities comply with the requirements of federal, provincial and territorial legislation, as well as municipal by-laws. Ensure that requirements are verified and that any permits and/or approvals from other federal, provincial/territorial and/or municipal governments are obtained prior to the commencement of activities.

Submission of Proposals

Once approved by the appropriate Habitat Joint Venture Management Board, the proposal must be e-mailed (including maps/photos) to the Wetlands Office for review. Please also copy the appropriate Habitat Joint Venture Coordinator when submitting the proposal. During this review period, the NAWCA Program Coordinator will work with the proposal writer and project officer (if different) to finalize the proposal and may request clarification and/or revisions to the proposal.

►It is the Grantee’s responsibility to ensure that the Project Officer or their delegate can be reached during the review period (refer to Table 1, page 13 to finalize the proposal).

Match Letters

The total amount of NAWCA Funding in each proposal must be matched 1:1 by a matching source (U.S. non-federal and/or Canadian federal or non-federal) and, signed and scanned letters of confirmation from each source (listed in the Partners and Funding Table of the executive summary) must be submitted to the DBHC upon finalization of the NAWCA budget. These “match letters” are letters from the U.S. and/or Canadian agencies/corporations confirming their contribution of required Match Funds for the total amount shown in the proposal.

Please note that all references to Match Funds in these letters must be in $U.S.

►Signed letters identifying the source (s) and amount(s) of each of the U.S. and/or Canadian Match Funds:

Must be addressed to:

Justin Markey NAWCA Canada Program Coordinator Division of Bird Habitat Conservation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

And must be sent to: justin_markey@fws.gov

Submitting NAWCA Proposals

If your organization is registered in GrantSolutions (www.grantsolutions.gov), you can now apply for grant opportunity announcements directly. This is the recommended method. The instructions to apply for an announcement within GrantSolutions are described below. You must also fill out the SF-424 and SF-424 D forms in GrantSolutions. The narrative portion (your proposal) and supporting documentation should be attached to your GrantSolutions application. After you complete your application, email the application confirmation number, your proposal, and all supporting documents to Justin_Markey@fws.gov.

Steps to apply for a grant opportunity in GrantSolutions:

1. To register for a user account, visit https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/getting-started-request-a-user-account/

2. In “Request a user account”, go to GrantSolutions Self Registration and click on Electronic User Request Form.

3. To complete your GrantSolutions account setup, someone in your organization needs to be assigned the role of “Grantee Administrative Official/Grantee Authorized Representative”.

4. Once your organization is set up in GrantSolutions, your organization will be able to apply for directed grant announcements within GrantSolutions. Here is a link that explains how to do this: Quick Sheet: Apply for a Directed Announcement, https://www.grantsolutions.gov/support/public/pdf/QuickSheetDirectedAnnouncement.pdf

Proposal Components

In order to facilitate consistency among NAWCA proposals, a formatted Proposal Template (attached) has been developed for use by proposal writers. Writers must use this template in order to ensure that the proposal meets the U.S. content and formatting requirements, and to expedite the review and administration process. Certain instructions are provided in the Proposal Template, which appear as [italics text in square brackets]. Please ensure that these instructions are deleted and replaced with the requested information in normal font. Please note that all proposals must be submitted in MS Word format.

Each NAWCA proposal submission must include the following:

1. Proposal Application Cover Page (1 page maximum)

2. Executive Summary (2 pages maximum)

3. Proposal Body (12 pages maximum).

· The proposal body includes the following sections:

A. Project Description

B. Expected Benefits

C. Other Considerations

D. Detailed Work plan

E. Budget

4. Maps, Photos and Shapefiles (if applicable)

5. Appendices

In addition, please remember that in order to complete the proposal submission:

· Signed Match Letters from each Match Funds source must be forwarded to the DBHC NAWCA Canada Program Coordinator upon finalization of the NAWCA budget. These are described on page 16.

Proposal Completion Instructions

These instructions are designed to facilitate the completion of necessary forms and to guide proposal writers through the use of the Proposal Template. Please follow these instructions carefully.

1. Proposal Application Cover Page (maximum 1 page)

A cover page, as per the Proposal Template, must accompany each proposal. It has no page number and must include the following information:

Canada Proposal Number: Leave blank. Wetlands Office to complete upon submission.

DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) Number

SAM Identifier: Identifier under the System for Award Management

Proposal or Project Title:

Develop a succinct, descriptive, and unique title restricted to the space provided (maximum 2 lines). The name of the organization does not have to be included in the title.

Grantee Information:

This is the organization (1) to which the DBHC would award the grant, (2) that will be accountable for reporting on and managing the grant and (3) that will be responsible for compliance with regulatory requirements. A contact person must be provided including their address, email, telephone and fax number.

Project Officer:

This is the agency, organization, group or individual that will be implementing the proposal and has complete knowledge of the proposal details. A contact person must be provided including their address, email, telephone and fax number. This role may belong to the proposal writer.

Proposal Writer:

This is the agency, organization, group or individual that will be writing the proposal. A contact person must be provided including their address, email, telephone and fax number. This role may belong to the proposal officer.

Date Submitted:

Enter due date to DBHC

Are you requesting that this proposal be considered as a continuation of a previous grant agreement (a Programmatic Project Proposal)? Yes/No If yes, provide the title and grant agreement number of the previous grant agreement.

2. Executive Summary (maximum 2 pages)

The executive summary is a brief synopsis of the work to be accomplished with NAWCA and Match Funds in the location prescribed in the proposal. It is best to complete this section last, since it is a synopsis of information provided in the proposal – it should not contain new information that is not in the proposal. It must also contain sufficient information to “stand alone” as the NAWCC (U.S.) and the MBCC review only the executive summary for funding approval.

The format for the executive summary was approved by NAWCC (U.S.) Staff in 2010 and is provided in the Proposal Template. It must be no more than 2 pages in length and be in 11 pt Calibri font with 1 inch margins. The executive summary is provided to the MBCC for final approvals, and will not be accepted if it does not follow formatting guidelines.

Instructions for Executive Summary:

Location:

Identify the provinces and Habitat Joint Venture(s) where any activities funded by NAWCA and/or Match Funds will be undertaken in the proposal - include Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs).

Grantee Organization:

Name of Grantee only (no address required here).

Partners and Funding table:

This table is a key section of the proposal and outlines the funding provided by various partners for the project. It was updated in 2011-3 to accommodate the 2010 NAWCA Amendment.

Indicate only the U.S. Federal NAWCA Funds and the corresponding Match Funds (specifying all U.S. non-federal and Canadian funding partners) here. Other Contributing partners, including names and funding amounts, are to be listed in Appendix A.

Please note that if Canadian federal government contributions are included in this table, “Environment and Climate Change Canada” contributes to NAWCA projects, not the “Canadian Wildlife Service”.

U.S. Federal (NAWCA) and Match Funding must be indicated in $U.S. and should not be rounded.

Ensure that all totals are accurate and that numbers presented here match those presented in the proposal. Include all footnotes as indicated in the Proposal Template, and adjust them to correspond to each proposal.

Please do not reference maps, appendices, or figures in the Executive Summary.

Expected Benefits:

Indicate what the benefits of the proposed project are to the production, moulting, staging and wintering of waterfowl and other wetland-associated migratory birds; other wetland-associated birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, plants, etc.; species at risk; wetlands (by type) and associated upland habitats; conservation of biodiversity; water quality (if it relates directly to the project); other social and ecological aspects of significance.

Context of this Proposal:

This section may include a description of how the project fits into a larger multi-year program, if applicable, and how it fits into the Habitat Joint Venture ten-year implementation plan. It should also describe the science/planning that underpins the proposal. In addition, indicate how this proposal relates to NAWCA accomplishments to date; new activities and/or partnerships; previous proposals; other Joint Ventures (other Canadian or U.S. habitat and species JVs); NAWMP and/or other bird initiatives.

Example:

The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) is one of the most productive waterfowl breeding areas of North America. This proposal focuses on restoring continental waterfowl populations by securing, enhancing and managing waterfowl breeding, moulting and staging habitat. The delivery context is defined under the PHJV and Manitoba NAWMP implementation plans, which are designed to ensure that high-quality habitats will remain in the PPR and will allow for the continued production of waterfowl in the prairies.

Most activity and funding in this proposal is directed to priority landscapes were waterfowl pair densities exceed 30 pairs/mi2 and the threat of habitat loss is significant. This proposal also targets an internationally-recognized moulting and staging marsh, the Big Grass Marsh, for perpetual securement via donated conservation easement. By securing 15,000 acres of the Big Grass Marsh within this proposal, MHHC is building upon a recently acquired 18,000 acre block of adjacent wetland and upland habitat. This 33,000 acre unit will provide habitat required for the lifecycle needs of many species of landbirds, waterbirds and waterfowl.

Work plan Budget ($U.S.) and Acres:

Fill in the table with the total cost and cost per acre for securement activities, enhancement, management and stewardship. Be sure to break out each securement activity type. Please include the total cost for each activity eligible for NAWCA and/or Match Funds listed under Other Functions in this table, as well as the approved indirect cost rate and total indirect cost amount if applicable. Please add further rows as required. The information in this table must match Section D (Detailed Work plan) of the proposals exactly; do not round figures.

►The following footnote must appear below the table: “Acres are not additive as enhancement and management acres have been secured in this and/or previous proposals”.

Work plan Details:

Do not repeat the acres in this section. Detail the types of securement, enhancement, management and stewardship activities that will be undertaken and the types of other functions (communications, coordination, evaluation, and/or reconnaissance and design) that will be undertaken using NAWCA and/or Match Funds. All activities funded by Other Contributions for both eligible and non-eligible activities under NAWCA rules are to be listed in Appendix A.

Securement: list the type of acquisition activities to be used (fee simple acquisition, land title donation, conservation agreements, conservation easements, covenants, etc.) to be used.

Enhancement: list the types of enhancement activities that will be undertaken.

Management: list the types of management activities that will be undertaken.

Stewardship: list the types of stewardship activities that will be undertaken.

Other Functions: List all other functions and activities eligible for NAWCA and/or Match funds here. Do not identify those activities that cannot use NAWCA and/or Match funds (see Table 2: Eligible Expenditures for Activities, page 38).

Public Access:

If specific public access information is available, include a brief overview/statement. If public access information is not available at the time of proposal writing, include the following statement: “Lands purchased with NAWCA or Match Funds are open to the public, subject to regulations to protect the ecological integrity of the site”.

3. Proposal Body (maximum 12 pages)

The body of the proposal must be succinct and cannot exceed twelve pages of text (single-sided) using Calibri 11 point font (not including appendices, maps and photos).

►NAWCC (U.S.) specifies that the text may not be a direct copy from previous proposals. Even if similar landscapes and activities are being described, text must be revised and updated to reflect current activities.

►To provide additional context to the proposal, writers may make reference to other Canadian and/or North American programs such as the North American Landbird Conservation Plan, the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan, the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan, Bird Conservation Regions, and/or Canada’s Waterbird Conservation Plan, or provincial plans where they apply. In addition proposals may mention how proposed activities may contribute to the conservation of habitat for species at risk listed on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA), species assessed/designated under the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), provincially listed/proposed species, and/or other wetland-dependent fish and wildlife.

The body of the proposal must describe how the activities in the proposal fit into a long-term wetlands conservation plan (such as the existing ten-year Joint Venture implementation plans) and/or programs in the province.

In addition, the proposal sections (outlined below) must describe the project objectives, stressing biological and ecological considerations. These sections must include a project description, outline expected benefits, examine special considerations, and include a work plan as discussed below.

A. Project Description (recommend 2.5 pages) This section is an introduction to the proposal. It must include the location of the work to be undertaken, a brief description of the work to be undertaken (a detailed description will be included in Section D: Work plan Details), a general description of project delivery areas, and a short description of the involvement of agencies participating in the project. All of these, with the exception of the location, will be more fully described in other sections of the proposal.

The program area where all NAWCA and Match Funds will be spent must be clearly identified under location in this section (be sure to list all provinces within the appropriate Joint Venture(s) where work will be conducted). The program areas where Other Contributions will be spent may be described in Appendix A.

►Any NAWCA and Match Funds allocated to Canada MUST be expended in Canada within the appropriate Habitat Joint Venture(s).

Do not discuss in great detail information that will be covered below in Section (B) and (D).

B. Expected Benefits (Recommend 1 page)

i. Description of Benefits:

Describe and quantify how the project will benefit the breeding, moulting, wintering and staging of waterfowl and other wetland-associated migratory birds. If possible, describe and quantify the benefits to other wildlife, fish or plant species, and to the conservation of biological diversity. In particular, describe the benefits of your proposal to rare, threatened or endangered species (species assessed as at risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), species listed on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act or provincially-listed species) in Canada and migratory species that are threatened or endangered in the U.S. You may wish to include other project benefits such as social benefits (water quality, water quantity, etc.), archaeological, historical, or ecological aspects of significance, especially if directly related to your project.

ii. Duration of Benefits:

Explain how the proposed combination of any securement, enhancement, or management techniques will conserve habitat values in the long term. Will any benefits accrue beyond the term of the NAWCA grant agreement? Ensure you discuss duration in terms of both tenure of the agreement and life of the technique to be used.

Example:

The project objective is to create long-term changes in land use and permanent wetland protection and conservation. Terms of legal securement vary depending on specific objectives and techniques. Conservation Agreements will provide security that ranges from 20-30 years on private lands and up to 99 years on provincial Crown land. Lands designated under the Provincial Parks Act, conservation reserves, fee simple acquisition and conservation easements will provide protection in perpetuity.

iii. Climate Change (Changing Climate Conditions):

Provide a brief narrative describing the significance of the proposal to long-term conservation and how the project area and (identified) tracts might be affected by climate…