FY17 AFR NOFO.pdf

OMB Control Number: 1018-0123 Expiration Date: 10/31/2017

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs

Division of International Conservation

Africa Regional Program

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15-651

Funding Opportunity Number: F17AS000008

Submission Deadline: January 17, 2017

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

Central Africa is a globally important region for forest and biodiversity conservation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) works closely with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a range of other partners to ensure a strategic, results-based approach to wildlife conservation in the region. In collaboration with U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Central Africa Regional

Program for the Environment (CARPE), USFWS is providing this funding opportunity to reduce threats to key wildlife populations, and to develop the requisite individual and institutional conservation capacity to undertake long-term conservation programs. Please see A Results-Based

Vision for Conservation in Central Africa for greater detail on USFWS’ approach to wildlife conservation in Central Africa.

Funding will only be considered for projects that impact wildlife populations in the following countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

USFWS supports wildlife conservation projects in Central Africa through multiple mechanisms: the

Africa Regional Program (formerly the Wildlife Without Borders - Africa program) and the funds created by Congressional acts for the conservation of African elephants, great apes and marine turtles.

The Notices of Funding Opportunity for all programs are located on the USFWS International Affairs

How to Apply page. Please note that USFWS staff are no longer able to move proposals between funding programs, but may request applicants to re-submit proposals to a different program.

Securing Wildlife in Central Africa

Description: USFWS supports efforts to improve the security of Central Africa’s wildlife. USFWS currently supports multi-year cooperative agreements to secure wildlife in the following biodiversity-rich landscapes: (1) Gabon’s network of 13 national parks, (2) the Sangha Tri-National and Northern

Congo landscape, (3) Virunga National Park, (4) Tshuapa-Lomami-Lualaba, (5) Conkouati National

Park, and (6) Garamba National Park and Chinko Protected Area. USFWS also supports non-field-based wildlife security projects, including the EAGLE Network and a campaign to reduce urban bushmeat demand in Kinshasa and Brazzaville.

This funding priority will complement these existing cooperative agreements by focusing additional https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/Central_Africa_Vision_final_web.pdf https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/Central_Africa_Vision_final_web.pdf https://www.fws.gov/international/grants-and-reporting/how-to-apply.html support to activities designed to strengthen wildlife security in Central Africa.

Funding Mechanism: A pre-proposal concept of up to four pages should be submitted, including a

Statement of Need and one-page summary budget. Letters of support from government agencies and other partners and curriculum vitae of key personnel do not count toward the four-page limit and may be included as support for the applicant’s capacity to implement proposed activities effectively and past history of coordinating with partners. Applicants will be notified of the opportunity to submit a full application for either a grant or cooperative agreement by February 27, 2017 (by invitation only).

The deadline for submitting full applications (including all items in the Application Checklist) is April

10, 2017. Unsuccessful applicants will be contacted by March 6, 2017. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, institutions of higher education, and individuals are eligible to apply.

Geographic Eligibility: Countries in Central Africa, African countries identified by the Convention on

International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Standing Committee as nations of primary or secondary concern or importance to watch with regard to the illegal trade in ivory (e.g., Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Nigeria), and countries where the illegal wildlife trade in Central Africa's wildlife is expected to increase (e.g., Togo). Proposals for work outside Central Africa must justify the proposed intervention in terms of its potential impact on wildlife populations in Central Africa, including evidence of the proposed location as an important transit point for wildlife products coming out of Central Africa en route to consumer countries.

Priority will be given to projects that address one or more of the following desired results:

● Reduction in the illegal killing and trafficking of wildlife and fish.

● Reduction in the availability, demand, and/or consumption of protected species in the commercial bushmeat trade.

● Reduction in all illegal activities that threaten wildlife in high value conservation areas, including efforts that address habitat loss and degradation.

For more information on developing a project pre-proposal please contact Matt Muir

(matt_muir@fws.gov or +1-703-358-2061).

Developing Capacity for Conservation in Central Africa

Description: USFWS supports efforts to develop the capacity of Central African conservationists.

USFWS currently supports multi-year cooperative agreements to develop the capacity of Central

African conservationists through the following programs: (1) the MENTOR program, which at-present includes teams of future African conservation leaders focusing on pangolins, manatees, and chimpanzees, (2) and supporting educational institutions such as Ecole de Faune de Garoua in

Cameroon and the Kitabi College of Conservation and Environmental Management in Rwanda.

This funding priority will complement these existing capacity development initiatives by focusing additional support to (1) new MENTOR programs, and (2) new partnerships with Central African national and regional wildlife training and research institutions.

Funding Mechanism: A pre-proposal concept of up to four pages should be submitted, including a https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/factsheet-mentor.pdf

Statement of Need and one-page summary budget. Letters of support from government agencies and other partners and curricula vitae of key personnel do not count toward the four-page limit and may be included as support for the applicant’s capacity to implement proposed activities effectively and past history of coordinating with partners. Applicants will be notified of the opportunity to submit a full application for either a grant or cooperative agreement by February 27, 2017 (by invitation only). The deadline for submitting full applications (including all items in the Application Checklist) is April 10, 2017. Unsuccessful applicants will be contacted by March 6, 2017. Government agencies, non-governmental organizations, institutions of higher education, and individuals are eligible to apply.

Priority will be given to projects that address one or more of the following desired results:

● Improved institutional and faculty performance at Central African education and research institutions.

● Improved collaboration through a network of educational institutions.

● Successful identification of training, competencies, and new techniques needed to carry out specific conservation actions to address threats to wildlife.

● Successful completion of training and application of new competencies by trained individuals.

● A trans-disciplinary team of emerging African conservationists who can work together to problem solve on key threats to wildlife and habitats in Central Africa (the USFWS MENTOR program).

● Development of conservation champions in Central Africa.

For more information on developing a project pre-proposal please contact Nancy Gelman

(nancy_gelman@fws.gov or +1-703-358-2125).

Ib. Description of Planned 2017 Congo Basin Projects

In addition to the call for proposals above, the USFWS Africa Regional Program will continue supporting cooperative agreements with the partners identified below. Please note that this section is informational and that USFWS is not accepting further proposals.

WILDLIFE SECURITY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

Agence Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) – Gabon Description: The Parks Gabon project, a collaboration between USFWS and Gabon’s Agence

Nationale des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN), aims to enhance the near- and long-term capacity of ANPN to respond to the increased threats of elephant poaching and extractive industry expansion (oil, mining, forestry, and fishing) within and around the national park network. USFWS will continue to partner with ANPN and other organizations to respond directly to existing and emerging needs at all of

Gabon’s protected areas, including support for “model parks” as learning laboratories for management effectiveness and training. Efforts will raise capacity for wildlife law enforcement and regulation ensuring sustainable and legal trade.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the fourth year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with Gabon’s ANPN.

Desired Results: reduction of illegal killing of elephants; mitigation of the impacts of extractive industries in national parks and buffer zones; improved management of national parks and buffer zones including marine and aquatic systems; and sustainable revenue for conservation activities through nature-based tourism.

Virunga National Park Description: Virunga National Park contains the highest biological diversity of any national park in

Africa, with 2,000 plant species, 706 bird species, and 218 mammal species, including hippos and one-third of the world’s mountain-gorilla population. Despite recent setbacks in the security situation, Virunga National Park has made significant progress in the development of its ranger force, tourist facilities (from 2014 to 2015, several thousand people visited Virunga, generating tens of thousands of revenue for the park’s operational budget), and local livelihood projects. USFWS will provide operational support to enable park operations and support the further development of tourism opportunities necessary to develop a park constituency at local and national levels as well as securing a revenue source for park staff.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the fifth year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with the Congolese Wildlife Authority (Institut Congolais pour la

Conservation de la Nature, ICCN) and the non-governmental organizations currently active in Virunga

National Park.

Desired Results: Mitigation of the impacts of extractive industries in national parks and buffer zones;

improved management of national parks and buffer zones; reduction in illegal wood harvest for charcoal production; strong local constituency that supports the park; wildlife security; and sustainable revenue for conservation activities through nature-based tourism.

Sangha Trinational and Odzala National Park Description: The Sangha Trinational Landscape, a new World Heritage site, encompasses three contiguous national parks buffered by timber concessions. The landscape supports large populations of elephants, great apes, and many other endangered species. Odzala National Park and its surrounding timber concessions play an equally important role in conserving the biodiversity of this contiguous forest ecosystem. USFWS will continue to support activities in these areas aimed at developing conservation capacity, mitigating threats from poaching and extractive industries, enhancing law enforcement, monitoring wildlife populations and threats, and assisting in the development of sustainable revenue schemes through ecotourism.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the fifth year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with government agencies and non-governmental organizations currently active in the Sangha Trinational landscape, Odzala National Park, and their surrounding timber concessions.

Desired Results: Reduction of illegal killing of elephants and mitigation of the impacts of extractive industries in national parks and buffer zones, including the adoption of management plans and best practice guidelines by extractive industries that clearly define the activities they will undertake to maintain healthy wildlife populations; improved management of national parks and buffer zones;

reduced bushmeat consumption in logging (or other extractive industry) camps; reduced use of infrastructure and transport in logging and mining concessions that facilitate illegal bushmeat trade;

proper wildlife surveys to map the distribution and density of key wildlife populations in national parks and concessions, particularly Lobeke NP; and a clear understanding of (a) the impact of Ebola hemorrhagic fever on ape populations, (b) transmission of Ebola virus among wildlife, and (c) appropriate intervention strategy and critical control measures; and sustainable revenue for conservation activities through nature-based tourism.

Tshuapa-Lomami-Lualaba (TL2) Description: The Tshuapa-Lomami-Lualaba (TL2) conservation area in the Democratic Republic of

Congo is home to a significant population of bonobos as well as forest elephant, Congo peacock, okapi, and a recently discovered Cercopithecus monkey. In 2016, Lomami National Park became the newest national park in DRC in over two decades. In the TL2, USFWS will continue to provide support to the development of new protected areas, wildlife and threat monitoring, participatory management, and law enforcement.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the fourth year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with relevant authorities and non-government organizations operating in the landscape.

Desired Results: The reduction of illegal killing of elephants; improved management of national parks and buffer zones; proper wildlife surveys to map the distribution and density of key wildlife populations in national parks and concessions; decreased profitability and incentive for commercial bushmeat hunters; and strong local constituency that supports protected areas and conservation activities.

Conkouati-Douli National Park Description: The Conkouati-Douli National Park provides habitat for more than 1,000 forest elephants, over 8,000 chimpanzees and gorillas, and important populations of marine turtles. Conkouati is considered an IUCN priority site for great ape conservation and similarly, an important Ramsar site for wetland and bird conservation. Key threats to the park include commercial bushmeat hunting, poaching of elephants for ivory, and subsistence activities of the approximately 7,000 people in and around the park.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the third year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with relevant authorities and non-government organizations active in

CDNP.

Desired Results: The reduction of illegal killing of elephants; improved management of national parks, buffer zones, and conservation projects; increased marine turtle survivorship; decreased profitability and incentive for commercial bushmeat hunters; and reduced trade and consumption of bushmeat in

Pointe Noire.

The EAGLE Network Description: The EAGLE Network (Eco Activists for Governance and Law Enforcement) improves law enforcement and cross-border collaboration in the fight against transnational wildlife crime. This project is intended to conserve forest elephants, great apes, and other targeted species by addressing the illegal commercial trade in wildlife.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the third year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed with relevant authorities and non-governmental organizations.

Desired Results: Investigation of significant wildlife traffickers, defined as those that employ or control poachers and play a significant role in at least one of the following: trafficking across national borders, engaging in or enabling corruption, and/or using sophisticated criminal methods; facilitation of arrests of traffickers with the appropriate local law enforcement authorities; legal follow-up of wildlife crime cases, including working with prosecutors and the judicial system to apply the law effectively and to ensure sentences are served; media exposure of wildlife trafficking and penalties applied to deter others from engaging in wildlife crime; and expansion of the organizational model to other countries to adapt to changes in wildlife trafficking routes and activity.

Garamba National Park and Chinko Conservation Area Description: Garamba National Park (GNP), situated in northeastern DRC and the Chinko Protected

Area in eastern Central African Republic, are known for comprising both savanna and forest biodiversity. Garamba is one of the oldest national parks in Africa and covers an area of 4,900 square kilometers. Chinko, one of the last remaining strongholds for elephants in the Central African

Republic, covers an area of 17,600 square kilometers. Both protected areas host populations of elephants, chimpanzees, and lions in addition to Kordofan giraffes (Garamba), Giant elands (Chinko), African wild dogs (Chinko), bongos (Chinko), and giant forest hogs (Chinko). Key threats to these protected areas are hunting for the international ivory trade, hunting for wildlife parts and bushmeat, and livestock disturbance, competition, and disease.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the second year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with relevant authorities and non-government organizations active in

Garamba and Chinko.

Desired Results: The reduction of illegal killing of elephants; improved management of national parks, buffer zones, and conservation projects; tactical deployment of field missions to detect and deter illegal activities, including apprehension of poachers and perpetrators of other illegal activities; decreased profitability and incentive for commercial bushmeat hunting and hunting for wildlife parts; and reduced livestock disturbance, competition, and disease.

Campaign to Reduce Urban Bushmeat Demand Description: Across Central Africa, forest animals are being hunted at an alarming rate to satisfy the demands of large and growing urban centers. The harvesting of the meat of wild animals – “bushmeat”

– places enormous pressure on the survival of many species, some already threatened or endangered.

An estimated 5 million tons of bushmeat is extracted annually in the Congo Basin. This level of removal of wildlife is considered unsustainable and is driven by demand and profit. If allowed to continue, it threatens to destroy many of the fragile ecosystems of the region and undermine efforts to preserve its resident animal populations.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the second year of a five-year cooperative agreement developed in collaboration with relevant authorities and non-government organizations in Brazzaville

(Republic of Congo) and Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo).

Desired Results: Reduced bushmeat availability and consumption in urban centers; greater use of information collected on the bushmeat trade by in-country decision-makers and law enforcement agents; better monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of different interventions and approaches.

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

Ecole de Faune de Garoua – Cameroon Description: USFWS will continue to collaborate with Ecole de Faune de Garoua and Cameroon’s protected area authorities on the development of training programs to increase national and regional capacity for wildlife management and effective law enforcement.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to provide scholarships and faculty development grants.

Desired Results: Ecole de Faune de Garoua and its faculty have the capacity to design and deliver effective education and training programs on protected area management and species conservation.

USFWS-EFG scholarship graduates contribute to wildlife conservation, protected area management, and leadership in their countries over the long-term.

USFWS MENTOR-POP (Progress on Pangolins) Fellowship Program Description: USFWS will continue to support the development of a team of early career conservation professionals from Central Africa and Asia who will design and deliver results-oriented actions to address threats to the three species of pangolins found in the Congo Basin (White-bellied pangolin

[Phataginus tricuspis], Black-bellied pangolin [Phataginus tetradactyla], and Giant Ground pangolin

[Smutsia gigantea]).

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the cooperative agreement developed with conservation partners.

Desired Results: A trans-disciplinary team of emerging Central African and Asian conservationists who can work together to problem solve on key threats to pangolins in the Congo Basin; specific products and measurable conservation outcomes produced by the team on field assessments, legal systems and demand reduction to conserve pangolins; and the development of conservation champions.

USFWS MENTOR-Manatee Fellowship Program Description: USFWS will continue to support the development of a team of early career conservation professionals from Central Africa who will design and deliver results-oriented actions to address threats to the African manatee.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to support the third year of a cooperative agreement developed with conservation partners.

Desired Results: A trans-disciplinary team of emerging Central African conservationists who can work together to problem solve on key threats to the African manatee; specific products and measurable conservation outcomes produced by the team on field assessments, bushmeat reduction, and African manatee outreach initiatives; and the development of conservation champions.

Kitabi College of Conservation and Environmental Management - Rwanda Description: USFWS will continue to collaborate with the Kitabi College of Conservation and

Environmental Management (KCCEM) on the development of training programs to increase national and regional capacity for wildlife management and effective law enforcement.

Funding Mechanism: USFWS plans to provide scholarships and faculty development grants.

Desired Results: KCCEM and its faculty have the capacity to design and deliver effective training programs on protected area management and species conservation. USFWS-KCCEM scholarship graduates contribute to wildlife conservation, protected area management, and leadership in their countries over the long-term.

II. Award Information

This program will use a grant or cooperative agreement as the assistance instrument. The type of assistance instrument to be used is the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The amount of funding requested must match scope of the activities, the anticipated results, and the length of the project period. The period of performance for projects starts on the date the award is signed by the USFWS. Past and present recipients of awards under this program are eligible, but must submit new proposals to compete for funding each year.

Cooperative Agreements

Under cooperative agreements, substantial involvement by the USFWS should be expected and may include participating and collaborating jointly with the recipient or other personnel in carrying out the scope of work including training recipient personnel or detailing Federal personnel to work on the project effort; reviews and approves one stage of work before the next stage can begin; reviews and approves, prior to recipient action, proposed modifications or sub-awards; helps select project staff or trainees; directs or redirects the work because of interrelationships with other projects; has power to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; and limits recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants: Applicants under this program can be government agencies, non-governmental organizations, institutions of higher education, and individuals. U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Status (IRS) must provide a copy of their Section

501(c)(3) status determination letter received from the IRS.

Applicants must ensure that activities occurring outside the United States are coordinated as necessary with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities and that any necessary licenses, permits, or approvals are obtained prior to undertaking proposed activities. The USFWS does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws and regulations of the country in which the work is to be conducted.

The Division of International Conservation will not fund the purchase of firearms or ammunition; buying or purchasing of intelligence, evidence or information or paying informants; gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity or any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws, or regulations of either the U.S. or the country in which the activity would occur.

Federal law mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun

& Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the

System for Award Management (SAM). See Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part

25 for more information. Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, state, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization.

A. DUNS Registration

Request a DUNS number online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. U.S.-based entities may also request a DUNS number by telephone by calling the Dun & Bradstreet Government Customer

Response Center, Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 8 PM CST at the following numbers:

U.S. and U.S Virgin Islands: 1-866-705-5711

Alaska and Puerto Rico: 1-800-234-3867 (Select Option 2, then Option 1)

For Hearing Impaired Customers Only call: 1-877-807-1679 (TTY Line)

Once assigned a DUNS number, entities are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet.

B. Entity Registration in SAM

Register in the System for Award Management online at http://www.sam.gov/. Once registered in

SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that their information is up to date and in sync with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information. Foreign entities who wish to be paid directly to a United

States bank account must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in SAM.

C. Excluded Entities

Applicant entities identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits will not be considered for Federal funding, as applicable to the funding being requested under this Federal program.

D. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not required. If cost share or match is included, it may be in the form of cash or in-http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.sam.gov/ kind contributions. Only verifiable contributions should be included as a match. Applicant and partner contributions cannot be included as contributions for any other federally assisted project or program. Funds provided by another U.S. Federal Government agency or another USFWS award cannot be reported as matching contributions but should be noted and explained in detail. A match shown during one year may not be repeated as a match in a subsequent proposal.

IV. Full Application Requirements - To be considered for funding under this opportunity, an application must contain:

Full Application Checklist

□ SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

□ SF-424B Assurances form

□ Project Summary (1 page)

□ Project Narrative

□ Leahy Vetting Requirement

□ A-133 Single Audit Reporting statement

□ Budget Table

□ Budget justification including indirect cost statement

□ NICRA: When applicable, a copy of the organization’s current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate

Agreement

□ Government Letter of Endorsement

□ SF-LLL Form, when applicable

□ Conflict of Interest statement, when applicable

□ Evidence of non-profit status: If a non-profit organization, a copy of Section 501(c)(3) or (4) status determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service

□ System for Award Management (SAM) registration

A. SF-424 and Assurances Forms

1. Completed, signed and dated Application for Federal Assistance form (SF-424). Do not include other Federal sources of funding, requested or approved, in the total entered in the “Federal” funding box on the Application for Federal Assistance form. Enter only the amount being requested under this program in the “Federal” funding box. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the total funding entered in the “Other” box.

Additional instructions for completing the SF-424 can be found at http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sf-424-instructions.pdf

2. Completed, signed and dated Assurances - Non-Construction form (SF-424b). Signing this form does not mean that all items on the form are applicable. The form contains language that states that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program.

The SF-424 and SF-424b forms are located here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1. Look for the form name - Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B).

For U.S. recipients applying through Grants.gov, downloading and saving the Application Package to your computer make the required government-wide standard forms fillable and printable.

For foreign recipients, your organization’s authorized official MUST sign required forms.

B. Project Summary: This section should answer the question, “What is the purpose of this project?”

BRIEFLY summarize your project in one page or less. This section should be a stand-alone summary of your project and it may be shared with the public. It must be submitted in English.

Include the title of the project, geographic location, and a brief overview of the key threats to wildlife and habitats, and anticipated conservation outcomes. If the proposal is species-focused, please include the following table:

Common name

Latin name

IUCN

Red List

Assessment

Existing estimates of range, population size, or abundance

Threats to the species that the project is working to reduce, eliminate, or mitigate

[IUCN Category (year assessed)]

[estimated # of individuals, or occupied range (km2)] [Threat text]

C. Project Narrative

1. Statement of Need: This section should answer the question, “Why is this project necessary?”

In four pages of text or less, the Statement of Need should clearly identify the species or habitats targeted for conservation (including any existing estimates of population size, geographic range, or extent); a description of the direct threats that affect the targeted species at the project site; and the specific threats that the project will address. This section should describe a clear theory of change for how proposed activities are ultimately intended to reduce direct threats and improve the status of species and habitats.

This section should also explain how the proposal differs from past work, or builds upon it, including how the applicant plans to expand upon the successes, failures, and lessons learned of past efforts. Projects with USAID funding should add a section describing the activities supported (through CARPE or another US Government operating unit) and the added value of

USFWS support. Please note how the proposal differs or builds upon funding available from

USAID.

In addition to the text, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a table that summarizes past USFWS support, if any, to the project or applicant. This table does not count toward the three page limit. A table should include columns for: (1) year of grant, (2) USFWS grant number, (3) amount funded in US$, and (4) bullet points of major activities, outcomes, or products. Former recipients of USFWS support should note that every proposal is expected to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 be a stand-alone document. Not all proposal reviewers may be familiar with past grants and a summary of activities and accomplishments helps all reviewers to better understand the proposal in context.

2. Project Goals and Objectives: This section should answer the question, “What do you want to achieve and how are you going to do it?” As an example, the following format is recommended:

GOAL:

Objective 1.

Activity 1.1

Activity 1.2

Objective 2.

Activity 2.1

Objective 3.

Activity 3.1

Activity 3.2

Activity 3.3

A goal is the long-term biological outcome that you want to achieve in order to successfully conserve the target species. The strongest goals will be directly related to species status or habitat quality.

Objectives are the specific outcomes that you want to achieve in order to reach your stated goal(s), and should reflect a desired change in capacity, threat, or species status. Your proposal will be strengthened if the objectives align with the desired results identified above under each funding priority. Your objectives must be attainable within the project period and should be specific, capable of being measured, realistic, and results-orientated. Objectives should form the basis for the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation section. A recommended reference for identifying and developing appropriate objectives and measures of success is the Open

Standards for the Practice of Conservation.

3. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: Activities are the specific actions that you undertake to fulfill your objectives and reach your goal. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) for each activity. The methods, including equipment used/requested and personnel conducting the work, should be clearly articulated in this section. The proposed activities should correspond with the Project Budget Table and the narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs.

Activities in which no USFWS funds are being requested should be clearly identified as such, and described concisely.

Project Timetable

This section should answer the question, “Over what time period will project activities be implemented?” Provide a timetable indicating when activities or project milestones will be accomplished. Include any tables, spreadsheets or flowcharts within the body of the narrative

(DO NOT include separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates, but rather list the activities described in Section 2, for each month over a 12-month period.

http://cmp-openstandards.org/download-os/ http://cmp-openstandards.org/download-os/ http://cmp-openstandards.org/download-os/

4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: This section should answer the question, “Who are you going to be working with?” Describe any coordination with local resource managers and other relevant organizations or individuals in planning your project, conducting project activities, or disseminating project results. Where multiple groups are working in the same site, or are listed as stakeholders in the proposal, letters of endorsement specifically referring to this proposal, and to the proposed collaboration from each partner organization, will strengthen your proposal and may be requested by reviewers. If activities to collect data are proposed and the project can demonstrate a strong partnership with the wildlife authority that will use the data to manage the species more effectively, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

5. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This section should answer the question, “How will project implementation and impacts be understood?” For USFWS grants, project monitoring and evaluation involves two components:

(a) Anticipated outputs that document project implementation. Identify all expected outputs

(also known as products) of key project activities. Examples include management plans, brochures, posters, training manuals, number of people trained, workshops held, hours of training provided, and equipment purchased.

(b) Conservation outcomes that are the intended results of the project. Identify all conservation outcomes intended to be achieved by this project. Examples include less hunting for the commercial bushmeat trade, more giant pangolins, and more trained individuals applying their training. Outcomes should directly relate to, or even be synonymous with, your

Proposal Objectives identified above. To track your progress toward achievement of each objective, identify what you will measure (i.e., indicators), and how will you will measure it

(i.e., methods, sample sizes, survey tools).

To assist applicants, USFWS and partners have identified short-term and medium-term conservation outcomes for the following conservation strategies in Central Africa: (a) patrols, (b) protected area designation, (c) training and capacity development, (d) best practice guidelines for extractive industry, (e) partner engagement, (f) law compliance and enforcement, (g) public campaigns to change values and behavior, and (h) applied conservation research. If you are proposing one or more of the above strategies, please see the Standard Measures of Effectiveness and Threats for Wildlife Conservation in Central

Africa for a set of application questions that you are encouraged to address in the Statement of Need. These targeted questions and indicators are designed as guidance for how the effectiveness of each strategy can be assessed. Specific inquiries may be directed to Matt

Muir (matt_muir@fws.gov).

All applicants of cooperative agreements are required to incorporate the USFWS guidance on project evaluation. All other applicants are encouraged, but not required, to do so. Cooperative agreement recipients should include a Standard Threat Assessment

Indicator as recommended in Standard Measures, or an alternative measure of the direct threat proposed and justified by the applicant.

http://www.fws.gov/international/grants-and-reporting/standard-measures-of-effectiveness.html http://www.fws.gov/international/grants-and-reporting/standard-measures-of-effectiveness.html http://www.fws.gov/international/grants-and-reporting/standard-measures-of-effectiveness.html mailto:matt_muir@fws.gov http://www.fws.gov/international/grants-and-reporting/standard-measures-of-effectiveness.html http://www.fws.gov/international/grants-and-reporting/standard-measures-of-effectiveness.html

USFWS values projects that report both the success and failures of efforts as a means by which an applicant can improve their performance and provide lessons learned to improve our efforts to conserve wildlife. Projects have a higher likelihood of being selected that advance the practice of conservation by being designed and implemented in a way that the effectiveness of activities can be credibly assessed and shared.

6. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: This section should answer the question, “Who are you, and who are you going to be working with?” Provide a brief description of the applicant organization and all participating entities and/or individuals. Identify which of the proposed activities each agency, organization, group, or individual is responsible for conducting or managing. Provide complete contact information for the individual within the organization that will oversee/manage the project activities on a day-to-day basis. Provide brief

(1-2 pages) curricula vitae for key personnel, identifying their qualifications to carry out project activities. To prevent unnecessary transmission of Personally Identifiable Information, do not include Social Security numbers, the names of family members, or any other personal or sensitive information including marital status, religion or physical characteristics on the description of key personnel qualifications.

7. Sustainability: As applicable, describe which project activities will continue beyond the proposed project period, who will continue the work or act on the results achieved, and how and at what level you expect these future activities will be funded.

8. Map of Project Area: This section should answer the question, “Where is this project located?” Provide a map showing the location of your project site at the regional or national level. Ensure that the sites that you have referred to in the proposal are labeled on the map.

Provide the latitude and longitude coordinates of a representative geographic location for your project in decimal degrees format (NOT degree-minute-seconds format). For example, USFWS in Falls Church, Virginia, USA, would be provided as 38.8825°, -77.1145° (latitude, longitude). Please correctly enter north and east coordinates as positive values, and south and west coordinates as negative values.

9. Detailed notification of security forces: The Leahy Vetting requirement is included annually in the Foreign Assistance Appropriations Act. The Leahy Amendment prohibits assistance to individuals with human rights abuse records. It requires that military and civilian security force individuals or units receiving US Government assistance be screened for any record of human rights abuse. Conservation efforts authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act often require work with and/or support to law enforcement personnel including park rangers, police, customs officials, or any other “foreign security forces” (anyone with authority to detain, confiscate, arrest, and/or use force). Training is the most frequently cited example of assistance, but any provision of materials or equipment must be vetted. If security forces are involved in any project activities, please explain in detail the specific resources that will be used to support these forces and whether the project participants are a unit (i.e. rangers from protected areas) or a group of individuals. If your proposal is selected for funding, a USFWS Program Officer will contact you with further instructions.

10. Literature Cited.

11. Single Audit Reporting Statements (Foreign Applicants Excluded): As required in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Subpart F, all U.S. states, local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations expending

$750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. All

U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government and non-profit applicants must provide a statement regarding if your organization was/was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the organization’s most recently closed fiscal year and, if so, state if that report is available on the Federal Audit Clearinghouse Single Audit Database website (http://harvester.census.gov/sac/) and provide the EIN under which that report was submitted. Include these statements at the end of the Project Narrative in a section titled

“Single Audit Reporting Statements”. Do not include your audit report in the proposal or application.

D. Budget Table

When developing your budget, keep in mind that financial assistance awards and subawards are subject to the Federal cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 (2 CFR

200), as applicable to the recipient organization type. Links to the full text of the Federal cost principles are available on the Internet at http://www.ecfr.gov/.

Multiple Federal Funding Sources: If the project budget includes multiple Federal funding sources, you must show the funds being requested from this Federal program separately from any other requested/secured Federal sources of funding on the budget form. For example, enter the funds being requested from this Federal program in the first row of the Budget Summary section of the form and then enter funding related to other Federal programs in the subsequent row(s). Be sure to enter each Federal program’s CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The

CFDA number for this Federal program appears on the first page of this funding opportunity.

Instructions for Budget Table: Begin your project budget table on a new page. The budget table http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://harvester.census.gov/sac/ should include a column for all cost categories/items for the project. One column to show the cost calculation, a column for the total costs, one column for the requested USFWS funding, one or more columns for applicant and partner contributions, and, if applicable, a column for any program income that will be used to conduct project activities as demonstrated here:

Category/

Budget Item

Cost

Calculation

Total

Cost USFWS Applicant

Partner

X

Partner

Y

Program

Income (if applicable)

I. Personnel

Expenses Related to Project:

$500/month

*6 months

A. Instructor (1) $3,000 $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

B. Trainees (30)

$60/day*5 days*30 trainees $9,000 $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

2. Lodging (11 individuals)

20 nights

*11 people

*$15/night $3,300 $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

3.Transportation: 30 tickets *

Bus tickets (30 individuals) $20/each

$600 $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

4. Production of training material:

A. Printing (100 manuals)

100 manuals

*$10/each

$1,000 $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

B. Postage

12 months *

$20/month

$240 $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

Totals $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

*Present all amounts in U.S. dollars

The Budget Table should provide enough information for reviewers to be able to understand the cost basis and calculation at a glance. For example, a $3,300 line item for lodging costs should include the formula for how the cost was calculated: Lodging for 20 nights x 11 people x

$15/night = $3,300.

For any salaries, staff time or contractors that USFWS funds are requested for, the person should be identified and their qualifications described in Section 6 (Description of Entities Undertaking the Project). For any training, a description of the training should be included in the Methods section. For any meetings, a description of participants, a draft agenda and desired outputs should be provided.

Wherever possible, cost calculations should be included in the Budget Table. Where necessary, additional description should be provided in the Budget Justification. If the Budget Table requires more than one page, verify that the column headings and row titles appear on all pages.

Things to consider when developing your Budget Table:

● Federally Funded Equipment: If the U.S. Federal Government has paid for equipment for another award, applicants cannot claim it to be a matching or in-kind contribution and

SHOULD NOT include it in the budget table. Instead, provide a separate list of any equipment paid for by the U.S. Federal Government that will be used for the project, including the name of the Federal agency that paid for the equipment.

E. Budget Justification

In a separate narrative titled “Budget Justification,” explain and justify all requested budget items/costs. Each budget line must demonstrate a clear connection to the project activities, and show how line item amounts were determined. For expensive items or large single purchases, provide detailed technical specifications or a pro-forma invoice. For personnel salary costs, include the base-line salary figures and the estimates of time (as percentages) to be directly charged to the project. Describe any item that under the applicable Federal Cost Principles requires the USFWS’s approval and estimate its cost.

F. Required Indirect Cost Statement: Applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate

Agreement (NICRA) cannot claim more than a flat de minimus indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs. All applicants except individuals applying for funds separate from a business or nonprofit organization he/she may operate must include in the budget justification one of the following statements and attach to their application any required documentation identified in the applicable statement:

“We are:

1. A U.S. state or local government entity receiving more than $35 million in direct Federal funding each year with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We submit our indirect cost rate proposals to our cognizant agency. A copy of our most recently approved rate agreement/certification is attached.

2. A U.S. state or local government entity receiving less than $35 million in direct Federal funding each year with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We are required to prepare and retain for audit an indirect cost rate proposal and related documentation to support those costs.

3. A [insert your organization type: U.S. states and local governments, please use one of the statements above or below] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. A copy of our most recently approved rate agreement is attached.

4. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate].