PKG00252203-instructions.pdf

Canada and NAWCA – Further Information

Proposals are developed at the Partner level and writers work closely with the Joint Venture Coordinators and delivery agencies for their region. Partners can jointly determine what activities are of highest priority, will contribute most effectively to provincial and Joint Venture goals, and will be practical to achieve given financial limitations. In this way, conservation efforts are based on pre-established priorities and contribute to a comprehensive program. The Partner organization who writes a proposal and who would receive NAWCA funding is referred to as the “Grantee”.

Proposals must be submitted through the Canadian structure established to ensure comprehensive review. To allow sufficient time for the Canadian process to take place, the official call for Canadian NAWCA proposals generally occurs in the fall of the year preceding the funding fiscal year. For example, for funding window 2011-3, the call for proposals (sent to potential Grantees via the Habitat Joint Ventures) occurred in September 2010, approximately 4 months in advance of the USFWS deadline, for funding projects in the U.S. fiscal year 2011.

Once proposals have been written, they are reviewed by provincial-level technical or steering committees. Provincial reviews encompass both technical and policy aspects, and in particular they ensure the sound biological foundation of the proposal. The next level of review is the Joint Venture Boards. They provide a second level of technical review and ensure proposals support the strategic direction developed within the Joint Venture.

Once Joint Venture Boards recommend proposals go forward, they go to the NAWCC (Canada) Secretariat for a primarily technical and administrative review to ensure that they follow the requirements set out in the Call for Canadian NAWCA Proposals document. The Secretariat is responsible for presenting a slate of proposals to the NAWCC (Canada) for endorsement.

After Canadian review, the proposals are reviewed by Staff of the NAWCC (US), and then by the U.S. Council. If they recommend the proposals for approval, they are considered for funding by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, a committee of the U.S. Congress. Once proposals are approved for funding, grant agreements are developed between the Grantees and the USFWS and funds can be accessed. As projects are implemented, Grantees and funding partners must provide reports both to the USFWS and to Environment Canada.