RTCF_Asia_NOFO_F25AS00133.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Funding Opportunity

F25AS00133 Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund - ASIA FY25

Funding Opportunity Number

F25AS00133

Table of Contents

BASIC INFORMATION

ELIGIBILITY

Cost Sharing Requirement

GET READY TO APPLY

Required System Registrations

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Program Goals

Program Description

Guidelines for Proposed Projects

Safeguarding Human Rights

Legislative Authority

Type of Award

PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION

Required Forms

Project Narrative

Budget Narrative Table

Other Required Information

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

Address to Request Application Package

Submission Dates and Times

Submission Instructions

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Eligibility Review

Merit Review

Review and Selection Process

Risk Review

Evaluation of Social Safeguards Mechanisms

AWARD NOTICES

POST AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

Administration and National Policy Requirements

Reporting

Implementation and Monitoring of Social Safeguard Mechanisms

Reporting Human Rights Violations

Annual Certifications for Grants Over $500,000

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

BASIC INFORMATION

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: F25AS00133

Assistance Listing Number(s): 15.619

Estimated Total Program Funding: $8,000,000

Expected Number of Awards: 20

Award Ceiling: $750,000

Award Floor: $250,000

Award Funding Range The amount of funding per award may range from $250,000 - $750,000.

The amount of funding you request must match the scope of your activities, anticipated results, and the length of the project period.

Project Time frame Your anticipated project and award start date should be 01 October 2025, or later. The length of your project may range from 3 to 5 years. If your project spans multiple years, you should describe your activities in phases or years. Support for phases or years will be contingent on your project performance, satisfactory reporting, financial management, and availability of program funds.

USFWS may extend your award for additional years contingent on USFWS priorities, your project performance, USFWS management approval, and funding availability.

Continuation of Ongoing Projects If you have a current USFWS award you are eligible to apply for renewal of your existing or ongoing project. You will compete with all other applications for new Federal awards.

Application Language Your application must be written in English.

Cost Sharing Required?

No Closing Date for Applications: 02/27/2025

Your electronically submitted application must be submitted no later than 23:59 ET on 27 February 2025.

Late applications will not be accepted. Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email with an application number that starts with "FWS-." If you do not receive this email within five days after the closing date, please contact mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov. Do not submit your application more than once, as duplicate applications will be discarded.

OMB Control Number: 1018-0100

Have Questions?

Please email the program for programmatic, technical, or administrative questions:

mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov

Application Questions Webinar with USFWS Program Officer The USFWS Program Officer will host a virtual office hour open to all potential applicants at 07:00 ET on 16 January 2025.

The Program Officer will be available to answer questions about this call for applications, submission processes, eligibility, requirements, and other concerns. To receive a link to join this session, please submit an email to mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov at least 24 hours before the session.

Executive Summary U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The purpose of USFWS is to protect the natural world so current and future generations can live with, live from, and find awe in lands, waters, and wildlife. USFWS envisions a future where people and nature thrive in an interconnected way and where every community feels part of and committed to the natural world around us. The USFWS International Affairs program works to coordinate domestic and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats with a focus on species of international concern, including domestic species that range or migrate beyond our borders or are traded or trafficked internationally. We envision a world where all people value nature and conserve living resources for the well-being of life on Earth. The USFWS International Affairs program achieves its goals by providing financial support for important projects that achieve clear conservation results for key species and their habitats around the world.

Congress passed the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. §5301) in 1994 because they recognized the increasing threats to tigers and rhinoceros and the American people's commitment to conserving these iconic species. This law helps protect tigers and all rhinoceros species by supporting conservation programs in their habitats. The goal of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (RTCF) is effective, long-term conservation of rhinoceros and tigers and their habitats. RTCF supports projects that have lasting benefits for Asian rhinoceros and tigers. RTCF funds projects that are designed to increase rhino and tiger populations, manage their habitats, create protected areas, involve local communities and Indigenous peoples in conservation, deal with conflicts between people and wildlife, and educate the public about these animals.

This RTCF NOFO invites applications for conservation projects in Asia that have lasting benefits and:

• Support protected areas and restore habitats where rhinoceros and tigers live in Asia.

• Ensure strong protections to stop illegal killing and end the illegal trade in live tigers and rhinos, their products, and their body parts.

mailto:mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov https://www.fws.gov/media/required-notices-and-burden-statement-omb-control-no-1018-0100 mailto:mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov mailto:mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-3015/pdf/COMPS-3015.pdf

• Work with local communities to protect biodiversity, plan how land is used, and provide alternative ways to earn a living that have lasting benefits.

• Promote coexistence by reducing the negative impacts of humans on Asian rhinoceros and tigers and their habitats, tackling the root causes of conflicts between humans and these animals, and finding solutions to minimize such conflicts.

• Conduct research on Asian rhinoceros and tiger populations and their habitats, that informs conservation decision-making, including surveys and monitoring.

• Enforce CITES and other relevant treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of rhinoceros and tigers or control how their habitats are used and managed.

• Eliminate the demand for illegal rhinoceros and tiger parts, products, and live animals in countries that consume them.

• Reintroduce Asian rhinoceros to places where they once lived.

• Improve cooperation between countries to promote conservation of tigers and Asian rhinoceros across borders.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible Applicants Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Additional Information on Eligibility Applicants can be individuals; non-profit, non-governmental organizations; public and private institutions of higher education.

Restrictions and Requirements for Non-U.S. Entities or Projects

• We do not fund countries supporting terrorism subject to U.S. sanctions.

• We do not fund countries under U.S. Treasury sanctions without licenses.

• You must get all required approvals for work outside the U.S. We are not responsible for your compliance with local rules.

• For projects over $500,000, you may need to comply with 2 CFR 175.105(b) before we make an award.

Cost Sharing Requirement Cost Sharing Required?

No Include All Project Costs Your entire project may be funded only with this USFWS award, or it may include funding from other sources. If your project is funded by multiple sources, we describe that as cost sharing.

Cost sharing refers to your project costs that are not covered by USFWS. In this program, cost sharing is not required, but you can offer it voluntarily.

If USFWS shares the costs of your project with other sources, you must report a full accounting of the entire project budget including those costs that are covered by non-USFWS sources. If you include cost sharing in your budget, the sources and values for cost sharing should be included in your detailed budget, along with a description or explanation. If you receive an award, you must https://www.state.gov/state-sponsors-of-terrorism/ http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-175 keep written records to support all allowable costs claimed as contributions to the cost sharing, as well as costs covered by USFWS. Your financial records can be audited.

Voluntary Cost Share (as explained in 2 CFR 200.1) does not affect your eligibility, and including it will not give you a better chance of receiving funds.

• Your cost sharing should be necessary and reasonable to help achieve your project's goals.

• You must follow the rules about cost sharing in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E - Cost Principles.

• You can consider all types of cost sharing, including in-kind contributions and public-private partnerships.

o For example, using office space from other organizations, donated or borrowed supplies and equipment, travel costs sponsored by non-federal sources, waived indirect costs, and services provided by qualified volunteers like translations or consultations.

o You should assign each in-kind contribution a monetary value in U.S. dollars.

• Funds from another U.S. Federal Government agency or another USFWS grant cannot be counted as cost sharing.

GET READY TO APPLY

Required System Registrations Unique Entity Identifier and SAM.gov Registration

Before applying, all applicants except individuals applying as a natural person must be registered in SAM.gov. During the SAM.gov registration the entity will obtain their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

The SAM.gov registration process can take several months. If your organization is not already registered in SAM.gov, begin the registration process as soon as possible.

To register in SAM.gov, go to the SAM.gov website and use the available resources to complete registration.

• Financial assistance registrants must review and certify compliance with the SAM.gov “Financial Assistance General Representations and Certifications”.

• Already registered? You already have a Unique Entity ID. Before applying, check that your “Financial Assistance General Representations and Certifications” on SAM.gov is complete. Remember to renew your registration every year to keep it active while you have an award or application in progress. You can update your registration whenever you need, including during renewal.

• Need help? For additional information and contact information on the SAM.gov Help page.

GRANTSOLUTIONS

This program accepts application through GrantSolutions.gov. You must register with GrantSolutions. See Submission Instructions.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://sam.gov/content/help https://sam.gov/content/help

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Program Goals

• The long-term outcome of the USFWS Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund Asia is effective, long-term conservation of rhinoceros and tigers and their habitats in Asia.

• The intermediate outcomes of the USFWS Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund are

1) Species recovery and protection of habitat in the wild, 2) Safe passage for wildlife movement and dispersal between habitats, and 3) Effective conservation programs in range states.

• The short-term outcomes of the USFWS Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund are 1) Long-term conservation projects with stakeholder buy-in in each range state, 2) Effective implementation of conservation activities guided by the best available science and evidence, 3) Monitoring of range state conservation needs, habitat availability, connectivity, and threats to species' long-term viability, 4) Trust and collaboration between projects, USFWS, and wildlife authority personnel, and 5) Local capacity for conservation management and participation of range state nationals in project activities.

• The outputs of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Program are projects in range states, communications, education, networks and communities of practice.

• The inputs and activities that are used to achieve the long-term, intermediate and short-term outcomes of the USFWS Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund are 1) stewardship of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, 2) convening people and supporting partnerships, 3) influencing conservation decision-making with data and evidence, and 4) mentorship and relationship building.

Program Description The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The purpose of USFWS is to protect the natural world so current and future generations can live with, live from, and find awe in lands, waters, and wildlife. USFWS envisions a future where people and nature thrive in an interconnected way and where every community feels part of and committed to the natural world around us. The USFWS International Affairs program works to coordinate domestic and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats with a focus on species of international concern, including domestic species that range or migrate beyond our borders or are traded or trafficked internationally. We envision a world where all people value nature and conserve living resources for the well-being of life on Earth. The USFWS International Affairs program achieves its goals by providing financial support for important projects that achieve clear conservation results for key species and their habitats around the world. The USFWS Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund supports projects that implement sustainable conservation programs for the effective long-term conservation of rhinoceros and tigers and their habitats in Asia.

Tigers (Panthera tigris) used to live in many places but are now gone from about 95% of those areas. Today, wild tigers are found only in 13 countries, and their populations have dropped by 97% in the last 100 years. There are only about 4,500 wild tigers left. In the past 20 years, a few tiger populations have started to recover thanks to strong conservation efforts, such as protecting their habitats, stopping poachers, and ensuring there is enough food.

All Asian rhinoceros species are struggling, with some on the verge of extinction. The Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) has fewer than 40 individuals left and is found only in Indonesia's Ujung Kulon National Park. The Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) has about 80 individuals left, living in two small groups in Sumatra. The Indian one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis), found in Nepal, India, and Bhutan, have made a strong recovery. There now number over 4,000, thanks to ongoing efforts by governments and conservation groups.

Congress passed the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. §5301) in 1994 because they recognized the increasing threats to tigers and rhinoceros and the American people's commitment to conserving these iconic species. This law helps protect tigers and all rhinoceros species by supporting conservation programs in their habitats. The goal of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (RTCF) is effective, long-term conservation of rhinoceros and tigers and their habitats. RTCF supports projects that have lasting benefits for Asian rhinoceros and tigers. RTCF funds projects that are designed to increase rhino and tiger populations, manage their habitats, create protected areas, involve local communities and Indigenous Peoples in conservation, deal with conflicts between people and wildlife, and educate the public about these animals.

This RTCF NOFO invites applications for conservation projects in Asia that have lasting benefits and:

• Support protected areas and restore habitats where rhinoceros and tigers live in Asia.

• Ensure strong protections to stop illegal killing and end the illegal trade in live tigers and rhinos, their products, and their body parts.

• Work with local communities to protect biodiversity, plan how land is used, and provide alternative ways to earn a living that have lasting benefits.

• Promote coexistence by reducing the negative impacts of humans on Asian rhinoceros and tigers and their habitats, tackling the root causes of conflicts between humans and these animals, and finding solutions to minimize such conflicts.

• Conduct research on Asian rhinoceros and tiger populations and their habitats, that informs conservation decision-making, including surveys and monitoring.

• Enforce CITES and other relevant treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of rhinoceros and tigers or control how their habitats are used and managed.

• Eliminate the demand for illegal rhinoceros and tiger parts, products, and live animals in countries that consume them.

• Reintroduce Asian rhinoceros to places where they once lived.

• Improve cooperation between countries to promote conservation of tigers and Asian rhinoceros across borders.

Guidelines for Proposed Projects

• Your project should take place within the habitats of tigers and Asian rhinoceros. If any work is planned outside these areas, your application must clearly show how it relates to conserving wild tigers and Asian rhinoceros.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-3015/pdf/COMPS-3015.pdf

• If your project activities focus on collecting data and assessing the status of these animals you should explain how this information will lead to management actions and why the lack of information has been a major obstacle for management in the past.

• You must clearly state how the data collected from your project activities will be shared with the tiger and rhinoceros conservation community.

• If your project involves research you should focus on specific management needs, actions, and outcomes to inform conservation decision-making.

• If your project aims to address human-wildlife conflict (HWC) you should follow the key principles and best practices outlined in the IUCN SSC guidelines on human-wildlife conflict and coexistence. You should show that you have previously engaged meaningfully with impacted groups, such as local communities and other stakeholders.

• If your project aims to prevent damage from HWC you must prove that your methods are effective, ethically and culturally appropriate, realistic, and recognized as effective by the stakeholders involved, and that those stakeholders understand the limitations of the methods.

• Your application should identify specific conservation actions that are likely to create lasting benefits.

• Your application should explain how your actions will reduce threats to the species of concern.

Safeguarding Human Rights RTCF programs fund projects in complex, remote landscapes often inhabited by Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, and local communities (IPLCs). In these areas, vulnerable IPLCs may experience instability, weakened rule of law, and may have histories of human rights abuses. It is important to recognize that certain activities could increase the risk of Gross Human Rights Violations (GHRVs) without strong social safeguard mechanisms. To mitigate this risk, you must include the social safeguard requirements outlined in this NOFO to support conservation partners and protect human rights. Additionally, there may be opportunities to develop organizational social safeguard mechanisms.

Legislative Authority Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. §5301 et seq.)

Type of Award Projects will be funded through:

Funding Instrument G (Grant)

PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION

Required Forms The table below specifies the required forms that you must submit with your application.

Instructions for accessing and submitting application forms are provided in the Submission Instructions section of this document below. For instructions on completing form fields, see the form instructions on the Grants.gov Forms Repository.

https://www.hwctf.org/guidelines https://www.hwctf.org/guidelines https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository.html

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Note: If you are requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Representative’s signature (or electronic equivalent) on your Application for Federal Assistance form also represents your certification of the statements in Appendix A to 43 CFR 18-Certification Regarding Lobbying

Required from all applicants. Must be signed and dated by the Authorized Representative of your organization. The person named as the Authorized Representative must have the authority to submit applications for U.S. Federal financial assistance on behalf of your organization. The signature of your Authorized Representative must match the name listed as Authorized Representative.

SF-424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs Required for non-construction projects

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Required if you are requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funds, and you have used or plan to use funds other than Federal appropriated funds for lobbying related to the proposed project.

Project Abstract Summary (OMB 4040-0019).

Must include, in plain language:

Award purpose, Activities to be performed, Expected deliverables or outcomes, Intended beneficiaries, Sub-recipient activities (if known or specified at time of award)

Required from all applicants

Project Narrative Your project narrative should be no more than 15 pages long. Pictures, tables, maps, resumes, and required forms do not count towards the 15-page limit. You can put any tables, charts, or flowcharts in the project narrative, not as separate attachments. Include your bibliography, if you have one, as an addendum and not in the main text of your application.

Project Title

• Write a simple description of your project, including where it is and the country, in the title.

• If your project is a follow-up to a previously funded application, keep the same title and add a number to show that it is a new application.

Statement of Need Why is this project needed?

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/subtitle-A/part-18#Appendix-A-to-Part-18 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/subtitle-A/part-18#Appendix-A-to-Part-18

• Clearly identify the wildlife, habitat, or biodiversity that you want to protect, including any current estimates of population size, their locations, and distributions across the landscape.

• Describe the direct threats that impact the targeted species at your project site and the specific threats your project will reduce.

• Explain how your planned activities will help achieve your conservation goals, such as reducing threats or improving the conditions of species and habitats.

• Summarize any previous or ongoing efforts by you, your organization, or others that relate to your proposed project.

o Include how your project is different from past work, how it builds on previous efforts, and how you plan to learn from past successes and failures.

• If you have received funding in the past from USFWS for this specific project or site, please provide a summary of that funding.

o You should include details about the activities, products created, outcomes, and measurable conservation results.

o A table might be the easiest way to share this information. Your table may have columns for the donor, reference number, amount funded, year of activity, and bullet points for major activities, products, outcomes, and measurable conservation results.

• If your project has received funding from any other government source, or if it is eligible for other government funding, include a section that describes those activities and how USFWS support adds value.

o Make sure you explain how your project is different from or expands upon funding from other major sources.

• If you have received support from USFWS before, keep in mind that each application needs to be clear and stand alone. Not all people reviewing your application may be familiar with your past grants, so summarizing your activities and accomplishments will help everyone understand your application.

• Explain how your project is based on the best evidence available.

o You should explain and reference the research or other information that supports the main conservation activities in your application.

o For example, describe the evidence that suggests your proposed actions will work as intended. To find this evidence, you can use the Conservation Evidence database. You can also use published studies, your experiences, Indigenous knowledge, or evidence reviews, as well as species information from the U.S.

Endangered Species Act and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

o Your project budget can include costs related to data and evaluation as described in 2 CFR §200.455.

Project Goals, Objectives, Activities, and Methods What do you want to achieve, and how will you do it?

• Describe the long-term goal(s) of your project.

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• Your goal(s) should have objectives, which are the specific steps you will take to reach those goals.

o Your objectives should be things you can achieve during the project time frame.

o Your objectives should be clear, measurable, and achievable.

• Each of your objectives should have specific activities. Activities are the actions you will take to meet your objectives and achieve your overall goal(s).

o You should explain the activities in enough detail so that reviewers can see how they connect to the costs of the project.

o Each activity should:

Include detailed methods needed to accomplish it Directly address a threat mentioned in your "Statement of Need" section Use the best scientific information and methods available Involve local partners, including participation from government and community members Have long-term benefits

Ineligible Activities

The following activities are ineligible for funding. Regardless of your planned mitigation or use, we will not fund them. These ineligible activities include, but may not be limited to:

• Physical resettlement of people (voluntary or involuntary)

• Purchase of firearms or ammunition

• Gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity

• Purchase of intelligence, evidence or information, or paying informants

• Law enforcement operations that prompt the suspects to carry out illegal activities

(entrapment)

• Any activity that will circumvent sanctions, laws, or regulations of either the U.S. or the country in which the proposed activity will take place

Project Timetable How long will your project activities take?

• Provide a timetable that shows when you expect to complete different activities or important steps in the project.

• Group your project activities by month. Do not provide specific dates.

Stakeholder Coordination and Involvement Who will you work with?

• For the purposes of this application, a stakeholder is defined as an individual, group, or organization that will be impacted by the project or may impact its success. Examples include government, non-government and academic organizations, local communities and Indigenous Peoples, companies, volunteer groups, and individuals.

• Describe stakeholders that are relevant to your project, their connection to the specific threats or target audiences you are addressing, and any previous work you have done with these stakeholders.

• Describe how you will coordinate with stakeholders in planning the project.

• Explain how stakeholders will participate in your project activities, share the project results, and use your findings or products in their own work.

• Include letters of support for your project from each organization that is working in the same area or are listed as a stakeholder in your application, include letters of support for your project from each partner organization. If your application is recommended for funding, USFWS may ask for more proof of your coordination with these organizations.

• Include letters of support from local communities or people who will benefit from the project if possible.

Project Sustainability What is your long-term plan for your project after the funding from USFWS ends?

• Describe what activities from your project will keep going after the proposed project period ends.

• Explain who will continue the work or act based on the results you achieved.

• Describe how you expect these future activities to be funded and at what level.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation How will you evaluate the progress and success of this project?

• Explain your plan for monitoring and evaluating your project.

• For each of your project objectives include an indicator (what you will measure) and a monitoring method (how you will measure the indicator).

• Your indicators should show a change in skills, human behavior, threats, or the status of the species you are trying to protect.

• If known, provide the current and desired status of your indicator.

• Outputs or products should not be used as indicators.

• Performance reports to the USFWS are not products or indicators.

• Your project budget can include costs related to evaluation as described in 2 CFR

§200.455.

Budget Narrative Table You must describe and justify items and costs listed in your budget. Your budget narrative must identify the following cost items:

• total estimated costs,

• non-Federal cost share, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.455 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.455

• third-party contributions, and

• any pre-award costs.

This program prefers your Budget Narrative be written in a table format.

• This itemized budget table is an optional format that illustrates the type of information to include.

• Your budget table should be organized according to the object class categories listed on the SF-424A form, such as Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel, etc. Do not organize budget categories by project activities Cost Sharing Requirement

• Your total project cost is the sum of all allowable costs, including voluntary cost sharing and third-party contributions.

• Justifications for your project costs must provide sufficient information for reviewers to easily understand the costs and how they are calculated.

o For example, a cost of $3,300 for lodging should include the formula used to determine this cost, such as: Lodging for 20 nights x 11 people x $15 per night = $3,300.

• If your project is part of a larger program, please list any additional funds and resources you have or need to reach your goals.

o Provide the specific amounts of non-Federal cost sharing other sources will provide and explain what activities they will support.

• Discuss the overall cost-effectiveness and feasibility of your application, including how you will leverage other resources.

Budget items must be:

• Reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary

• Compliant with 2 CFR §200 Subpart E cost principles

Indirect Costs: You must indicate in your budget narrative how you will charge indirect costs, including the rate to be applied:

• De Minimis Rate: If eligible, state if your organization is opting to use the de minimis rate of up to 15% of total modified direct costs. Entities that do not have a current Federal negotiated indirect cost rate (including provisional rate) may propose to use the de minimis rate. For more information, refer to 2 CFR 200.414(f).

• Negotiated Rate: State if you will negotiate with your cognizant agency. If your organization has previously negotiated a rate, attach a copy of the most recently negotiated rate agreement (active or expired).

Specific Project Costs

• Salary and personnel o Include the base salaries and the estimated percentage of time key personnel are dedicated to your project.

o List the individuals and their qualifications who will be paid a salary through this project in the section “Description of Entities Undertaking the Project.”

https://www.fws.gov/media/example-budget-spreadsheet-0 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subpart-E

• Training and meetings o Provide details regarding training events in the Activities section, include who will attend, anticipated number of attendees, curriculum, and how attendees will be selected, if applicable.

o For meetings, include participants, a draft agenda, and desired outcomes.

• Equipment o Equipment refers to items costing $10,000 or more that last over one year, which require compliance with federal procurement rules.

o Items not meeting these criteria should be classified as “Supplies.”

o Your budget narrative should explain the reason for purchasing or renting equipment.

o List any existing U.S. federally funded equipment for your project and its specific funding source.

o For large purchases, include technical specifications or a pro forma invoice.

• Supplies o List items separately using the unit cost and the percentage of each unit cost being charged to the award, for instance, Telephone: $50/month x 50% x 12 months.

• Contractual o Sub-awards: If your project will award funds to another organization, for each sub-award provide a detailed line-item breakdown of costs explaining specific services, including personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, other direct costs, and indirect costs.

o Consultant Fees: For costs such as lecture fees, honoraria, travel, and per diem for speakers or independent evaluators, list the number of people and rates per day.

These costs should be consistent with the level of experience of your consultant and based on a fair market value.

• Social Safeguards o You can include costs for creating and maintaining new social safeguards.

o This includes expenses for training, hiring staff, and setting up systems to handle complaints, like Grievance Redress Mechanisms (GRMs).

o You are encouraged to seek help in building the ability of your organization to maintain these social safeguards over time.

• Data and Evaluation Costs o You may include costs related to data and evaluation as relevant per 2 CFR

§200.455.

• Expenses listed as “Contingencies” are unallowable, unless conditions listed under 2 CFR

§ 200.433 are applicable.

• Expenses listed as “Other” must be identified and described.

• There are restrictions on certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment, including drones, these restrictions can be found at 2CFR § 200.216.

Unallowable Costs https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.455 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.455 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.433 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.433 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.216

The following costs are not allowable under this program:

• Publication of materials for distribution within the United States that are not related to the program

• Pre-award costs, which are expenses incurred before the specified dates of award period of performance, unless prior written approval is received

• Programs that advocate policy views or positions of foreign governments or a particular political faction

• Entertainment

• Alcoholic beverages

• Purchase of land

• Direct support or the appearance of direct support for individual or single-party electoral campaigns

• Duplication of services immediately available through municipal, provincial, or national government

• Expenses listed as “Miscellaneous” or “etc.”

Other Required Information Conflict of Interest and Unresolved Matters Disclosures: If any actual or potential conflict of interest exists related to this project at the time of application, the applicant must provide sufficient information to support a program determination of significance per 2 CFR 1402.112.

Refer to 2 CFR 200.112 Conflict of Interest and 2 CFR 200.113.

Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement Applicants must state in their application if the activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel proposed in this application overlap with those in any other Federal application or award or not. If no overlap exists, include a statement to that effect. If any overlap exists, provide:

• Activities: Description any overlapping activities.

• Costs: Description of any overlapping costs.

• Time: Description of any overlapping key personnel time.

• A copy of any overlapping or duplicative application submitted to any other potential funding entity.

• Details on when any overlapping application was submitted, to whom, and the expected date of the funding decision.

Description of Entities Undertaking the Project Who will carry out the project, and what are their specific qualifications?

• Include a short description of the organization that is applying for the project and any other people or groups that will help.

• Explain which activities each person, group, or organization will manage.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-XIV/part-1402#1402.112 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-B/section-200.112 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-B/section-200.113

• On your SF-424 form include complete contact information for the project manager.

• Include a short (1-page) resume for key people, showing their qualifications to help reach your project goals.

• Do not include any personal information such as identification numbers or personal details like marital status, religion, or physical characteristics.

Map of Project Area Where is your project located?

• Your map should clearly show the project area and be big enough to read easily.

• Label all sites mentioned in your project description.

Assessment of Activities Requiring Safeguards Against GHRVs What is the risk level for a potential abuse of power or a gross human rights violation: low, medium, or high? Do they require additional social safeguards to address any possible risks?

• If you identify possible risks, it does not mean the activity cannot proceed; many projects can continue with the right risk management in place.

• You should first identify if your activities are likely to pose potential risks that would need additional safeguards, or if all your activities are low risk and do not need safeguards.

• Low-risk activities have little to no harmful effects on the environment or communities.

o These activities usually do not involve much contact with Indigenous Peoples and local communities and do not directly affect their livelihoods or resources.

• If an activity is assessed as having potential risks, the application should outline how to manage those risks and show that your organization has the staff and capacity to implement the strategies effectively.

Government Letter of Endorsement

• Include a letter of support from the appropriate local, regional, or national government wildlife or conservation authority if your project is outside the United States.

• Your endorsement letter should be written in English, or you should provide an English translation of your letter.

• Your endorsement letter should specifically mention USFWS and your project.

• Your endorsement letter must be less than two years old.

• Your endorsement letter should be signed by someone who is not also listed as a key team member in your application.

• We can accept a current Memorandum of Understanding between you and the government authority if it mentions the proposed work.

• USFWS will accept your application if you have a pending endorsement letter, but you must include a statement about the status of your endorsement letter in your application.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

Address to Request Application Package To request paper copies of application forms or other materials, please contact mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov.

Submission Dates and Times Closing Date for Applications: 02/27/2025

Closing Date Explanation

Your electronically submitted application must be submitted no later than 23:59 ET on 27 February 2025.

Late applications will not be accepted. Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email with an application number that starts with "FWS-." If you do not receive this email within five days after the closing date, please contact mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov. Do not submit your application more than once, as duplicate applications will be discarded.

Submission Instructions Apply Through GrantSolutions To apply through GrantSolutions, follow these steps:

1. Register your organization. Send an e-mail to help@grantsolutions.gov with:

• Subject: New Organization Request

• Entity name (organization or individual applying as a natural person)

• Entity type

• SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier (not required for individuals)

• Employer Identification Number (individuals, do not include your SSN)

• Address

• Contact details (First and last name, e-mail, phone)

This information should be the same as entered on the entity’s SAM.gov profile.

2. Assign system user roles. Follow the GrantSolutions “Recipient user” registration instructions. Submit a separate Recipient User Account Request form for each official to be assigned a system role. At minimum, the Authorizing Official (ADO) and Principal Investigator/Program Director (PI/PD) must be assigned.

3. Log in. GrantSolutions requires users to log in through Login.gov. Each user must create a Login.gov account. For instructions, see the GrantSolutions Training Resources web page.

4. Find and apply to this Funding Opportunity. After logging in, click on either the “Begin an application” link (first time applicants) or the “Funding Opportunity” link to go to the “Competing Announcements-Application Kits” list screen. Search the list for this Funding Opportunity’s title and number. Click on the associated “Apply” link.

Follow the prompts from there. Required applications forms are provided with the Funding Opportunity in GrantSolutions unless otherwise indicated on the Required Forms table above.

mailto:mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/getting-started-request-a-user-account/ https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/getting-started-request-a-user-account/ https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/getting-started-request-a-user-account/ https://login.gov/ https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/recipient-gmm-training-resources/?_sf_s=login&_sft_resource_cat=login-and-navigation https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/recipient-gmm-training-resources/?_sf_s=login&_sft_resource_cat=login-and-navigation

5. For detailed instructions, see the GrantSolutions Training Resources web page.

6. Need help? Find help topics and contact information on the GrantSolutions Contact Us page.

Please Note: You must have an active registration in SAM before attempting to register in GrantSolutions. If you encounter issues while registering or submitting an application in GrantSolutions, you may be eligible for a waiver. To request a waiver, you must provide supporting documentation that demonstrates the problems you are facing. This documentation can include screenshots of error messages or email correspondence with the GrantSolutions Help Desk as you attempt to resolve the issue. Submit your waiver request at least three days before the submission deadline to dic_grants@fws.gov.

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Eligibility Review During the eligibility review, the application is checked for timely submission, completed packages (see Application Documents above) and alignment with the requirements of this announcement. USFWS may remove your application if it does not pass the eligibility review.

This program evaluates applications by scoring how well each application addresses the program priorities and the requested elements listed in the Merit Review Criteria section below.

USFWS will ensure that:

• applications are reviewed and evaluated by qualified reviewers,

• applications are scored and selected based on announced criteria,

• consideration is given to applicant risk and past performance,

• competitive applications are ranked, and

• funding decisions are made.

We established an evaluation plan comprised of five basic elements: 1) merit review factors and sub-factors, 2) a rating system for competitive applications, 3) evaluation standards or descriptions that explain the basis for assignment of the various rating system grades/scores, 4) program policy factors, and 5) the basis for selection.

Basic eligibility review

• After you submit your application, program staff will check it for completeness and confirm if you are eligible.

• If your application is missing information, it will be marked as ineligible until it is complete.

o You will get an email from dic_grants@fws.gov, and you will have five days to correct your application.

o If you do not make the required corrections within that time, your application will be rejected.

• Complete applications will receive an email from dic_grants@fws.gov confirming eligibility.

https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/recipient-gmm-training-resources/?_sf_s=login&_sft_resource_cat=login-and-navigation https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/contact-us/ https://home.grantsolutions.gov/home/contact-us/

Review for minimum programmatic requirements

• After submission, the USFWS Program Officer will review your application to ensure it meets the minimum programmatic requirements before advancing to the merit review.

• The Program Officer will share with the merit review panel any applications that did not meet minimum programmatic requirements and the reasons why, and the panel will have an opportunity to discuss.

Merit review panel

• The USFWS Program Officer will identify and recruit reviewers for the merit review panel.

• The panel will evaluate and score each application according to the merit review criteria outlined in the section below.

• The panel is made up of a minimum of five U.S. Government employees, including at least three merit reviewers, one panel chair, and one recorder.

• Only permanent U.S. Government staff may score applications.

• All staff and peer reviewers, evaluators, panel members, and advisors must sign and return to the Program Officer the “Department of the Interior Conflict of Interest Certification” form prior to participating in any review or evaluation process.

• By signing this form, the reviewer agrees to recuse themselves from scoring or commenting on applications for which they have a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

• This form must be signed and filed before a reviewer can participate in the merit review panel. For a copy of this form, contact mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov.

If an applicant selected for funding hasn't finished their SAM.gov registration (see 2 CFR 25.200 and 2 CFR 25.110) when the federal agency is ready to make an award, we may decide that the applicant is ineligible for the award and choose to grant it to someone else. Please refer 2 CFR

25.205 for more information.

Prior to making an award, the DOI checks the anticipated recipient and their key project personnel against the current list of prohibited or restricted persons or entities in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Exclusions database. We are prohibited from making an award if a recipient or any key personnel are found ineligible, prohibited, restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving or participating in an award, as their ineligibility condition applies to this program.

If removed from consideration for ineligibility, USFWS will notify you in writing.

Merit Review This program ranks applications by scoring how well each application addresses Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (RTCF) program goals and priorities as well as the requested elements listed in the Project Narrative section above. Well justified and feasible projects that can make a significant contribution to the conservation of tigers or Asian rhinoceros and their habitats and https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-25.200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-B/section-25.205 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-B/section-25.205 include all the requested application elements will receive higher scores. USFWS will consider the following criteria, listed in priority order, when evaluating your application:

1. Likelihood of conservation impact in support of the RTCF’s goals and objectives.

• To what degree does your proposed project contribute to at least one of the following:

o Address a conservation need identified by a specialist group, or by a regional, national, or global strategy?

o Improve effective management and governance in your project site?

o Strengthen your individual and organizational capacity at your project site?

• Your objectives, activities, and methods are well-defined, measurable, statistically valid, realistic, and apply the best scientific and technical information available.

• Your project will provide benefits beyond the life of your grant.

• Your budget is reasonable and realistic for your proposed activities.

2. Technical, logistical, and institutional capacity of your organization and staff to…