Updated_Foa_F22AS00092.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FWS - Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration https://www.fws.gov/wsfrprograms/subpages/grantprograms/swg/swg.htm

Fiscal Year 2022 Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) Program Fiscal Year: 2022

F22AS00092

Due Date for Applications: 02/19/2022

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT:

OMB Control Number: 1018-0100, Expiration Date: 7/31/2021

We are collecting this information in accordance with the authorizing legislation identified above. Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will use the information you provide to conduct a competitive review and select projects for funding and, if awarded, to evaluate performance. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. We estimate that it will take you on average about 40 hours to complete an initial application, about 3 hours to revise the terms of an award, and about 8 hours per report to prepare and submit financial and performance reports, including time to maintain records and gather information. Actual time for these activities will vary depending on program-specific requirements. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

Table of Contents A. Program Description

B. Federal Award Information

B1. Total Funding

B2. Expected Award Amount

B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates

B4. Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching

C3. Other

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. Address to Request Application Package

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

D4. Submission Dates and Times

D5. Intergovernmental Review

D6. Funding Restrictions

D7. Other Submission Requirements

E. Application Review Information

E1. Criteria

E2. Review and Selection Process

E3. CFR – Regulatory Information

E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F1. Federal Award Notices

F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F3. Reporting

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

G1. Program Technical Contact

G2. Program Administration

G3. Application System Technical Support

H. Other Information

A. Program Description Authority:

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, PL 116-260 (H.R. 113, 116th Cong. Div. G, Title 1, State and Tribal Wildlife Grants), and prior-year appropriations acts. Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, P.L. 117-43 (H.R. 5305).

Assistance Listing Number:

15.634 Background, Purpose and Program Requirements:

References to “you” in this announcement refer to the State fish and wildlife agency or regional association of fish and wildlife agencies completing the application and any potential subrecipient, if applicable. References to “we” or “us” in this announcement refer to the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service (Service).

The Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) Program provides Federal grant funds to help you and your partners implement programs for the benefit of fish and wildlife and their habitats, including species that are not hunted or fished. Eligible activities include conservation planning and implementation. Planning activities must contribute directly to the development or modification of your Wildlife Action Plan (Plan) approved by the Director of the Service or other Service designee. Implementation activities are those that you carry out to execute your Plan. Priority for use of these funds must be placed on your identified species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) and their habitats, and should take into consideration the relative level of funding available for the conservation of these species. Ineligible activities include wildlife education and law enforcement activities, unless they are a minor or incidental component considered critical to the success of your project. Additional information about the C- SWG Program is available here.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program's (WSFR's) mission is to work through partnerships to conserve and manage fish and wildlife and their habitats for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations. WSFR’s vision is of healthy, diverse, and accessible fish and wildlife populations that offer recreation, economic activity, and other societal benefits, in addition to sustainable ecological functions. WSFR’s guiding principle is that society benefits from conservation-based management of fish and wildlife and their habitats and opportunities to use and enjoy them. The C-SWG Program aligns with WSFR’s mission, vision, and guiding principle.

The SWG Program also supports two of the Administration’s priorities including improving climate change adaptation and increasing resilience (through wildlife research, habitat restoration, land acquisition, and other actions) and strengthening the economy (by supporting outdoor recreation activities). Grant awards issued under this program typically include projects for biological research, fish and wildlife conservation, and habitat management. Many of the projects conducted under the C-SWG Program directly or indirectly support Executive Order 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. Program activities support land http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SWG/SWG.htm conservation and biodiversity efforts, contributing to the Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful (30 x 30) initiative.

The C-SWG Program is successful when it leverages Federal funding through cost-sharing provisions with you and your partners to design and implement proactive conservation actions in a strategic fashion, as articulated in your Plan. In doing so, it helps protect your authority to identify, study, and conserve those species you deem most in need of conservation while helping to avoid more prescriptive Federal regulatory requirements associated with listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). A core principle of the C-SWG Program is the utilization of effective partnerships that demonstrate the spirit of cooperation and sharing of resources to achieve our common conservation goals.

Wildlife TRACS (Tracking and Reporting Actions for the Conservation of Species) is the tracking and reporting system used by WSFR to capture conservation and related actions funded by its grant programs. TRACS serves as the electronic repository system for all performance and accomplishment reporting related to those Federal awards. TRACS highlights program accountability by documenting program accomplishments and results. As outlined in this announcement, grant and project statement information and performance reporting data must be entered into TRACS as authorized under 2 CFR 200.102(c), 200.202, 200.301, and 200.329.

In FY 2022, the Service offers you the opportunity to apply for an award through the Plan Enhancement subprogram, in parallel with any C-SWG Program application(s) you may choose to submit. The purpose of this subprogram is to support the implementation of Plan improvements recommended in the report, Best Practices for State Wildlife Action Plans (Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2012). Maximum awards, scoring criteria, and partnership requirements differ for Plan Enhancement Subprogram applications and awards (see Section C3. Other [Information on Eligibility]) of this announcement.

This announcement contains instructions to apply for both a C-SWG Program award and a Plan Enhancement Subprogram award. You may submit one or more applications for the C-SWG Program and the Plan Enhancement Subprogram concurrently, but you must submit each application separately and you must meet all the requirements described in this announcement in each application.

Plan Enhancement applications must be submitted under one of the following themes:

Climate Adaptation: We support development of climate adaptation information and identification of adaptation strategies for wildlife and their habitats. Such activities may include but are not limited to:

Identification of best management practices to address climate-related threats to SGCN, their habitats, or ecological processes that affect them

Identification of climate-resilient priority conservation areas for SGCN/habitats Implementation of large-scale climate change vulnerability assessments for multiple

SGCN/habitats https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=se2.1.200_1102&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=049305c173b88964e96991aafabcf1f4&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_1202 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=049305c173b88964e96991aafabcf1f4&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_1301 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=049305c173b88964e96991aafabcf1f4&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_1329 https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/3215/1856/0300/SWAP_Best_Practices_Report_Nov_2012.pdf https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/3215/1856/0300/SWAP_Best_Practices_Report_Nov_2012.pdf

Alignment of Plan strategies with the report, Advancing the National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy Into the New Decade, or with another published climate adaptation strategy

Classification and Prioritization: We support projects that will result in improved Plan classification and prioritization methods, especially those that advance large-scale, multi-jurisdictional SGCN conservation. Examples include but are not limited to:

Revision of Plan criteria for identifying or ranking SGCN, or collaboration among multiple States resulting in adoption of a unified selection or ranking procedure

Adoption of a unified nomenclature, standard lexicon, or other methodology for classification or prioritization of Plan elements. For example: NatureServe’s natural heritage methodology, N. Salafsky’s unified conservation threats and actions, International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, or the Service’s TRACS Performance Matrix

Implementation of strategies identified in the report, Leading At-Risk Fish and Wildlife Conservation: A Framework to Advance Landscape-Scale and Cross-Boundary Conservation Through Coordinated State Wildlife Action Plans (Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, September 2021). Please contact AFWA or WSFR for a copy of this report.

Mapping: We support use of digital mapping technologies and techniques to delineate geographic areas presenting the best opportunities for conservation (such as focal areas or conservation opportunity areas). Partnerships of two or more States may utilize funds to align and unify geospatial information across State lines. We encourage use of a common platform that can be integrated across State fish and wildlife agencies and regional Associations of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Database Enhancements: We support efforts to expand or enhance databases for Plan elements of one or more States. Databases may house SGCN information or related data on habitats, threats, conservation actions, and/or accomplishments.

Plan Accessibility: We support efforts to improve the accessibility of Plan information. For example, you may utilize funds to web-enable your Plan so that it is searchable and easily shared with and understood by partners. You may repackage and deliver Plan data to local or regional entities engaged in land-use planning or development, so that data is more accessible and relevant to towns, counties, private companies, or others.

Plan Evaluation: We support efforts to evaluate the effectiveness of a Plan, to determine the degree to which your agency or division is meeting your Plan’s goals and objectives, and to develop strategies to improve your Plan.

Whether you apply for a C-SWG Program or Plan Enhancement Subprogram grant, we encourage you to design and manage your project within an adaptive management framework.

Adaptive management in the context of natural resources conservation involves the integration of design, management, and monitoring to systematically test your assumptions in order to adapt and learn. Adaptive management is a form of structured decision-making that requires careful https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/4216/1161/3356/Advancing_Strategy_Report_FINAL.pdf https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/4216/1161/3356/Advancing_Strategy_Report_FINAL.pdf https://www.natureserve.org/conservation-tools/standards-methods https://www.natureserve.org/conservation-tools/standards-methods https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18544093/ https://www.iucnredlist.org/ https://wsfrtraining.fws.gov/pluginfile.php/406/mod_page/content/203/TRACS%20Performance%20Matrix_V19%2004282021.pdf?time=1623953311192 https://wsfrtraining.fws.gov/pluginfile.php/406/mod_page/content/203/TRACS%20Performance%20Matrix_V19%2004282021.pdf?time=1623953311192 goal setting, identifying management objectives and causal hypotheses, taking action, measuring results, and evaluating, documenting, interpreting, and sharing outcomes of management actions.

We utilize the Strategic Habitat Conservation framework to improve our ability to define desired biological outcomes and articulate the consequences of site-scale actions on landscape-scale functions. Other, similar adaptive management frameworks may be used. For more information, see:

Strategic Habitat Conservation: Final Report of the National Ecological Assessment Team (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey, 2006)

The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (The Conservation Measures Partnership, 2013)

Measuring the Effectiveness of State Wildlife Grants (Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2011)

We award funds through the C-SWG Program for projects that will implement actions or strategies identified in Service-approved Plans, for surveys, monitoring, and related activities designed to determine whether to designate SGCN, for efforts to address documented emerging wildlife issues, or for Plan Enhancement activities consistent with the themes provided in this announcement in Section A2. Background, Purpose, and Program Requirements. Although intended as Service policy and not regulation, you may wish to review the Service Manual Part 517 FW 10 for more information. In administration of the C-SWG Program, we adopt policies described in this chapter which are applicable to the non-competitive (Formula) SWG Program, except where such policies may conflict with information contained in this announcement.

We encourage you to engage with partners as appropriate in planning, executing, and evaluating your conservation project(s). Partners may include but are not limited to: other State fish and wildlife agencies or other State entities (in or out of State), Tribes, the Service or other Federal agencies, local governments or other jurisdictions, non-governmental organizations (including for-profit and nonprofit organizations), academic institutions, private landowners or other individuals, industry groups, and international partners.

Changes from the FY 2021 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) include sections:

A2. Updated citations on reporting requirements; updated Administration priorities;

expanded the scope of the Plan Enhancement "Classification and Prioritization" theme to include AFWA's September 2021 State Wildlife Action Plan and landscape conservation recommendations; added common questions and answers to assist applicants in preparing eligible proposals; and added this bulleted list of changes;

C3. Revised Tier requirements for Alaska, Hawai'i, and the Territories permitting them to apply for any Tier if they meet requirements for State or non-state active participant partner(s) under the C-SWG Program; modified the Tiers, maximum awards, and partnership requirements under the Plan Enhancement subprogram, including removal of the requirement for identifying active participant partners.

D2. Added information on a new requirement to submit the Project Abstract Summary form, OMB Number 4040-0019, replacing the requirement for a Project Summary;

updated TRACS-related language in “Project Narrative” section;

D3. Updated information in the “Obtain a DUNS Number” section;

https://www.fws.gov/landscape-conservation/pdf/SHC-slide.pdf http://www.fws.gov/landscape-conservation/pdf/SHCReport.pdf http://www.fws.gov/landscape-conservation/pdf/SHCReport.pdf https://conservationstandards.org/ https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/3815/2278/1426/FINAL_Effectiveness_Measures_report.pdf http://www.fws.gov/policy/517fw10.pdf http://www.fws.gov/policy/517fw10.pdf

E1. Corrected an error in Criterion 2. High Priority Target Species in the previously published version of this FOA (released on November 30, 2021). Criterion 2 in this modified FOA is now unchanged from the FY 2021 FOA. In correcting this error, a new FOA template was required which includes minor updates to standard language. No other changes were made in this modified FOA.

E3. C-SWG Criterion 3 (Clarity of Objectives) is modified to remove reference to SMART objectives, to focus on TRACS Standard Objectives, and the maximum score for this criterion is reduced; the maximum score for C-SWG Criterion 7 (Impact) is increased.

Fiscal Year 2022 Competitive State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program Questions and Answers

Will grant applications from a single State be considered for funding?

Yes. In the C-SWG Program, any single State, Commonwealth or Territory fish and wildlife agency may apply for up to $250,000 (Tier 1); however, only the State fish and wildlife agencies of Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands may apply for C-SWG Program funds without an active participant partner. Contiguous States applying for Tier 1 must identify at least one partner that is an active participant in proposed conservation actions. An active participant is defined as a partner that is requesting and/or matching at least 10 percent of total project costs as given in your project statement and budget. Under Tier 1, contiguous States may apply with any partner including but not limited to: tribes, other State agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, businesses, and individuals (e.g., private landowners). In the Plan Enhancement subprogram, any single State, Commonwealth, or Territory fish and wildlife agency may apply for up to $150,000 (Tier 1). There is no requirement for documentation of active participants as long as you and/or your partner(s) provide matching funds to meet the minimum requirement.

What are the minimum and maximum Federal awards in the C-SWG Program?

There is no minimum award although most applicants request at least $50,000 in C-SWG Program funds. The maximum award varies, depending on the number of active participant State fish and wildlife agency partners or other partners you choose to involve in your project.

Maximum awards are as follows:

C-SWG Tier 1 Maximum Federal Award: $250,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least one active participant partner, which may be any State or non-state entity. Alaska and the island jurisdictions do not need an active participant partner to apply at this Tier. Associations must apply on behalf of at least one State fish and wildlife agency active participant partner.

C-SWG Tier 2 Maximum Federal Award: $500,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least one State fish and wildlife agency active participant partner. Alaska and the island jurisdictions may apply with any active participant partner, including any State or non-state entity. Associations must apply on behalf of at least two State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners.

C-SWG Tier 3 Maximum Federal Award: $750,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least two State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners. Alaska and the island jurisdictions must apply with at least two active participant partners, including any State or non-state entity. Associations must apply on behalf of at least three State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners.

C-SWG Tier 4 Maximum Federal Award: $1,000,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least three State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners. Alaska and the island jurisdictions must apply with at least three active participant partners, including any State or non-state entity. Associations must apply on behalf of at least four State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners.

What are the minimum and maximum Federal awards in the Plan Enhancement subprogram?

There is no minimum award although most applicants request at least $50,000 in Plan Enhancement subprogram funds. The maximum Federal award varies based on whether you are proposing a single-state (Tier 1) or multi-state (Tier 2) project. The maximum Federal award and associated requirements are:

Enhancement Tier 1 – Single-State Projects Maximum Federal Award: $150,000 Single State fish and wildlife agencies are eligible to apply. Associations must apply on behalf of a State fish and wildlife agency. Partners are not required.

Enhancement Tier 2 – Multi-State Projects Maximum Federal Award: $300,000 Partnerships of two or more State or Territory fish and wildlife agencies are eligible to apply.

Associations applying on behalf of two or more State or Territory fish and wildlife agencies are eligible to apply. Partnering State fish and wildlife agencies in these multi-state projects must provide a signed letter indicating that your State consents to the Lead Entity applying for a Plan Enhancement grant on your behalf. This letter must also describe how each partnering State will utilize project results in their next Plan revision or comprehensive review. This letter is not required for Lead Entities (including Associations) applying for Plan Enhancement subprogram grants on behalf of other States.

What are the Federal cost-sharing requirements for this competitive program?

The Federal share of C-SWG Program grants may not exceed 75 percent of the total project cost.

Matching funds may not include other Federal funds unless specifically authorized by law, such as the funding from the Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program. Matching requirements up to $200,000 are waived for the Territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (48 U.S.C. 1469(a), Amendment of Subsection (d)).

How do I calculate the minimum amount of non-Federal match that my agency and/or partners must provide in total?

The maximum Federal share is 75 percent of total project costs. To determine the minimum required non-Federal match, we recommend you divide your total Federal request by three to determine the minimum required non-Federal match. For example, if your total Federal request is $500,000, divide this amount by three to arrive at your minimum required non-Federal match amount of $166,667.

Will the C-SWG Grant Program continue in future years?

Funding for the C-SWG Grant Program is appropriated annually by Congress. There is no assurance that funds will be appropriated in subsequent years.

How long are funds available for obligation?

C-SWG Program funds are available until expended. However, we encourage you to submit all required documentation to your WSFR Regional Office within six months of initial pre-award notification of selection for an award.

How must a Project Narrative document an emerging issue?

We may provide C-SWG Program funds to address emerging issues relevant to species or their habitats that are not included in your State’s Wildlife Action Plan. In such cases, a Project Statement must: a. describe the emerging issue fully by identifying the wildlife species or habitats that would benefit from the proposed action; b. explain why it is an emerging issue; and

c. commit your agency to monitoring the effectiveness of the completed action so you can adaptively manage the species. Your application must also include a commitment letter that the director of your State fish and wildlife agency has signed stating that the next version of the Plan will include the issue if it remains a priority.

For projects involving multiple States, should one State be the project lead?

Projects involving multiple States may designate a Lead Entity (State or AFWA regional association) that subawards funds to partnering States, non-State entities such as universities, and other non-governmental organizations through subawards (Option 1). The Lead Entity must prepare and submit financial status and performance reports including the final report on behalf of all partners for the entire project. Alternatively, each State in a multi-State project may choose to directly receive funds from the Service as separate grants (Option 2). In this case, after the Service Director approves such an award, each participating State must submit a complete application in GrantSolutions for its portion of awarded funds. The Lead Entity and each participating State must prepare and submit separate individual financial status and performance reports for each State’s portion of the overall project.

For projects involving multiple States, does each State need to contribute the minimum required match?

Each award must show that required non-Federal matching resources (cash, equipment, in-kind, etc.) have been contributed. Where the application is submitted by a State or association that will administer a single C-SWG Program award to multiple sub-recipients, States involved in the project may contribute any amount agreed to in the application or negotiated following award as long as the final report demonstrates that the non-Federal matching requirements for the overall project as described in the proposal are met. Where the application is submitted on behalf of one or more States and will be administered as separate awards to partnering States, each partnering State must demonstrate in their separate application that non-Federal matching requirements are met.

What activities are eligible for funding under this program?

The C-SWG Program was created to meet the needs of animal SGCN and their habitats through activities that are identified in your Plan. Activities eligible for funding are described in detail in Table 10-1 of the Service Manual Chapter 517 FW 10, State Wildlife Grants – Mandatory Subprogram, which is available here. While any activity described in this Service Manual Chapter is eligible, the scoring criteria described in Section VI provide current priorities for funding under the C-SWG Program.

What are the compliance requirements for activities funded under this program?

You must comply with all applicable Federal laws and regulations as a condition of acceptance of Federal funds. In addition to the authorizing legislation, compliance requirements for the C- SWG Program include 2 CFR 200, ESA, NEPA, NHPA, and other applicable State and Federal laws, regulations, and policies. You must provide assurance that you will comply with all applicable provisions. The Service, in cooperation with grantees, must address Federal compliance issues relating to the ESA, NEPA, and NHPA prior to obligating awarded grant funds. WSFR Regional staff can assist you in explaining the procedures and documentation necessary for meeting Federal requirements prior to approval of the award.

Are there additional formatting criteria?

Prepare your grant application using text of no less than 12 points. We recommend you use a common font such as Times New Roman and use standard page margins.

Where should an applicant submit an application?

All applications should be submitted through GrantSolutions, searching for Funding Opportunity Number F22AS00092. We recommend you also submit via email a single document in PDF format containing your entire proposal to your WSFR Regional Office prior to the deadline in case you experience difficulties submitting your application through GrantSolutions. If your agency does not use GrantSolutions, you may submit your application through Grants.gov.

Who announces the awards, and what additional documentation is required of selected applicants?

The Service Director makes selections for awards based on ranking criteria published annually in the Funding Opportunity Announcement. We may or may not publish a national or regional media release announcing awards. The WSFR Regional Office will notify successful applicants of the selections and provide any additional requirements or information needed to receive an award.

What must be done during the grant period if a change in objectives or approach is needed?

This is a competitive program. Therefore, each grant application is judged to be complete with all costs needed to accomplish the proposed objectives. The WSFR Regional Office has discretion to determine whether proposed changes can be accepted if the original objectives will still be met and the resulting benefits will be equivalent to those initially described. Otherwise, no changes to the originally described funding amounts will be allowed.

https://www.fws.gov/policy/517fw10.pdf

If you cannot complete the project as approved, the grant will be terminated, all remaining unexpended funds will revert to us, and you must submit a final report within 90 days of the termination date. We may require that you repay all expended funds if the final financial status report and the final performance report indicate that no substantive accomplishments were made.

Who has the authority to terminate a grant?

Grants may be terminated by the Service Director or designee, or by mutual agreement between your State director or designee and the WSFR Regional Chief. A termination decision by the Service Director is not subject to appeal.

What is included within the 15-page limit for the Project Narrative, and what is not?

Included in Project Narrative page limit: Project Statement including any graphs or tables within the text, location description, project leader information (do not include CVs or résumés), responses to criteria, and any other information that explains or provides additional information necessary for project scoring.

Not included in Project Narrative page limit: Federal forms, project summary, budget and budget narrative, maps, photos, diagrams, drawings, or schematics, citations to literature, appendices, supplementary web links, letters of commitment, and any statements pertaining to indirect costs or other budget-related responses, audit statements, overlap/duplication statements, lobbying disclosures, or conflict of interest statements or forms.

Please organize your proposal so that Project Narrative elements appear on consecutive pages, so reviewers can verify it is no more than 15 pages in length. Please also limit the total application package to 50 pages or less. Any additional information beyond 50 pages will not be considered when reviewing your application. If all required information is not provided within the 50-page limit, your application may be rejected.

What resources are available to help with project design and proposal development?

You may benefit from information contained in the document, “Measuring the Effectiveness of State Wildlife Grants." See also the WSFR Standard Project Statement Wiki for general examples and guidance on using Standard Objectives, which are required. Contact your WSFR Regional Office if you need assistance or more information.

Additional resources focusing on adaptive management are available in the following:

• Strategic Habitat Conservation: Final Report of the National Ecological Assessment Team (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey, 2006)

• The Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (The Conservation Measures Partnership, 2013)

Are land values eligible as match?

Although land value is allowable for use as match, we generally discourage this source of match in the C-SWG Program. In order for the value of land to qualify for match, you must show that the expenses associated with acquisition of a specific parcel, appraised and reviewed properly following Federal standards, are necessary for the achievement of project objectives. This justification should address why acquisition of the subject parcel was necessary, and could not be accomplished through another less expensive action such as an easement. Values of lands https://fawiki.fws.gov/display/WSFR/Standard+Project+Statements acquired in previous years or lands that have not yet been acquired may be disqualified as match if they are not shown to be necessary for achieving project objectives.

Ranking criteria provide extra points for certain classes such as amphibians. Are projects targeting birds, mammals, and fish still eligible?

Yes, any project targeting a designated animal SGCN (or a non-SGCN animal species impacted by an emerging issue) are eligible for funding under this program.

Is student tuition an eligible cost under the C-SWG Program?

Yes. Tuition remission and other forms of compensation paid as, or in lieu of, wages to students performing necessary work are allowable provided that such compensation meets the five criteria described at 2 CFR 200.466. You should note in your application whether any students will receive a stipend in addition to tuition remission, and justify why hiring a student is more cost-effective than other hiring arrangements such as hiring seasonal technical field staff.

Are pre-award costs eligible under the C-SWG Program?

Yes. Pre-award costs are those incurred prior to the effective date of a Federal award and are necessary for efficient and timely performance of proposed activities. Such costs may be eligible for reimbursement or use as match with written approval of a WSFR Regional Chief or designee.

Pre-award costs are limited to those that are directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the pending Federal award, and they must be otherwise allowable if they were incurred after the date of the Federal award (2 CFR 200.458). Generally, only those costs incurred between the date of project selection for funding and obligation of the award by the Region are eligible as pre-award costs. Costs meeting this definition include, for example, required compliance activities that are performed after selection of the project for funding by the Service Director but prior to receipt of an award letter from the Region. Previous project costs do not meet the criteria for eligible pre-award costs because they are not directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the pending Federal award.

B. Federal Award Information B1. Total Funding Estimated Total Funding $7,362,000 The C-SWG Program is funded through annual appropriations of Congress and the available total varies from year to year.

B2. Expected Award Amount Maximum Award $1,000,000 Minimum Award $50,000

B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates Expected Award Funding $7,362,000 Expected Award Date June 24, 2022

B4. Number of Awards Expected Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award Funding Instrument Type G - Grant

C. Eligibility Information C1. Eligible Applicants Eligible Applicants 00 – State governments 25 – Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) Additional Information on Eligibility In addition to State agencies with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources in the United States, only the four regional Associations of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA, MAFWA, SEAFWA, NEAFWA) are eligible to apply.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement Yes Percentage of Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement For the continental States, Hawaii, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Federal share of C-SWG Program grants may not exceed 75 percent of the total project cost. The total project cost includes the requested Federal funds plus eligible matching funds or other resources, but excludes other Federal funds that are ineligible for or not attributed as match. In accordance with 48 United States Code (U.S.C.) 1469(a), Amendment of Subsection (d), the Regional Director shall waive up to $200,000 of the required match for each grant awarded to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Matching and cost-sharing requirements are provided in 2 CFR 200.1 and 2 CFR 200.306. You must provide detailed information about cash and in-kind contributions in your Budget Narrative, as described in Section D2. Content and Form of Application Submission. You may https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2009-title48/pdf/USCODE-2009-title48-chap10-sec1469a.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2009-title48/pdf/USCODE-2009-title48-chap10-sec1469a.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=049305c173b88964e96991aafabcf1f4&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_11 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 meet your minimum required cost share through contributions from a third party. A third party is any individual or organization other than the State applicant, such as a partner or subrecipient. In order for your proposed cost share to be allowable, it must meet all the criteria listed in 2 CFR 200.306(b). As the primary State recipient, you are responsible for the full amount of the non- Federal cost share proposed, including any amount provided by one or more third parties, as you document on the Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424).

You may attribute some or all of your or a partner’s allowable indirect costs as voluntary committed cost-share/match; however, you may only charge to the Federal award the indirect costs calculated against the allowable direct costs charged to the Federal award.

You must document all third‐party matching funds or in-kind contributions with a signed letter of financial commitment from an authorized representative of the match provider. The letter must detail the amount of matching funds or value of donated land, equipment, volunteer or staff time, and/or services.

If you are using volunteer time to meet your cost share requirement, you must provide an estimate of the financial value of the in-kind contribution based upon rates or amounts your State normally pays for a similar product or service in the marketplace. For example, if your cost share consists of volunteer in-kind contributions, provide the required skill level of your volunteer(s) and link their duties to those of a wildlife technician or similar, comparable position in your agency. Provide the compensation rate for the equivalent State position, give the number of hours that you expect the volunteer(s) will contribute, and justify the necessity and reasonableness of the volunteer contributions for completion of project objectives. Estimates of the value of volunteer hourly contributions that are calculated by third parties do not sufficiently verify the value of such contributions.

Please note that any contributions from Federal sources are not eligible for use as non-Federal match unless authorized by Federal statute (such as the Department of Defense Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program or REPI funds).

C3. Other Maximum Awards and Partnership Requirements

In 2018, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) recommended we adopt the four funding Tiers and maximum Federal awards described in this section. This flexible policy enables single State fish and wildlife agencies to apply for C-SWG Program grants while offering an incentive for multiple agencies to work together to design and implement large-scale conservation initiatives. The four Tiers and related requirements continue to apply to C-SWG Program implementation projects. In FY 2022, we are modifying the maximum Federal awards, the number of Tiers, and the partnership requirements for Plan Enhancement subprogram grants.

In the following sections, we provide the limits and requirements for C-SWG Program and Plan Enhancement subprogram grants separately.

C-SWG Grants: Funding Limits, Tiers, and Partnership Requirements

For C-SWG Program grants, the maximum Federal award increases from $250,000 to $1 million per award based on the number of State fish and wildlife agencies actively participating in a project. Partnership requirements of the contiguous States (including the District of Columbia) differ from requirements of Alaska and the island jurisdictions (Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealths of the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico, and the U.S.

Virgin Islands). These differing requirements address resource limitations and/or geographic isolation of the island jurisdictions and Alaska.

For C-SWG Program grants, eligibility for the funding Tiers may only be met with documentation that a partner is an active participant. An active participant is defined as another project partner that is requesting and/or matching at least 10 percent of the total project costs.

Matching resources may be in the form of cash, real or personal property, staff time, or third-party cash or in-kind contributions. A State fish and wildlife agency active participant is defined as another partnering State fish and wildlife agency that is normally eligible to apply for and receive SWG Program funds, in addition to receiving and/or matching at least 10 percent of total project costs.

C-SWG Tier 1 Maximum Federal Award: $250,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least one active participant partner, which may be any State or non-state entity. Alaska and the island jurisdictions do not need an active participant partner to apply at this Tier. Associations must apply on behalf of at least one State fish and wildlife agency active participant partner.

C-SWG Tier 2 Maximum Federal Award: $500,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least one State fish and wildlife agency active participant partner. Alaska and the island jurisdictions may apply with any active participant partner, including any State or non-state entity. Associations must apply on behalf of at least two State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners.

C-SWG Tier 3 Maximum Federal Award: $750,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least two State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners. Alaska and the island jurisdictions must apply with at least two active participant partners, including any State or non-state entity. Associations must apply on behalf of at least three State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners.

C-SWG Tier 4 Maximum Federal Award: $1,000,000 Agencies of the contiguous States must apply with at least three State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners. Alaska and the island jurisdictions must apply with at least three active participant partners, including any State or non-state entity. Associations must apply on behalf of at least four State fish and wildlife agency active participant partners.

As applicable, please identify any State fish and wildlife agency active participants(s) and any other active participant(s) that you would like us to consider when verifying the maximum award you are eligible to receive under the C-SWG Program. All such partners must be clearly identified and documented in your project narrative, budget, and budget narrative along with a brief justification for the funding Tier under which you are applying. Matching resources provided by any partner must be described in detail, appropriately valued, and documented in a letter signed by an individual with budgetary authority to commit the identified resources.

Plan Enhancement Grants: Funding Limits, Tiers, and Partnership Requirements

In September 2022, AFWA published Leading At-Risk Fish & Wildlife Conservation: A Framework to Enhance Landscape-Scale and Cross-Boundary Conservation Through Coordinated State Wildlife Action Plans. To support the recommendations in this report, we have modified the funding limits, Tiers, and partnership requirements for Plan Enhancement grants.

The intent of these modifications is to reduce administrative barriers and help you and your partners build capacity for cross-jurisdictional, landscape-scale conservation planning and implementation.

For multi-state Enhancement subprogram grants, your partner(s) are not required to receive and/or contribute 10 percent or more of project costs. To ensure sufficient communication and coordination in such projects, we require all partnering State fish and wildlife agencies to provide a signed letter indicating that your agency consents to the Lead State or Association applying for a Plan Enhancement grant on your behalf. The letter must also describe how your State will utilize project results in your next Plan revision or comprehensive review.

Enhancement Tier 1 – Single-State Projects Maximum Federal Award: $150,000 Single State fish and wildlife agencies are eligible to apply. Associations must apply on behalf of a State fish and wildlife agency. Partners are not required.

Enhancement Tier 2 – Multi-State Projects Maximum Federal Award: $300,000 Partnerships of two or more State or Territory fish and wildlife agencies are eligible to apply.

Associations applying on behalf of two or more State or Territory fish and wildlife agencies are eligible to apply. Partnering State fish and wildlife agencies in these multi-state projects must provide a signed letter indicating that your State consents to the Lead Entity applying for a Plan Enhancement grant on your behalf. This letter must also describe how each partnering State will utilize project results in their next Plan revision or comprehensive review. This letter is not required for Lead Entities (including Associations) applying for Plan Enhancement subprogram grants on behalf of other States.

Administration of Multi-State Projects Applications for a multi-State project are submitted by a Lead Entity. The Lead Entity must ensure that the application includes details on the contributions of each State fish and wildlife agency and other partners participating in the project (e.g., activities, cash, in-kind contributions) and expected uses for grant funds.

If we select the project for an award, the Lead Entity may accept and administer the project as a single award. The Lead Entity may subaward funds or issue contracts to other State fish and wildlife agencies and/or other partners for activities described in the project application (Option 1). Under Option 1, the required match (if applicable) is provided for at the award level, under the single award issued to the Lead Entity. Match requirements for the single award can be met using any acceptable non-Federal source. Subawards to States and partners do not need to individually meet match requirements, unless required as a condition of the subaward.

Alternatively, if we select the project for an award, the Lead Entity and one or more other partnering State or Association may accept portions of the project award for the designated amount of project funds described in the application and administer those funds as separate awards (Option 2). Each State or Association administering an award under the approved project must submit a separate set of application materials, including the SF-424, Budget, Budget Narrative, Project Narrative, and State-specific compliance information reflecting the portion of work it will complete under its award. Each individual State or Association award may include subawarded funds or contracts to support the project. Under Option 2, the same grant administration principles apply, but in this case, there is more than one award being administered to complete the project. Each award administered by a separate State or Association to support the project must include the required match at the individual award level for the portion of project funds in that award.

Any State or Association receiving grant funds under an individual award, whether they are the Lead Entity or not, is responsible for the financial and performance reporting requirements for those funds, including any funds disbursed through subawards or contracts. See Section F3.

Reporting, for additional information.

In-Country Licenses, Permits, or Approvals: Entities conducting activities outside the U.S.

are responsible for coordinating with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities as necessary to obtain all required licenses, permits, or approvals before undertaking project activities. The Service does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws, regulations, policies, or procedures of the foreign country in which they are conducting work.

Excluded Parties: FWS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The Bureau cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

Foreign Entities or Projects:

State Sponsors of Terrorism: This program will not fund projects in countries determined by the U.S. Department of State to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism and therefore are subject to sanctions restricting receipt of U.S.