F26AS00062: Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act FY 2026
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- F26AS00062
- Agency
-
Fish and Wildlife Service
Department of the Interior
- Applications due
- Award size
- $2,000 to $500,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement, Grant
- Category
-
- Natural Resources
- Eligible applicants
-
- Individuals
- Small Businesses
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- Independent School Districts
- State Governments
- City/Township Governments
- Special District Governments
- Tribal Organizations (Not Federally Recognized)
- Other
- Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized)
- Non-501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- County Governments
- Unrestricted
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Points of contact
-
- Justin Chiotti justin_chiotti@fws.gov (248) 891-0087
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is soliciting research, restoration, and Regional Project proposals for Great Lakes Basin fish and wildlife resource conservation, with a pre-proposal deadline of August 3, 2026, and full proposal deadline of October 13, 2026. All restoration and research proposals require a minimum 25% non-federal cost match; Regional Project proposals may be exempt from cost-share if the Midwest Region 3 Regional Director determines no match is required.
Eligible applicants include state and local governments, federally recognized and non-federally recognized tribal governments and organizations, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, institutions of higher education, small businesses, individuals, and other entities, provided proposed activities occur within the Great Lakes Basin or impact fish or wildlife species present in the region. The Service expects to distribute approximately $3.5 million across approximately 15 awards. Restoration and research proposals should request between $10,000 and $250,000 per award; Regional Project proposals should request between $200,000 and $500,000. Restoration and research proposals will be awarded as grants; Regional Project proposals will be awarded as cooperative agreements. Up to one-third of total Congressional appropriations is eligible to fund Regional Project proposals.
Applicants must submit restoration and research pre-proposals (two pages maximum) and Regional Project pre-proposals (two pages maximum) by August 3, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET through GrantSolutions. Pre-proposals selected for advancement will be notified in September 2026. Full proposals for restoration and research are due October 13, 2026. Regional Project applicants must present proposals to the Proposal Review Committee between September 21–25, 2026. The Proposal Review Committee, comprised of representatives from eight state fish and wildlife agencies and five federally recognized Indian tribes in the Great Lakes region, will score and rank all proposals using nine review criteria addressing management significance, proposal characteristics, cost-effectiveness, and likelihood of success. Grant agreements and cooperative agreements are anticipated between January and March 2027, with project performance periods from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2029. Activities must comply with National Environmental Policy Act requirements before initiation. Assistance Listing 15.688.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) requests interested entities to submit research, restoration, and Regional Project proposals for the restoration of the Great Lakes Basin fish and wildlife resources, as authorized under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (16U.S.C. 941c). The purpose of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (GLFWRA) is to provide assistance to States, Indian Tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration, research, and management of the fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Supported in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we expect approximately $3.5 million to support proposals this fiscal year. Available funding and proposal awards are subject to final Congressional appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026. Up to 33 and one-third percent of the total Congressional appropriation to the GLFWRA is eligible to fund Regional Project proposals.
Expected award funding for Regional Project proposals is between $200,000 to $500,000. Successful restoration and research proposals have ranged from $2,000 to $500,000 with the average proposal at $217,843. Expected award funding for restoration and research proposals is between $10,000 and $250,000. Selected restoration and research proposals and Regional Project proposals will be awarded funding for the duration of the proposal via a grant or cooperative agreement between the recipient and the Service. Funding will be made available once the official award letter has been received by the successful applicant and the performance period has started. Continuation of proposals funded in previous fiscal years are eligible but will be considered and reviewed as a new proposal. Restoration and research proposals will be awarded a grant agreement and Regional Project proposals will be awarded a cooperative agreement under this announcement. Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners that submit Regional Project proposals that qualify as CESU proposals will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap. Regional Projects are authorized activities of the Service related to fish and wildlife resource protection, restoration, maintenance, and enhancement impacting the resources of multiple States or Indian Tribes with fish and wildlife management authority in the Great Lakes Basin.
The two-page restoration and research pre-proposals and Regional Project proposals are submitted to the Service to determine eligibility and the Proposal Review Committee (PRC) scores and ranks the proposals using GLFWRA Review Criteria (Review Criteria). Successful restoration and research pre-proposal applicants are invited to submit full proposals, which are scored and ranked by the PRC using the Review Criteria. The PRC recommends the restoration and research full proposals and Regional Project proposals for funding to the Service's Midwest Region 3 Regional Director for approval. Successful restoration and research and Regional Project proposal applicants can anticipate receiving an official grant or cooperative agreement award letter between January and March 2027.
Update #1 ·
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) requests interested entities to submit research, restoration, and Regional Project proposals for the restoration of the Great Lakes Basin fish and wildlife resources, as authorized under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (16U.S.C. 941c). The purpose of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (GLFWRA) is to provide assistance to States, Indian Tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration, research, and management of the fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Supported in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we expect approximately $3.5 million to support proposals this fiscal year. Available funding and proposal awards are subject to final Congressional appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026. Up to 33 and one-third percent of the total Congressional appropriation to the GLFWRA is eligible to fund Regional Project proposals. Expected award funding for Regional Project proposals is between $200,000 to $500,000. Successful restoration and research proposals have ranged from $2,000 to $500,000 with the average proposal at $217,843. Expected award funding for restoration and research proposals is between $10,000 and $250,000. Selected restoration and research proposals and Regional Project proposals will be awarded funding for the duration of the proposal via a grant or cooperative agreement between the recipient and the Service. Funding will be made available once the official award letter has been received by the successful applicant and the performance period has started. Continuation of proposals funded in previous fiscal years are eligible but will be considered and reviewed as a new proposal. Restoration and research proposals will be awarded a grant agreement and Regional Project proposals will be awarded a cooperative agreement under this announcement. Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners that submit Regional Project proposals that qualify as CESU proposals will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap. Regional Projects are authorized activities of the Service related to fish and wildlife resource protection, restoration, maintenance, and enhancement impacting the resources of multiple States or Indian Tribes with fish and wildlife management authority in the Great Lakes Basin. The two-page restoration and research pre-proposals and Regional Project proposals are submitted to the Service to determine eligibility and the Proposal Review Committee (PRC) scores and ranks the proposals using GLFWRA Review Criteria (Review Criteria). Successful restoration and research pre-proposal applicants are invited to submit full proposals, which are scored and ranked by the PRC using the Review Criteria. The PRC recommends the restoration and research full proposals and Regional Project proposals for funding to the Service"s Midwest Region 3 Regional Director for approval. Successful restoration and research and Regional Project proposal applicants can anticipate receiving an official grant or cooperative agreement award letter between January and March 2027.
Eligibility
The proposal activities (e.g., habitat restoration and barrier removal) must be within the Great Lakes Basin or impact a fish or wildlife species (e.g., research, assessment) present in the Great Lakes Basin to be eligible for funding.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Foa_Content_of_F26AS00062_rev_092926.pdf | ||
| GLFWRA Review Criteria Final.pdf | ||
| FY2026 GLFWRA Regional Project Full Proposal Application Final.docx | DOCX document | |
| FY2026 GLFWRA Pre-Proposal Application Final.docx | DOCX document | |
| FY2026 GLFWRA Budget Sheets Final.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Foa_Content_of_F26AS00062 updated 5.22.26.pdf | ||
| PKG00293011.pdf |
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