Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.914
- Agency
-
National Resources Conservation Service
Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 553 $9,951,613 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- (WHIP)
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Treasury accounts
-
- 12-1004-0-1-302
- 12-3322-0-1-302
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation Service administers the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (CFDA 10.914), which was repealed effective February 7, 2014, and is no longer accepting new enrollments.
This program funded cost-share agreements for implementing wildlife habitat conservation practices on eligible land. Participants received technical assistance to develop a Plan of Operation, and NRCS provided cost-share reimbursement of up to seventy-five percent for installing practices beneficial to upland wildlife, wetland wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and fisheries. Agreements ran a minimum of one to ten years, with payments issued upon certification of completed practices. Applicants had to meet Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation requirements and adjusted gross income thresholds, and demonstrate control of the land for the contract duration.
The program distributed $10 million in combined federal funding across 553 cooperative agreements and six project grants. Activity peaked in 2009 and 2010 with 176 and 167 awards respectively, then declined sharply—only two awards in 2012 and one in 2018 (the most recent on September 30, 2018). The final award was a Cooperative Agreement for Blackstone Fish Passage Design obligating a nominal amount. Representative recent awards from 2011 included cooperative agreements ranging from hundreds of dollars to $375 thousand: $123,750 for wildlife habitat incentives (July 14, 2011), $375 thousand (August 16, 2011), and $165 thousand (August 16, 2011).
Since the program ceased new enrollments in 2014, do not pursue funding under this Assistance Listing. No new grant opportunities are available.
Objective and description
- Objective
To help participants protect, restore, develop or enhance habitat for upland wildlife, wetland wildlife, threatened and endangered species, fisheries, and other types of wildlife.
- Description
Technical assistance is provided to develop a WHIP Plan of Operation (WPO) for eligible participants. Cost-share payments may be made to implement fish and wildlife habitat conservation practices. Up to seventy-five percent cost-share is available from NRCS to reimburse participants for installing conservation practices beneficial to wildlife.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Applicant must meet Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation (HEL/WC) requirements, Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) requirements, verification that applicant will be in control of land for the duration of a contract.
- Beneficiary eligibility
A participant may be an owner, landlord, operator, or tenant of eligible lands. Limited resource producers, small-scale producers, producers of minority groups, Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, Alaska natives, and Pacific Islanders are encouraged to apply.
- Credentials and documentation
Evidence that applicant has control over land to be entered into contract and submits an acceptable Wildlife Habitat Development Plan for the land unit of concern that incorporates needed wildlife habitat conservation practices.
- Uses of assistance
Technical assistance is provided to develop a WHIP Plan of Operation (WPO) for eligible participants. Cost-share payments may be made to implement fish and wildlife habitat conservation practices. Up to seventy-five percent cost-share is available from NRCS to reimburse participants for installing conservation practices beneficial to wildlife.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
The WHIP cost-share agreement period is a minimum of 1 to 10 years. Obligations for assistance are tied to the schedule for applying wildlife habitat conservation practices included in the WPO used as the basis for cost-share agreement. Payments are made when the participant and NRCS certify that a conservation practice is completed in accordance with the cost-share agreement.
How to apply
- Application procedure
This program was repealed by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), effective February 7, 2014. Therefore, no new enrollments are authorized for this program after that date.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Applications will be ranked and selected for funding based on: The wildlife habitat benefits derived and the extent the cost-share agreement will assist in achieving the wildlife habitat priority goals and objectives in the area the land unit is located.
- Award procedure
NRCS may designate a wildlife habitat type or a region of special wildlife habitat concern as a priority. The priorities are designated by the State Conservationist based on recommendations of local working groups which are convened by the local conservation district with recommendations from the State Technical Committee. NRCS will give special consideration to applicants who have WPOs that address wildlife habitat concerns consistent with National and state priorities. Applications will be ranked and selected for funding.
- Appeals
A participant may appeal any adverse determination to NRCS.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 553 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Experienced Workforce Solutions, Inc. | $1,433,171 | 14% |
| 2 | National Fish And Wildlife Foundation | $592,500 | 6% |
| 3 | National Wild Turkey Federation Inc. | $455,950 | 5% |
| 4 | Massachusetts Association Of Conservation Districts, Inc. | $448,900 | 5% |
| 5 | Alabama Forestry Commission | $347,612 | 3% |
| 6 | Department Of Forests Parks & Recreation Vermont | $307,000 | 3% |
| 7 | Common Wealth Of Kentucky | $285,800 | 3% |
| 8 | The Student Conservation Association, Inc. | $272,689 | 3% |
| 9 | Mississippi Forestry Commission | $247,500 | 2% |
| 10 | West Virginia-Division Of Natural Resources | $246,200 | 2% |
10 of 193 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2021 | -$32 |
| FY2012 | $589,619 |
| FY2011 | $2,449,385 |
| FY2010 | $2,214,266 |
| FY2009 | $1,587,893 |
| FY2008 | $2,702,021 |
| FY2007 | $408,461 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.914?
Assistance Listing 10.914 is Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, a federal grant program run by National Resources Conservation Service (Department of Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program?
Its CFDA number is 10.914: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.914 awarded?
553 grant awards under 10.914 have obligated $9,951,613 in federal funds to 193 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.914?
The recipients obligated the most under Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program are National Experienced Workforce Solutions, Inc. ($1,433,171), National Fish And Wildlife Foundation ($592,500) and National Wild Turkey Federation Inc. ($455,950).
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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