Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance

To provide financial assistance to eligible entities for: response, recovery, rescue, treatment, and, as appropriate, release of West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears; the collection of data for scientific research assoc

The Marine Mammal Protection Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to carry out a grant program to provide financial assistance to rescue and respond to stranded marine mammals. Specifically, this program provides critical funding to entities that recover, care, and treat sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals; respond to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; and collect data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health. The grant program also supports facility operating costs and the development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse. The Prescott Grant Program has been very successful in providing vital funding to support polar bear, sea otter, walrus, and manatee rescue and rehabilitation efforts across the country.

Applicants must be a U.S. eligible marine mammal stranding participant or stranding network collaborator that is not an employee of the Department of the Interior or Department of Commerce. The term "eligible marine mammal stranding participant" means a person who is authorized by the FWS under MMPA section 104(c) for response to injured or distressed marine mammals or for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, or under MMPA section 112(c) to take marine mammals as described in MMPA section 109(h) in response to a stranding. Eligible entities also include Federal, state, or local government employees operating in the course of their official duties as indicated under MMPA section 109(h). Applicants may reach out to the FWS for technical assistance to clarify and/or document applicability of the exemption under MMPA section 109(h).

The recipients are the primary beneficiaries. The projects may have secondary benefits to States that have the identified marine mammal species in waters under State jurisdiction and supports Federal requirements for conservation of marine mammals, and other public resources.

Funds will be awarded to and must be used by recipients for: response, recovery, rescue, treatment, and, as appropriate, release of marine mammals under the management jurisdiction of the Service (i.e., West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears); the collection of data for scientific research associated with the health of these marine mammal species; and facility operation costs, as appropriate.

Funds will be awarded to and must be used by recipients for: response, recovery, rescue, treatment, and, as appropriate, release of marine mammals under the management jurisdiction of the Service (i.e., West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears); the collection of data for scientific research associated with the health of these marine mammal species; and facility operation costs, as appropriate.

Grants are expected to be provided for a one-year time period; however, this may vary from 12 months to 3 years depending on the type of project.

Eligible Prescott Grant Program applicants must be a U.S. "eligible marine mammal stranding participant" that is not an employee of the Department of the Interior or Department of Commerce. The term "eligible marine mammal stranding participant" means a person who is authorized under MMPA section 104(c) for response to injured or distressed marine mammals or for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, or under MMPA section 112(c) to take marine mammals as described in MMPA section 109(h) in response to a stranding. To be eligible for Prescott Grants under this Funding Opportunity, such authorizations must have been issued by the FWS. Eligible entities also include Federal, state, or local government employees operating in the course of their official duties as indicated under MMPA section 109(h). Applicants may reach out to the FWS for technical assistance to clarify and/or document applicability of the exemption under MMPA section 109(h). For marine mammals that are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), eligibility includes authorization under ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) (except for polar bears as long as authorization has been provided under the MMPA), or exemptions to take prohibitions under 50 CFR 17.21 or 50 CFR 17.31.

Applications submitted within the identified deadline will be screened for completeness and eligibility, which includes: completed forms 424, 424A, and 424B; evidence of authorization under MMPA and ESA, if listed; submission by deadline date; signature and date by authorized representative; at least a 25% cost share; an eligible activity; at least one of the species-specific funding priorities; a budget and statement of work with milestones, and identification of the Principal Investigator. Those that pass the initial screening will be provided to the appropriate Service staff for conducting the review. The review will consider: the importance and applicability of the proposal; soundness and ability to accomplish the project; qualifications of applicants; costs; and outreach and education, as appropriate. Those applications that receive a top score will undergo further review, which will focus on the program needs and species priorities before providing recommendations for funding to the Selecting Official.

Recipients may request funding for a subsequent year/cycle of a currently funded project. However, these requests are subject to the same submission, review, and approval requirements as all new applications. This program will fund any approved renewal application as new award, not as an amendment to an existing award. Future or continued funding will be at the discretion of the Service, based on the availability of each fiscal year funding and satisfactory performance. Recipients may request approval for budget and project plan revisions of funded projects, including period of performance and reporting due date extensions, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.