Opportunity Information: Apply for F25AS00288
F25AS00288 is a FY 2025 funding opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, specifically the Traditional Conservation Grants Program for Region 4. The core purpose of this program is to strengthen and support State and Territorial endangered species programs so they can carry out on-the-ground work that conserves and helps recover species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as supports proactive conservation that can keep at-risk species from needing to be listed in the first place. This is a discretionary grant opportunity in the environmental funding area (CFDA 15.615), and it is designed around projects that produce clear, measurable benefits to species and/or their habitat.
Eligible applicants are limited to State governments, and more specifically to State agencies that have a formal Section 6(c) cooperative agreement with FWS. If a State does not already have that agreement in place, it can still be eligible if it enters into or reconfirms the cooperative agreement within 30 days of the application deadline, but FWS must have a complete, signed agreement before it can obligate any federal funds. While only States can receive the award directly, the announcement makes it clear that other partners like counties, universities, and conservation organizations can participate through the State as subgrantees or collaborators, as long as the State is the official applicant and grant recipient.
The work that can be funded is focused on voluntary conservation efforts within the United States, and it must align with approved or draft recovery plans for the species involved. Projects cannot conflict with an approved recovery plan. The program emphasizes projects with direct benefits, meaning the application should plainly explain how the proposed activities will contribute to recovery of federally listed species or help prevent a species from becoming listed. Activities can include management actions, applied research, monitoring, and outreach, either as standalone efforts or combined into a larger project. In terms of what species can be included, States must be seeking support for conservation work on federally listed resident species that are already covered under the State's Section 6 cooperative agreement. In addition, States may request funding to monitor species that are candidates, eligible unlisted species (as of the application deadline), or species that were delisted due to recovery within the last five years.
There are several important restrictions and compliance points applicants need to plan around. Grant funds (and the required non-federal cost share tied to those funds) cannot be used to satisfy ESA regulatory requirements. That means the money cannot be used for work that is required as part of Section 7 consultation outcomes (like measures tied to a biological opinion), required mitigation or monitoring under a Section 10 habitat conservation plan, or other federal mitigation obligations such as those associated with Clean Water Act permits. The program is intended to support voluntary conservation and recovery work, not compliance-driven mitigation. The notice also states that an application cannot include FWS Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) costs, and that State administrative costs must either be covered by the State or included in the proposal in a manner consistent with federal cost principles and grant requirements.
From an implementation standpoint, costs are generally reimbursable only if they are incurred and budgeted during the official period of performance, which begins on the effective date set when the grant is approved. However, the opportunity allows for pre-award costs in limited circumstances if they are necessary to meet the proposed timeline, are otherwise allowable under federal rules, and receive written approval from the awarding agency (consistent with 2 CFR 200.458). The program also allows both new projects and continuation projects. If a State is applying to continue ongoing work with similar scope and objectives over time, the application must briefly document accomplishments to date and clearly justify why continuing the work is needed.
Permitting can become an issue depending on the project methods. If the proposed work includes activities such as take, interstate transport, introduction outside a species historical range, or holding wildlife in captivity for more than 45 days, the State may need a permit from the Regional Director. If those activities are anticipated, an Environmental Assessment must be submitted to the Regional Director before a permit will be granted, consistent with the cited regulations. Finally, one clear exclusion is that land acquisition is not eligible under this funding opportunity, so proposals should avoid budgeting for purchasing land or interests in land.
Key administrative details from the notice include the opportunity number (F25AS00288), the closing date (October 20, 2025), and an award ceiling listed at $3,366,779. The opportunity was created July 21, 2025. The overall competitive theme is straightforward: applications that are most likely to succeed are those that are tightly written, tie proposed tasks to specific recovery needs, and convincingly show direct conservation outcomes for the target species and/or their habitats.Apply for F25AS00288
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F25AS00288 FY 2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 4" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.615.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2025-07-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-10-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,366,779.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is funding opportunity F25AS00288?
F25AS00288 is a FY 2025 discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. It is specifically for the Traditional Conservation Grants Program for Region 4.
2) What is the purpose of this grant program?
The purpose is to strengthen and support State and Territorial endangered species programs so they can carry out on-the-ground work that conserves and helps recover species protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It also supports proactive conservation to help keep at-risk species from needing to be listed.
3) What funding area and CFDA number are associated with this opportunity?
This is an environmental funding opportunity associated with CFDA 15.615.
4) Who is eligible to apply as the direct applicant?
Eligible applicants are limited to State governments, specifically State agencies that have a formal Section 6(c) cooperative agreement with FWS.
5) Can a State apply if it does not currently have a Section 6(c) cooperative agreement?
Yes. A State can still be eligible if it enters into or reconfirms the Section 6(c) cooperative agreement within 30 days of the application deadline. However, FWS must have a complete, signed agreement before it can obligate any federal funds.
6) Can counties, universities, or conservation organizations apply directly?
No. Only States can receive the award directly. Other partners (such as counties, universities, and conservation organizations) may participate through the State as subgrantees or collaborators, as long as the State is the official applicant and grant recipient.
7) Where must funded work take place?
Funded work is focused on voluntary conservation efforts within the United States.
8) Do proposed projects need to align with recovery plans?
Yes. Projects must align with approved or draft recovery plans for the species involved, and projects cannot conflict with an approved recovery plan.
9) What does the program mean by "direct benefits"?
The program emphasizes projects that produce clear, measurable benefits to species and/or their habitat. Applications should plainly explain how proposed activities will contribute to recovery of federally listed species or help prevent a species from becoming listed.
10) What types of activities can be funded?
Activities can include management actions, applied research, monitoring, and outreach. These may be proposed as standalone efforts or combined into a larger project.
11) What species are eligible to be included in a proposal?
States must be seeking support for conservation work on federally listed resident species that are already covered under the State's Section 6 cooperative agreement.
12) Can proposals include monitoring for candidate or recently delisted species?
Yes. States may request funding to monitor species that are candidates, eligible unlisted species (as of the application deadline), or species that were delisted due to recovery within the last five years.
13) Can grant funds (or required non-federal cost share) be used to meet ESA regulatory requirements?
No. Grant funds and the required non-federal cost share tied to those funds cannot be used to satisfy ESA regulatory requirements. The program is intended for voluntary conservation and recovery work, not compliance-driven mitigation.
14) What are examples of activities that are not allowed because they are compliance-driven?
The funds cannot be used for work required as part of Section 7 consultation outcomes (such as measures tied to a biological opinion), required mitigation or monitoring under a Section 10 habitat conservation plan, or other federal mitigation obligations (including those associated with Clean Water Act permits).
15) Are FWS Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) costs allowed in the application budget?
No. The notice states that an application cannot include FWS Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) costs.
16) How should State administrative costs be handled?
State administrative costs must either be covered by the State or included in the proposal in a manner consistent with federal cost principles and grant requirements.
17) When are project costs generally allowable for reimbursement?
Costs are generally reimbursable only if they are incurred and budgeted during the official period of performance, which begins on the effective date set when the grant is approved.
18) Are pre-award costs allowed?
Pre-award costs may be allowed in limited circumstances if they are necessary to meet the proposed timeline, are otherwise allowable under federal rules, and receive written approval from the awarding agency, consistent with 2 CFR 200.458.
19) Does this opportunity allow both new and continuation projects?
Yes. The program allows both new projects and continuation projects.
20) What is required if a State is applying for continuation funding?
If a State is applying to continue ongoing work with similar scope and objectives over time, the application must briefly document accomplishments to date and clearly justify why continuing the work is needed.
21) What permitting issues could apply to certain project methods?
If proposed work includes take, interstate transport, introduction outside a species historical range, or holding wildlife in captivity for more than 45 days, the State may need a permit from the Regional Director.
22) When is an Environmental Assessment required for permitting?
If the activities that trigger permitting are anticipated, an Environmental Assessment must be submitted to the Regional Director before a permit will be granted, consistent with the cited regulations.
23) Is land acquisition an allowable cost under this opportunity?
No. Land acquisition is explicitly not eligible under this funding opportunity. Proposals should avoid budgeting for purchasing land or interests in land.
24) What is the application deadline?
The closing date listed in the notice is October 20, 2025.
25) What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed in the notice is $3,366,779.
26) When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 21, 2025.
27) What makes an application more competitive under this opportunity?
Applications most likely to succeed are tightly written, tie proposed tasks to specific recovery needs, and convincingly show direct conservation outcomes for target species and/or their habitats.
28) Does the program focus on voluntary conservation or mitigation requirements?
The program is focused on voluntary conservation and recovery work. It is not intended to fund mitigation or monitoring that is required to comply with federal regulatory obligations.
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