F25AS00004_Fiscal Year 2025 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program | F25AS00004

Opportunity Information: Apply for F25AS00004

The Fiscal Year 2025 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program (funding opportunity number F25AS00004) is a competitive federal grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.614. Its purpose is to support on-the-ground projects that acquire, restore, and enhance coastal wetlands in order to achieve long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. The program was created by the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956) and is structured as a matching-grant program, meaning states are expected to bring non-federal match to complete proposed conservation work. The overall emphasis is practical, lasting conservation outcomes in coastal landscapes, using state-led projects that protect wetland functions and values over time.

Funding for this grant program comes from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund rather than general appropriations. Specifically, it is supported by revenues tied to recreational boating and fishing, including excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, electric motors and sonar, import duties on fishing tackle, yachts, and pleasure craft, and a portion of the federal gasoline tax attributable to motorboats and small engines. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-58) authorizes funding for this program through fiscal year 2026, reinforcing the program’s continuation and stability in the near term.

Eligibility is limited to state governments, and participation is restricted to state agencies (or entities) formally designated as eligible by the governor of an eligible coastal state. In practice, the applicant is typically a state natural resource agency or state fish and wildlife agency. If there is any uncertainty about which entity is authorized to apply for a given state, the opportunity directs prospective applicants to coordinate with the appropriate Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Regional Office or the national program coordinators listed in the opportunity materials.

Geographic eligibility is defined by the statute and includes coastal states along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts, as well as Great Lakes states. The Great Lakes states explicitly included are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. A key exception is that Louisiana is not eligible for this program under 16 U.S.C. 3955(b)(1). The complete list of eligible states and territories provided in the opportunity is: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant opportunity with the funding instrument listed as a grant and the activity category as natural resources. The award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000 per award. The posting shows an original closing date of 2024-06-21 and a creation date of 2024-02-14. While the notice excerpt does not specify the number of expected awards, it frames the program as competitive, indicating proposals are evaluated relative to one another and selected based on program priorities and available funding.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F25AS00004_Fiscal Year 2025 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.614.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-21. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F25AS00004

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