DRAFT
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of International Conservation
WILDLIFE WITHOUT BORDERS- AmphibianS In Decline
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: pending
I. DESCRIPTION OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
The Wildlife Without Borders- Amphibians in Decline program will fund projects that conserve the world’s rapidly declining amphibian species. This program will support activities that address threats to frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians that face an unprecedented threat of extinction. Funding will be made available for conservation of species with native ranges in countries with the greatest need for conservation funding.
The goal of this grants program is to provide funding for specific conservation actions that have a high likelihood of creating durable benefits to amphibian species facing extinction, such as:
Protection of at-risk populations
Veterinary/wildlife health interventions
Public education/outreach
Applied and well-focused research that would lead to immediate action
Activities related to execution of species survival plans
Conservation and management of critical habitat
Strengthening local capacity to conserve the target species
Actions addressing unsustainable exploitation
Efforts to mitigate or stop wildlife-human conflict
Rehabilitation and rescue
II. AWARD INFORMATION
Although greater amounts may be requested, due to the limited funds available, preference is given to those requesting less than $30,000 and demonstrating in-kind or financial matching support. Although the period of performance for projects funded under this program is typically one year, there are no restrictions on funding proposals for activities exceeding one year. The period of performance for all funded projects begins on the date the award is signed by the USFWS. This program uses grant and cooperative agreements as the primary assistance instruments.
III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
Eligible Applicants: Applicants under this program can be: federal, state and local government agencies; non-profit, non-governmental organizations; and public and private institutions of higher education. U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations must submit documentary evidence of their Section 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
Applicants must have a valid DUNS number to receive funding. U.S. Government-wide policy requires that all applicant organizations and individuals, both domestic and non-domestic, apply for, and include a Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number on their proposal. Applicants without a DUNS number should go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. You will be prompted to select your country and then search the database for your organization/name. If your organization/name is not found, you will be routed to a web page that allows you to select “Request a New D-U-N-S Number.” Follow the instructions for obtaining a new number. Applicants who already have a DUNS number are responsible for updating changes to their address or business name with Dun and Bradstreet directly, as the organizational address to be used in the event an award is made must match the information in Dun & Bradstreet’s system.
Ineligible Activities: The Division of International Conservation will not fund: the purchase of firearms or ammunition; buying of intelligence information or paying informants; gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity; law enforcement operations that prompt suspects to carry out illegal activities so they may be arrested (entrapment); or any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws or regulations of either the U.S. or the country in which the activity would occur. Funds may not be used to provide material support or resources to individuals, entities, or organizations of countries that have been identified by the U.S. Department of State as state sponsors of terrorism. The countries currently identified are: Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria.
Applicant and Partner Contributions: Applicants and/or other project partners must contribute funds to the project, which may include cash or in-kind contributions. Applicant and partner contributions cannot be included as contributions for any other federally assisted project or program. Equipment paid for by the U.S. Federal Government under another award cannot be used as cash or in-kind contributions.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: All application materials must be received or postmarked if sent in hard copy, by June 1, 2010.
RANGE OF APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL TIME: Decisions on funding of project proposals are normally made no later than 180 days after the receipt of the project proposals.
APPLICATION FORMAT AND CONTENT: You must submit your proposal in English.
Your proposal should include these elements:
Complete the Application Cover Page located on the Internet at
http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-2338B.pdf according to the instructions included on page 2 of that form.
BRIEFLY summarize your project in one page or less. Include: the title of the project; geographic location; a brief description of the impact(s) that your project will have on the target species; objectives; specific project activities; beneficiaries; and expected benefits and products.
1. Statement of Need: The project must directly address a problem (or a set of problems) identified as an impediment to the survival of an amphibian group; it must address an audience (or set of audiences) that has a significant role in resolving the problem(s); and clearly demonstrate potential for having a significant impact on the audience(s) identified above, resulting in a significant contribution towards resolving the problem. Summarize previous or on-going efforts of your organization, and other international, national, regional and/or local organizations or individuals relevant to the proposed work and how the proposed project intends to incorporate such previous and/or complementary work.
2. Project Goal(s): The goal(s) of the project should clearly address the issues identified in the Statement of Need. A goal should extend beyond the current request for funding and should complement goals and objectives as listed in Section I of this announcement.
Project Objectives: Project objectives are the desired outcomes and accomplishments of the project. They should lead to achievement of project goal(s) and be measurable and realistic (attainable within the project’s period of performance).
4. Project Activities and Methods: Activities are the steps necessary to achieve project objectives. Discuss in detail all proposed project activities and the methods to be employed including bibliographic references when literature is cited. Proposed statistical models and analysis should be included when relevant to the project’s goals, objectives, and products.
5. Project Timetable: Include a timetable indicating roughly when (over the course of the grant) activities or project milestones will be accomplished. Any tables, spreadsheets, or flowcharts should appear within the body of the narrative (do not include separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates but instead group activities by month for each month over a 12 month period. Go to: http://www.fws.gov/international/dicprograms/sample%20timetable.pdf to view a sample project timetable.
6. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: Describe how you have coordinated with and involved local resource managers and other relevant organizations or individuals in planning your project, and how they will be involved in conducting project activities and disseminating project results.
7. Anticipated Benefits and Outputs: Discuss how meeting project objectives and goals will address the issue(s) described in the Statement of Need. Discuss any expected products/outputs to result from the project and their relationship to project goal(s). Include details on how the products will benefit the host country government, resource managers, researchers, and other interested parties. Discuss potential issues that may affect the project’s timeline, results, or outcomes, as well as actions designed to minimize the impact of these potential issues.
8. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: Describe how you (or others) will monitor project progress and measure the project’s effects and evaluate results. Include details on how you will assess progress towards reaching objectives and how project participants and beneficiaries will participate in these activities.
9. Sustainability: Explain which of the proposed project activities can be continued beyond the life of an award under this program and how these activities will be funded in the future. Please make specific reference to partners in this regard.
10. Description of Organization(s) Undertaking the Project: Provide a brief description of the applicant organization, as well as all cooperating organizations and agencies, including staff and other resources available for the project. Include brief (1-2 pages) curricula vitae of key personnel, identifying their qualifications and capacity to meet the project objectives. Do not include Social Security numbers, the names of family members, or any other personal or sensitive information.
Federally Funded Equipment: Applicants cannot attribute equipment paid for by the U.S. Federal Government under another award as matching or in-kind contributions. Do not include this type of equipment in your budget table! Instead, provide a separate list of any equipment paid for by the U.S. Federal Government that will be used for the project, including the name of the Federal agency that paid for the equipment.
Indirect Costs: We encourage applicants to keep indirect costs to a minimum. Applicants with Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements (NICRA) must include a copy with their proposal. Applicants with NICRA rates may request less than their negotiated rate and/or contribute indirect costs as a match, if they so choose.
Program Income: Your project may include activities that will generate program income. Program income earned as a result of activities supported with Federal funding includes, but is not limited to, income from fees for services, the use or rental of property, the sale of commodities or fabricated items, license fees and royalties on patents and copyrights, and interest on loans. Program income does not include interest earned on advances of Federal funds. Under this Program, income earned during the project period of performance of an approved Award shall be retained by the Recipient and used in one or more of the following ways:
added to the funds requested from the FWS for the project and those committed by the Recipient/other partners and used to conduct additional activities that will further the project objectives; OR
used to finance the non-Federal share of the project.
If your project will generate program income provide: (1) a description of how the income will be generated, (2) an estimate of how much income will be made during the period of performance, and (3) a description of how the funds will be used. If the income is to be used to conduct additional activities, you must include a Program Income column in your budget table and include all cost categories/items and associated amounts that the program income will cover.
Instructions:
Begin your project budget table on a new page. The budget table should include a column for all cost categories/items for the project, one column to show the cost calculation, a column for the total costs, one column for the requested USFWS funding, one or more columns for applicant and partner contributions, and (if applicable) a column for any program income that will be used to conduct project activities, as demonstrated here:
Category/ Budget Item |
Cost Calculation |
TOTAL COST |
USFWS |
“Applicant” |
“Partner X” |
“Partner Y” |
Program Income (if applicable) |
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Present all amounts in U.S. dollars. Go to http://www.fws.gov/international/dicprograms/Sample%20Budget.pdf to view a sample project budget table.
12. Budget Justifications: Justify or explain all requested budget items/costs. Demonstrate a clear connection to project activities, and show how line item amounts were determined. For example, a $3,300 line item for lodging costs should include the formula for how the cost was calculated: Lodging for 20 nights x 11 people x $15/night = $3,300. Requests for personnel salary should be well documented, including the base-line salary figure and the estimate of time (percent) to be directly charged to the project. Assistance to cover personnel salaries is generally given a lower priority. Cost calculations should be included in the Project Budget Table, where possible. Narrative justifications should be included immediately after the Project Budget Table.
13. Governmental Endorsement: Non-governmental applicants should include a recent letter of support, referencing the specific proposal by title, from the appropriate local, regional, or national government wildlife or conservation authority. Preference will be given to projects developed in collaboration with, and/or includes counterpart support of, the relevant management agency.
14. Map: Provide a map showing the location of your project site at the state or province level.
PROPOSAL APPLICATION CHECKLIST
ALL PROPOSALS MUST INCLUDE:
Signed Grant Application Cover Page (must be signed by Authorized Representative)
Project Summary (1 page or less)
Project Narrative
Timetable
Budget Table
Budget Justification
Curricula vitae (1-2 pages) for key personnel
Letter of Governmental Endorsement
Map
PROPOSALS FROM U.S. APPLICANTS MUST ALSO INCLUDE:
A complete, signed SF 424-Application for Federal Assistance http://www.fws.gov/international/DICprograms/sf%20424.pdf
A complete Standard Form 424b-Assurances http://www.fws.gov/international/DICprograms/sf%20424b.pdf
Documentary evidence of Section 501(c)(3) non-profit status, if applicable
A copy of your organization’s Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable
Failure to provide complete information, as outlined above, may cause delays, postponement, or rejection of a grant application.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Proposals may be submitted by mail, by e-mail, or via the Internet through Grants.gov. Please select ONE of the following submission options.
How to submit a proposal by mail:
Number all pages of your printed proposal. Mail one single-sided, unbound copy (do not staple or otherwise permanently bind pages) of your complete proposal to:
Division of International Conservation Attn: WWB-AID U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of International Conservation 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100 Arlington, Virginia 22203-1622 USA Tel: 703-358-1754 |
How to submit a proposal by e-mail:
Format all of your documents to print on Letter (8 ½” x 11”) paper. Format all pages to display and print page numbers. We prefer to receive all e-mailed documentation (cover page, narrative, budget and other required attachments) incorporated into ONE file attachment. If you need to submit separate attachments we prefer that all attachments are sent together in one e-mail message. If you send multiple messages, clearly identify your proposal and assign a number incrementally as compared to the total number of messages you will send (Example: 3 out of 4) in the subject line of each message. E-mail your proposal to the USFWS at [email protected].
How to submit a proposal through the Internet using Grants.gov:
Applicants are not required to submit proposals through Grants.gov. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Grants.gov proposal submission is received in its entirety. The USFWS bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes associated with electronic submissions. You must meet all stated submission deadlines regardless of submission method. The USFWS will bear no responsibility for delays in submissions due to technical difficulties at or with the Grants.gov website.
All applicants choosing to use Grants.gov to submit proposals must be registered and have an account with Grants.gov. It may take up to three weeks to complete Grants.gov registration. For more information on registration, go to http://www.grants.gov/ForApplicants. Once your organization is registered go to http://www.grants.gov/search/basic.do. Enter the CFDA Number located on the top of page 1 of this document in the field under Search by CFDA Number to view this program’s Grants.gov announcement. Follow the instructions found under the How to Apply section of the Grants.gov announcement.
V. APPLICATION REVIEW
The USFWS may solicit advice from qualified experts to conduct a technical review of your proposed project. The USFWS may also discuss your proposal with known past and present partners to reduce the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse.
Review Criteria: To be considered for funding, proposals must address one or more of this program’s priority areas, listed above in the Description of Funding Opportunity. The Division of International Conservation ranks proposals by scoring how well each addresses the program priority areas and the requested elements listed in the Application and Format section above. High priority, well-justified and feasible projects that address all of the requested proposal elements will receive higher scores. These scores are not the sole determining factor for final funding decisions. Other review criteria include considering the degree to which a project:
Acts as a catalyst for activities to benefit a previously-neglected species or an area with significant conservation value to the target species
Makes a significant and durable contribution to the survival of the species
Contributes significantly to the maintenance of the biological integrity of its habitat
Addresses a conservation need identified by a specialist group or by regional, national or global strategies
Applies the best scientific and technical information and methods available in support of project activities
Provides training that promotes the development of local capacity to implement conservation activities and manage conservation programs
Includes the participation of local partners in project activities
Implements activities or provides benefits that have the potential to be sustaining beyond the period of performance of the grant
These considerations are not listed in order of importance. All considerations listed do not necessarily apply to every proposal. The Division of International Conservation occasionally receives and funds proposals outside of the announced submission deadlines that are of such a critical nature (examples include projects resulting from a natural disaster, disease outbreak, other imminent threats or population crash, among others) that they warrant immediate consideration.
VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION
Award Notices: Following review, applicants may be requested to revise the project scope and/or budget before a final funding decision can be made. Successful applicants will receive written notice in the form of an Assistance Award document. We typically send Assistance Award documents by e-mail.
If e-mail notification is unsuccessful the documents will be sent via courier mail (FedEx, DHL, Airborne Express). Applicants whose projects are not selected for funding will receive written notice, most often by e-mail, within 30 days of the final review decision.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Go to http://www.fws.gov/international/dicprograms/AAG%209-6-07.pdf to review the Division of International Conservation’s Assistance Award Guidelines document which details the policies, terms, and conditions applicable to awards made under this program. Printed copies of this document are also available upon request at the address/telephone number listed in Section IV above. U.S. Government-wide policy requires all applicants, both domestic and non-domestic, to apply for, and include a Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number on their application. See Section III above for additional information on the DUNS requirement.
Reporting: The standard reporting requirements are:
A mid-term report consisting of a performance report and a financial status report, due within 30 days of the conclusion of the first half of the project period; and
A final report consisting of a performance report, a financial status report, and copies of all deliverables and products resulting from the project (including photographic documentation of project activities) due within 90 days of the end of the performance period.
The standard reporting requirements will apply to all Awards unless otherwise indicated in the Scope of Work section of the Award document. The requirement to submit more frequent reporting shall be at the discretion of the FWS Project Officer and may be modified by the FWS Project Officer during the course of an Award. If more frequent reporting is required it will be detailed in the Scope of Work section of the Award document. The maximum reporting frequency allowed is quarterly. See the Division of International Conservation’s Assistance Award Guidelines document at http://www.fws.gov/international/dicprograms/AAG%209-6-07.pdf for additional reporting information.
VII. AGENCY CONTACT
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of International Conservation 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 100I Arlington, VA 22203-1622 Tel: 703-358-2460 Fax: 703-358-2115
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VIII. RELATED PROGRAMS
CFDA 15.635 Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund
CFDA 15.640 Wildlife Without Borders-Latin America and Caribbean Program
CFDA 15.641 Wildlife Without Borders-Mexico Program
CFDA 15.645 Marine Turtle Conservation Fund
OMB No. 1018-XXXX
Expiration: XX/XX/XX
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | Jean Schlegel |
| Last Modified By | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
| File Modified | 2010-03-12 |
| File Created | 2010-03-12 |