America’s Ecosystem Restoration Initiative: America the Beautiful Challenge 2024 Request for Proposals

Applicant Webinar: Thursday, February 29, 2024, 2:30–4:30 PM Eastern Time
Pre-Proposal Due Date: Thursday, April 4, 2024 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Full Proposal Due Date (by invitation only): Thursday, July 18, 2024, by 11:59 PM Eastern Time


OVERVIEW

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through anticipated cooperative agreements from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is releasing the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) 2024 Request for Proposals (RFP). The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects throughout the United States. This RFP consolidates funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public, Tribal, and private lands.

In year three of the ATBC, approximately $119 million will be awarded in nationwide funding to conserve, connect, and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend. The ATBC seeks to fund projects across the following themes:

  1.  Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands, and watersheds 
  2.  Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks
  3.  Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds, and seascapes 
  4.  Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought, and other climate-related threats
  5.  Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities

Collectively, these themes invite applicants to develop landscape-level ATBC proposals that address conservation and public access needs with: cumulative benefits to fish and wildlife, enhanced carbon sequestration and storage, benefits to and engagement with underserved communities, and protection of ecosystems through resilience-focused and nature-based solutions.


GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS

ATBC is a nationwide program. Projects throughout the U.S., U.S. territories, and Tribal Nations are eligible for funding. Projects can be on public lands, Tribal lands, and private lands, and ideally span multiple landownership boundaries, jurisdictions, and/or states. Locations will be prioritized where projects are guided by existing conservation or restoration plans as well as the program priorities listed below.


PROGRAM PRIORITIES

ATBC will prioritize proposals that implement voluntary, large-scale, multistate, on-the-ground conservation activities or otherwise lead to on-the-ground implementation through capacity building, community engagement, planning, and project design. The overarching goal is to advance existing landscape conservation or restoration plans, address regional and collaborative conservation priorities, and/or propose to knit together a diverse stakeholder partnership that develops and/or implements new plans1. Projects should address priority species and/or habitat conservation actions identified in existing conservation, restoration, species recovery or other plans. Projects that are informed by Indigenous Knowledge and promote Tribal co-stewardship are encouraged.

Competitive proposals will address more than one of the program priorities below. All projects should provide an ecosystem benefit.

  • Benefit At-Risk Fish, Wildlife, and Plant Species. Conserve and restore habitat to improve ecosystem function and biological diversity, as identified by conservation plans, Indigenous Knowledge, or emerging information for priority fish, wildlife, and/or plant resources, such as threatened and endangered species, and species of greatest conservation need (including game species).
  • Expand Habitat Connectivity. Conserve and restore priority habitat and stopover areas along key migratory routes; conserve, restore or improve fish passage; conserve or restore lands and/or waters that are critical to habitat connectivity; or expand and enhance wildlife corridors that contribute to larger-scale conservation efforts (e.g., removing and right-sizing culverts, rehabilitating areas damaged by fire, removing encroaching trees from grassland and sagebrush ecosystems, restoring and reconnecting wetlands and floodplains, or treating exotic/invasive vegetation to improve habitat value).
  • Deliver Conservation and Restoration Across Jurisdictions. Address regional, landscape-scale, multistate/multi-government, collaboratively developed conservation and restoration priorities, especially those included in a plan (e.g., those described in footnote 1 above) that support the voluntary stewardship efforts of landowners and fishers and honor private property rights.
  • Provide a Range of Ecosystem Services. Demonstrate and quantify a range of ecosystem services restored (e.g., stream flow for aquatic resources, watershed health and function, carbon sequestration, restoration of Tribal subsistence resources).
  • Strengthen Ecosystem and Community Resilience. Use nature-based solutions to conserve and restore natural systems and habitats that help ecosystems and/or communities respond to, mitigate, and recover from disturbances like floods, wildfire, and drought (e.g., enhancing habitats for coastal resilience, managing invasive species to reduce wildfire risk, restoring resilient stand structure and species composition in fire prone forests, water conservation to address drought, expansion of wetlands for flood protection, grassland restoration for healthy prairie ecosystems).
  • Expand Public and Community Access to Nature. Create, improve, or expand opportunities for public access and recreation—especially for underserved communities that lack access to the outdoors—in a manner consistent with the ecological needs of fish and wildlife habitat. Projects may enable high-quality recreational experiences (e.g., biking, birding, boating, fishing, hiking, outdoor education, cultural activities, hunting, and wildlife viewing), and must be predominantly nature-based in application. Hard infrastructure, such as parking lots and visitor center amenities, are not eligible under this funding opportunity.
  • Engage Local Communities. Incorporate outreach to communities, particularly underserved communities, foster community engagement, and pursue inclusive collaboration with farmers, ranchers, Indigenous communities, states or other land managers to produce measurable, sustainable conservation benefits. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and/or co-design processes and incorporate Indigenous Knowledge. Projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations), as appropriate, to help implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for all people.
  • Support Tribally Led Conservation and Restoration Priorities. Prioritize projects that honor Tribal sovereignty and uplift Tribal and Indigenous-led efforts to improve fish and wildlife habitat (e.g., Tribal co-stewardship of federal or other lands, restoration of Tribal homelands, access to and/or restoration of sacred sites, restoration and enhancement of subsistence practices, and elevation of Indigenous Knowledge).
  • Contribute to Local or Tribal Economies. Prioritize projects that, as a co-benefit, directly contribute to the vitality of local economies and underserved communities (e.g., expand tourism or recreational economies, promote regenerative agriculture, and contribute to working lands and/or community or Tribal forestry). Applicants are encouraged to estimate the economic benefits that are expected because of the project (e.g., number of jobs sustained or created). 
  • Contribute to Workforce Development. Develop the next generation of conservation professionals, including through support for national service, youth, and conservation corps engaged in conservation and climate-related work. Projects that develop the restoration workforce, especially with AmeriCorps and 21st Century Conservation Service Corps programs, are encouraged.
  • Advance the Restoration and Resiliency Framework and Keystone Initiatives. Undertake restoration and conservation efforts as described in DOI’s Restoration and Resiliency Framework, especially those that contribute to Keystone Initiatives therein:
  • Advance Sentinel Landscape Partnership Priorities. Prioritize projects that accelerate the goals and initiatives across Sentinel Landscapes. Projects in this category should focus on enhancing local capacity to implement future on-the-ground actions, and secondarily focus on directly contributing to on-the-ground outcomes. Applicants are encouraged to engage with the Sentinel Landscapes Coordinators and the Military Services to learn how projects can help support resilience, habitat conservation, and land management practices around military installations and ranges. Applicants can find more information on Sentinel Landscapes, including contact information for the Sentinel Landscapes Coordinators at: https://sentinellandscapes.org/. Applicants who have questions regarding Military Service contacts may contact the REPI Office at osd.repi@mail.mil.


GRANT CATEGORIES, FUNDING AVAILABILITY, AND MATCH

Approximately $119 million will be available for 2024 through five categories of grants. NFWF expects to award at least 10% of ATBC grant funding to Tribal and Native Nations and 3% to U.S. territories. Funding is being provided to NFWF through cooperative agreements, or similar mechanisms, that allow for agency participation. Projects that meet the goals and requirements of more than one category below may be funded by multiple ATBC funding partners, but applicants should select the one grant category that best suits their project needs in the proposal. For example, an implementation project that also benefits a Sentinel Landscape may apply to Category 1 and receive funding from both DOI and DOD. NFWF will identify and determine co-funding opportunities during the proposal review process. If submitting multiple proposals, please indicate project priorities if any. Funding in this RFP is contingent upon final execution of the agency awards to NFWF. For further details, please also refer to the specific Department/Agency funding priorities found in Appendix 2:

Category 1. Implementation Grants: Grants to implement voluntary on-the-ground conservation and restoration projects that address program priorities on public, Tribal, and/or private lands.

  • Eligible applicants: States, U.S. Territories, and federally recognized Tribes (partnerships with NGOs and others through subawards are encouraged)
  • Award Size: $1 million to $5 million; multistate, multijurisdictional landscape scale restoration requests beyond $5 million may be considered on a limited case-by-case basis. Please contact NFWF program staff to discuss.
  • Project Duration: up to four years 
  • Geographic focus: nationwide, throughout the U.S. and U.S. territories, on public lands, Tribal lands, and/or private lands
  • Note: Although some elements of planning can be included in these projects, majority of funds should be spent on on-the-ground work 
  • Grants under this category are contingent upon awards by DOI

Category 2. Planning Grants: Grants that enhance local capacity to implement future on-the-ground actions that address program priorities through community-based assessments, partnership building, planning, project design, and other technical assistance activities. Projects in this category should include multiple partners, be at a significant scale for the landscape/watershed/seascape, and clearly demonstrate how efforts will lead to implementation projects.

  • Eligible applicants: States, U.S. Territories, and federally recognized Tribes (partnerships with NGOs and others through subawards are encouraged)
  • Award Size: $200,000 to $2 million 
  • Project Duration: up to 3 years 
  • Geographic focus: nationwide, throughout the U.S. and U.S. territories, on public lands, Tribal lands, and/or private lands
  • Grants under this category are contingent upon awards by DOI

Category 3. Sentinel Landscape Grants: Grants will be funded through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program and will be prioritized to designated or emerging Sentinel Landscapes or areas that preserve or enhance military readiness. Projects in this category should include multiple partners and clearly contribute to outcomes identified in a Sentinel Landscape implementation plan or other applicable conservation or restoration implementation plan. Projects in this category should focus on enhancing local capacity to implement future on-the-ground actions, and secondarily focus on directly contributing to on-the-ground outcomes. Projects in this category must demonstrate benefit to DOD facilities and be in the vicinity of or ecologically linked to a DOD installation or range. DOD funds may not be used for work directly on military lands. For the pre-proposal, applicants should provide the contact information (name, organization, email, and phone number) of the installation personnel who are part of the project team and support the proposed project efforts. For the full proposal, applicants will be required to upload an endorsement letter from the lead Military Service, such as the installation commanding officer, to affirm support for the proposed activities. This endorsement letter also signifies that the lead Military Service accepts all necessary environmental compliance oversight responsibilities, including those under the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act. If there are multiple Military Services benefitting from the project, applicants should work with all Military Service representatives involved to determine one lead Military Service and identify the lead Military Service in their application. Applicants who have questions regarding Sentinel Landscape Grants may contact the REPI Office at osd.repi@mail.mil.

  • Eligible applicants: Non-profits, local municipal governments, and educational institutions, States, U.S. Territories, and Tribes 
  • Award Size: $250,000 to $1.5 million  
  • Project Duration: 2 to 4 years 
  • Geographic Focus: Sentinel Landscapes, or in the vicinity of or ecologically linked to a DOD installation or range, cannot be directly on military lands
  • Grants under this category are contingent upon awards by DOD

Category 4. National Forest Grants: Projects in this funding category are to be vegetation management or watershed restoration projects on National Forest System land. These projects must be carried out in accordance with a water source protection plan as developed under section 303(d)(1) of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003 or a watershed restoration action plan developed under section 304(a)(3) of HFRA of 2003. 

Associated activities may include the removal of vegetation, use of prescribed fire, restoration of aquatic habitat, or decommissioning of an unauthorized, temporary, or system road in order to enhance the ecological integrity achieve the restoration of a forest ecosystem.

  • Eligible applicants: Non-profits, local municipal governments, and educational institutions, States, U.S. Territories, and Tribes 
  • Award Size: $250,000 to $1.5 million  
  • Project Duration: 2 to 4 years 
  • Geographic Focus: Must be on National Forest Service System land 
  • Grants under this category are contingent upon awards by USFS

Category 5. Private Forests, Rangeland and Farmland Grants: Grants will support outreach and engagement with private landowners for voluntary conservation efforts on working lands to advance NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife Framework and Initiatives (e.g. sagebrush, grasslands, northern bobwhite, northeast turtles, golden-winged warbler). Projects will help agricultural producers design and implement voluntary conservation practices and increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories.

  • Eligible applicants: Nonprofits, local municipal governments, and educational institutions, States, U.S. territories, and Tribes
  • Award Size: $200,000 to $500,000 
  • Project Duration: 2 to 3 years 
  • Geographic Focus: Must be within Working Lands for Wildlife Framework and Initiatives boundaries 
  • Grants under this category are contingent upon review and concurrence by NRCS

Matching Funds
Non-federal match helps demonstrate broad support for the project and may be required for federal funding. The minimum match (in-kind and cash) requirements for potential applicants is dependent on the applicant organization type as well as the grant category. The tables below indicate the match requirements for each funding source.:


DOI Conservation and Restoration Funds (Categories  1 and 2) 

Recipient Type Federal Cost Share Non-federal cost share (match)
States 90% of total project costs 10% of total project costs (11.12% of grant request), of which at least 2.5% must be cash
Tribal Nations & territories*   97% of costs

 3% of costs, of which at least .75% must be cash

(COVERED for Tribal Nations, fully covered by partnership with Native Americans in Philanthropy; WAIVED for territories per DOI legal interpretation, see below)**


DOD Conservation and Restoration Funds (Category 3)

Recipient Type Federal cost share    Non-federal cost share (match)
All entities 100% of costs  Not required. DOD REPI Program funds can serve as a non-federal match for the other federal programs in the ATBC grants. 


 USFS Conservation and Restoration Funds (Category 4)

Recipient Type Federal cost share Non-federal cost share (match)
All entities 80% of total project costs

20% of total project costs (25% of grant request) 


(COVERED for Tribal Nations, fully covered by Native Americans in Philanthropy)*


NRCS Technical Assistance Funds (Category 5)

Recipient Type  Federal cost share Non-federal cost share (match)
All entities 100% of project costs  Not required.


*Pursuant to Section 601 of Pub. L. 96-205, as amended, the match requirement is waived for the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP), as a part of their partnership with NFWF, will be providing all match for any granted Tribally led projects up to the 10% ATBC funding set aside for Tribal Nation grantees. Match for Tribally led projects funded beyond the 10% will be subject to NAP funding availability. Unless a Tribal applicant would like to provide additional matching funds, they should leave the matching contributions section of Easygrants blank. NFWF will work with NAP to allocate funds to applicable projects. Applicants who are unable to meet these minimum requirements are still encouraged to apply and to proactively contact NFWF staff before submission. When possible, NFWF will work with potential applicants to help meet these minimum requirements. Applicants are encouraged to describe federal partner contributions in the proposal narrative, although those contributions will not count toward match except for DOD REPI funds and 638 BIA funds which count as non-federal funds for match purposes. Higher match ratios and contributions from a diversity of partners are encouraged. Matching contributions may include cash, in-kind contributions of staff and volunteer time, work performed, materials and services donated, or other tangible contributions to the project objectives and outcomes. In addition, eligible indirect costs (that would not be paid with requested grant funding) may be applied as match. To be eligible, matching contributions must be spent or applied during the period of performance indicated in the application. For additional guidance on match, please see Appendix 3. 


PROJECT METRICS

All applications will be completed in NFWF’s online Easygrants system. To better gauge progress on individual grants and to ensure greater consistency of project data provided by multiple grants, the Easygrants application includes a list of standard metrics options for describing project impacts and reporting outcomes. We ask that applicants select only the most relevant metrics associated with the landscape level work being proposed from this list for their project (program metrics are shown in Appendix 1). If you think an applicable metric has not been provided, please contact Sydney Godbey (Sydney.Godbey@nfwf.org) to discuss acceptable alternatives.


ELIGIBILITY

Based on legislative funding authorities, the DOI funding in this round can only support states, territories, and federally recognized Tribes.

Eligible and Ineligible Entities

  • State government agencies, territories of the United States, and Indian Tribes2 are eligible to apply for all five grant categories.
  • Non-profit 501(c) organizations, local governments, municipal governments, and educational institutions are eligible to apply for grants in categories (3) Sentinel Landscape Grants, (4) National Forest Grants and (5) Private Forests, Rangelands and Farmlands Grants. 

Ineligible applicants include U.S. Federal government agencies, businesses, unincorporated individuals, and international organizations. For additional details on individual funders restrictions and priorities, please see Appendix 2.

Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds 

  • Federal funds and matching contributions may not be used to procure or obtain equipment, services, or systems (including entering into or renewing a contract) that uses telecommunications equipment or services produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities) as a substantial or essential component, or as critical technology of any system. Refer to Public Law 115-232, section 889 for additional information. 
  • NFWF funds and matching contributions may not be used to support political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, litigation, terrorist activities or Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.
  • NFWF funds may not be used to support ongoing efforts to comply with legal requirements, including permit conditions, mitigation, and settlement agreements. However, grant funds may be used to support projects that enhance or improve upon existing baseline compliance efforts. 


EVALUATION CRITERIA


All proposals will be screened for relevance, accuracy, completeness, and compliance with NFWF and funding source policies. Pre-proposals and full proposals will then be evaluated by review teams representing the relevant funders and technical experts based primarily on the extent to which they meet the criteria listed below. Each of the criteria will be evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is insufficient, 2 is significantly deficient, three is satisfactory, four is excellent and five is outstanding. For more information on review scoring see Appendix 4. 

Program Goals and Priorities – Project addresses one or more of the program priorities listed on pages 2-4 of this RFP and aligns with agency funding priorities for each category as specified in Appendix 2. Project has specific, quantifiable performance metrics to evaluate project progress toward goals. Competitive projects will address more than one program priority, and all projects should provide an ecosystem benefit. 

Technical Merit – Project is technically sound and feasible, and the proposal sets forth a clear, logical, and achievable work plan/timeline. Project engages appropriate technical experts throughout project planning, design, and implementation to ensure activities are technically sound and feasible. Project includes a plan for monitoring progress during and after the proposed project period to track project success and adaptively address new challenges and opportunities as they arise. Proposal notes any pre- and post-performance monitoring necessary and how it will be implemented. Project will be maintained to ensure benefits are achieved and sustained over time. This should include how future funding will be secured to implement necessary long-term monitoring and maintenance activities. This ensures long-term sustainability and success of the project, integration into local programs and policies, and community acceptance of proposed restoration actions.

Conservation Plan and/or Indigenous Knowledge – Project builds off and contributes to one or more existing conservation, restoration, resilience, stewardship, Tribal resource management, or species recovery plans and/or is informed by INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE; please see footnote 1 above for examples. Project establishes partnerships, capacity, and/or processes necessary to develop or implement a plan. Proposal articulates the degree to which the project will advance outcomes and goals set forth in a plan.

Partnership and Community Impact – The project is supported by a robust partnership with necessary expertise. The applicant partners with, elevates, and engages collaboratively with or directly represents diverse local community members, leaders, community-based organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to develop and implement the project. These include projects where non-traditional partners or communities are engaged—or are applicants themselves—thereby benefiting underserved communities and broadening the sustained impact from the project.  Efforts to develop capacity in non-traditional partners are encouraged. 

Budget – Amount requested is proportional to expected outcomes. Costs are allowable, reasonable and budgeted in accordance with NFWF’s Budget Instructions cost categories. Federally funded projects must be in compliance with OMB Uniform Guidance as applicable. A complete budget should include budget narratives to provide justifications for costs. Cost-effectiveness analysis identifies the economically most efficient way to meet project objectives. Project includes a cost-effective budget that balances performance risk and efficient use of funds. Cost-effectiveness evaluation includes, but is not limited to, an assessment of effective costs across all categories in the proposed budget according to the type, size and duration of project and project objectives. Project budgets will be compared to similar projects to ensure proposed costs across all budget categories are reasonable for the activities being performed and the outcomes proposed.


OTHER  

Procurement – If the applicant chooses to specifically identify proposed Contractor(s) for Services, an award by NFWF to the applicant does not constitute NFWF’s express written authorization for the applicant to procure such specific services noncompetitively. When procuring goods and services, NFWF recipients must follow documented procurement procedures which reflect applicable laws and regulations. Tribes may utilize their own procurement policies and procedures.

Equipment – Applicants are encouraged to rent equipment where possible or use matching funds to make those purchases. NFWF acknowledges, however, that some projects may only be completed using NFWF funds to procure equipment.  For requests for equipment purchases, please provide sufficient justification in the budget section of the proposal. OMB Uniform Guidance defines equipment as tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds $5,000. Equipment purchases using federal funding will require additional depreciation reporting which can expand beyond the life of the grant or until the item is valued at less than $5,000. 

Publicity and Acknowledgment of Support – Award recipients will be required to grant NFWF the right and authority to publicize the project and NFWF’s, and the federal funding partner’s, financial support for the grant in press releases, publications, and other public communications. Recipients may also be asked by NFWF to provide high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) photographs depicting the project.

Receiving Award Funds – Award payments are primarily reimbursable.  Projects may request funds for reimbursement at any time after completing a signed agreement with NFWF and the appropriate environmental compliance documentation is in place. A request of an advance of funds must be due to an imminent need of expenditure and must detail how the funds will be used and provide justification and a timeline for expected disbursement of these funds.

Compliance Requirements – Projects selected under RFP Categories 1-4 may be subject to requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act (ESA; state and federal), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Clean Water Act (CWA). Documentation of compliance with these regulations must be approved prior to initiating activities that disturb or alter habitat or other features of the project site(s). Applicants may be asked to produce compliance documents and should budget time and resources to obtain the needed approvals. For Sentinel Landscape Grants, applicants should discuss compliance requirements with the lead Military Service before applying. As may be applicable, successful applicants may be required to comply with additional Federal, state, or local requirements and obtain all necessary permits and clearances. Projects on Tribal lands must comply with all Tribal laws, regulations, and policies. For Sentinel Landscape Grants, applicants should clearly explain any support needed by the lead Military Service to assist with completing all necessary compliance requirements. For the pre-proposal, applicants should provide the contact information (name, organization, email, and phone number) of the installation personnel who are part of the project team and support the proposed project efforts. For the full proposal, the required project endorsement letter from the lead Military Service will include acknowledgment of the applicant’s compliance assistance request. This endorsement letter signifies that the lead Military Service accepts all necessary environmental compliance oversight responsibilities, including those under the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

Permits – Successful applicants will be required to provide sufficient documentation that the project expects to receive or has received all necessary permits and clearances to comply with any Federal, state, or local requirements.  Where projects involve work in the waters of the United States, NFWF strongly encourages applicants to conduct a permit pre-application meeting with the United States Army Corps of Engineers prior to submitting their proposal. In some cases, if a permit pre-application meeting has not been completed, NFWF may require successful applicants to complete such a meeting prior to grant award. The costs associated with compliance with NEPA, ESA, NHPA, and CWA should be included in the overall project budget.

Environmental Services – NFWF funds projects in pursuit of its mission to sustain, restore and enhance the nation's fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats for current and future generations. NFWF recognizes that some benefits from projects may be of value with regards to credits on an environmental services market (such as a carbon credit market). NFWF does not participate in, facilitate, or manage an environmental services market nor does NFWF assert any claim on such credits. 

Intellectual Property – Intellectual property created using NFWF awards may be copyrighted or otherwise legally protected by award recipients. NFWF may reserve the right to use, publish, and copy materials created under awards, including posting such material on NFWF’s website and featuring it in publications. NFWF may use project metrics and spatial data from awards to estimate societal benefits that result and to report these results to funding partners. These may include but are not limited to: habitat and species response, species connectivity, water quality, water quantity, risk of detrimental events (e.g., wildfire, floods), carbon accounting (e.g., sequestration, avoided emissions), environmental justice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Project Period – Projects that can be implemented faster and at scale are preferred. Project start and end dates should define the period during which all proposed work is accomplished, all requested funds are spent, and all matching funds are spent or applied. Recipients of planning projects awarded through this round of ATBC are encouraged to apply for implementation-ready projects in future RFP cycles. It is important for applicants who look to phase in other implementation projects over time, to articulate the phases in which they anticipate implementing to ensure the review panel has a complete understanding of the project breadth.

Applicant Demographic Information – In an effort to better understand diversity in our grantmaking, NFWF is collecting basic demographic information on applicants and their organizations via a voluntary survey form (available in Easygrants). This information will not be shared externally or with reviewers and will not be considered when making grant decisions. For more details, please see the tip sheet and the Uploads section of Easygrants.

Federal Funding – The availability of federal funds estimated in this solicitation is contingent upon the federal appropriations process. Funding decisions will be made based on level of funding and timing of when it is received by NFWF.


TIMELINE


Dates of activities are subject to change.  Please check the program page of the NFWF website for the most current dates and information at www.nfwf.org/challenge.


Applicant Webinar (Register) February 29, 2024, 2:30–4:30 PM ET
Pre-Proposal Due Date              Thursday, April 4, 2024, 11:59 ET 
Review Period                                April – May 2024
Full Proposal Due Date              Thursday, July 18, 2024, 11:59 ET 
Review Period                                July – November 2024
Awards Announced                     November 2024


HOW TO APPLY


All application materials must be submitted online through National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation’s Easygrants system.

  1. Go to easygrants.nfwf.org to register in our Easygrants online system. New users to the system will be prompted to register before starting the application (if you already are a registered user, use your existing login). Please disable the pop-up blocker on your internet browser prior to beginning the application process. 
  2. Once on your homepage, click the “Apply for Funding” button and select this RFP’s “Funding Opportunity” from the list of options.
  3. Follow the instructions in Easygrants to complete your application. Once an application has been started, it may be saved and returned to at a later time for completion and submission.


APPLICATION ASSISTANCE 


A Tip Sheet is available for quick reference while you are working through your application. This document goes through each step of the application process in Easygrants and includes detailed instruction and helpful guidance, it can be downloaded here. A Frequently Asked Questions document is available here. 


Additional information to support the application process can be accessed on the NFWF website’s Applicant Information page. Including pages about required financial documents, budget narrative instructions, Easygrants mapping tool, and our indirect cost policy. 


All questions on applications and agency funding priorities should be directed to NFWF. NFWF will coordinate with funding partners to answer applicant questions regarding this RFP.

For more information or questions about this RFP, please contact: 


Rachel M. Dawson (she/her)
Program Director | National Programs
Rachel.Dawson@nfwf.org


Sydney Godbey (she/her)
Program Manager | National Programs 
Sydney.Godbey@nfwf.org


Blake Gardiner (he/him)
Regional Program Coordinator 
Blake.Gardiner@nfwf.org 


For issues or assistance with our online Easygrants system, please contact:


Easygrants Helpdesk
Email:  Easygrants@nfwf.org
Voicemail:  202-595-2497
Hours:  9:00 am to 5:00 pm ET, Monday-Friday. 
Include:  your name, proposal ID #, e-mail address, phone number, program you are applying to, and a description of the issue.

1Examples of existing conservation or recovery plans include NFWF’s Conservation Landscapes (business plans); Migratory Bird Joint Ventures and their plans such as the Saltmarsh Sparrow Conservation Plan; Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Sagebrush Conservation Strategy; NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife initiatives and conservation frameworks for Great Plains, Sagebrush, and Northern Bobwhite; Collaborative Landscape Conservation Designs such as Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy, Midwest Landscape Initiative and Conservation Blueprint, and Nature’s Network; state-driven conservation efforts such as State Wildlife Actions Plans, Coastal Master Plans, and the State Action Plans for Big Game Migrations; Tribal conservation priorities, restoration plans, and Tribal co-stewardship agreements; and priorities of local/regional collaboratives such as the Black-foot Challenge, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Crown of the Continent Landscape Conservation Design, Salmon Superhighway, Sacramento Valley Salmon Recovery Program, Southeast Conservation Blueprint, and the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. Similarly, applicants should incorporate science-based tools and data into their proposal where applicable. Examples include the USFS’s Watershed Condition Classification (WCC) and Terrestrial Condition Assessment (TCA), Nature’s Network Conservation Design, and WAFWA’s Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT). Applicants should develop projects with climate strategies in mind when possible and can reference the Advancing the National Fish and Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaption Strategy into a New Decade and the Voluntary Guidance for States to Incorporate Climate Adaptation into State Wildlife Actions Plans and other Management Plans. This list is not exhaustive, but rather indicative of the types of plans and strategies that can be integrated into proposals.

2The term “Indian Tribe” has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. § 5304).  “Indian tribe” or “Indian Tribe” means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.  25 U.S.C. § 5304(e). For more information, please see our FAQ document.