Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund 2024 Request for Proposals

 

2024 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 

Applicant Webinar [View Recording]: Wednesday June 12 at 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Full Proposal Due Date: Wednesday July 24 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time

 

OVERVIEW

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) seeks proposals to advance pollinator conservation. The goal of the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. 

The most competitive projects will demonstrate clear benefits to both monarch butterfly and additional at-risk native insect pollinator species (i.e., federally listed, candidate, or proposed native insect pollinator species). Special consideration will be given to projects benefiting rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr.

Grants will be awarded in two categories: 

  1. Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands
  2. Habitat Improvement

The Pollinator Fund will award up to $5.1 million in grants in 2024: up to $2 million for Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands and up to $3.1 million for Habitat Improvement. Funding is provided by Bayer Crop Science, Danone North America, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS). 

 

GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS

  1. Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands 
    • Grant funding will be awarded in the following eligible states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
    • Within eligible states, priority will be given to projects located in the North Core, South Core, West Core, and Overwintering Monarch Conservation Units (Figure 1).
    • Projects are restricted to private working lands.


Map of the United States with the West core, North Core, and South core highlighted.

     Figure 1 (above). Technical Assistance Focal Geographies. These focal geographies include partial Monarch Conservation Units defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They represent priority, but not exclusive, areas for NFWF investments in monarch conservation through the category “Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands.”

2. Habitat Improvement

  • Grant funding will be awarded in the following eligible states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
  • Within eligible states, priority will be given to projects located in the North Core, South Core, West Core, and Overwintering Monarch Conservation Units (Figure 2).
  • West of the Rocky Mountains, priority will be given to projects on or adjacent to the following: monarch butterfly overwintering sites, BLM lands, and USFS lands. 

 

Picture of the United States with the West core, North Core, and South core highlighted.

Figure 2 (above). Habitat Improvement Focal Geographies. These focal geographies include partial Monarch Conservation Units defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They represent priority, but not exclusive, areas for NFWF investments in monarch conservation through the category “Habitat Improvement.”


PROGRAM PRIORITIES

All proposals must specifically address how the proposed project will directly and measurably contribute to the accomplishment of the Pollinator Fund’s goals as outlined in NFWF’s Monarch Butterfly Business Plan. As such, all proposals must provide the number of acres restored or enhanced as a result of the project. 

Proposals must include plans to restore or enhance a minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states. For project ideas related to overwintering sites in California that anticipate preserving, restoring, or improving less than 100 acres, please contact Senior Program Manager Crystal Boyd (crystal.boyd@nfwf.org) to discuss before applying. Acres may be counted from multiple sites; the sites do not need to be contiguous. Since 2015, successful proposals have included a median of 960 acres and an average of 2,120 acres restored or enhanced.  

If a project is expected to benefit multiple at-risk native insect pollinator species, the applicant should list the relevant species and how they will benefit. Priority will be given to projects that benefit the monarch butterfly and one or more native insect pollinator species that are federally listed, candidate, or proposed native insect pollinators. 

Community Impact and Engagement: Projects that incorporate outreach to communities, foster community engagement, and pursue collaborative management leading to measurable conservation benefits are encouraged. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award.

Each applicant will identify one category that best describes the project. The Pollinator Fund seeks projects in the following two categories:

1.    Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands
Funding in this category will support implementation of technical assistance to increase the number of private landowners voluntarily engaged in monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation practices on private working lands. Up to $2 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $150,000 to $500,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to three years in length following finalization of the grant agreement.

This category aims to support conservation planning and practice design with private landowners to advance voluntary conservation efforts on working lands that align with NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife frameworks or initiatives, and especially increase Working Lands for Wildlife participation among farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories.*

*  Underserved/Special Emphasis Categories – The historically underserved farmer and rancher categories include those with limited resources, beginning farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged (American Indians or Alaska Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics) and veterans. More information on the underserved categories can be found here. The special emphasis categories are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American, Black, Disability, Women, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Hispanic, and Veterans. More information on the special emphasis categories can be found here.

Grant recipients will provide technical assistance to interested farmers and ranchers to develop management plans, design and implement conservation practices, share their experiences and lessons learned, and participate in Farm Bill programs, especially the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). A particular emphasis should be placed on promoting, designing, and implementing climate-smart agriculture and forestry (CSAF) conservation practices. Competitive projects will increase participation in Farm Bill programs as one way to advance regenerative agricultural principles.

The 2024 Pollinator Fund RFP will support projects that:

  • Direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices.
  • Increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories.

NRCS Coordination – Please ensure the project is in alignment with NRCS goals and priorities by conferring with the NRCS State Conservationist and their staff in the state in which your project is located. A list of NRCS contacts can be found here.

Applicants in this category must provide the following: 

  1. an estimate of the number of conservation plans to be created, the amount of acres to be restored or under improved management, the typical conservation practices to be implemented, and the activities to maintain the implemented practices; 
  2. description of past projects related to working lands conservation, including any projects completed in partnership with USDA and/or NRCS, if applicable; 
  3. indication of the number of positions to be supported by the proposed project (in terms of full-time employee (FTE) equivalents); and 
  4. a brief description of how the project has been discussed with NRCS (no more than 250 characters including spaces) plus the phone number and email address for the relevant NRCS project partner. Contact information is not included in the character count. A list of NRCS state contacts can be found here.

Funding in this category will support the following two strategies:

  • Hiring additional staff or contractors, based on demonstrated need, including staff to assist private landowners and NRCS with developing pollinator habitat management plans and implementation of new and existing NRCS financial assistance contracts.
  • Targeting outreach to landowners and other partners to prioritize, plan, and deliver financial assistance available through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and other Farm Bill programs to improve pollinator habitat and support at-risk pollinator species.

2.    Habitat Improvement
Funding in this category will support on-the-ground work to increase the quality, quantity, and connectivity of habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. Up to $3.1 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $200,000 to $300,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to two years in length following finalization of the grant agreement.

Applicants in this category should define a step-by-step restoration plan including site preparation, equipment used, planting techniques, size of the project area, description of target native plant community, and maintenance plan (e.g., prescribed burning, mowing, grazing schedules). 

If preparing a proposal that includes collecting or propagating native plants, applicants should describe the intended use of the seed or seedlings and how planting success will be monitored. Giveaways of milkweed seeds or seedlings are discouraged unless significant staff time is committed for follow-up, support, monitoring, and mapping with the milkweed recipients.

Plantings must include at least one species of regionally appropriate milkweed. To help meet the nutritional needs of a broad range of pollinator species, plantings must also provide at least three native blooming nectar species (in addition to milkweed) during each of the following periods: spring, summer, and fall.

Projects proposed to benefit other at-risk native insect pollinators should specify habitat needs for those species and how the proposed work will support their breeding, nectaring, nesting, or other habitat needs.

Funding in this category will support the following two strategies:

  • Restore and enhance pollinator habitat, with an emphasis on regionally appropriate milkweed and a diversity of native nectar plants.
  • Increase native seed and seedling supply, with an emphasis on improving the sustainability and affordability of regionally appropriate, local ecotypes (see Definitions section).

 

PROJECT METRICS

To better gauge progress on individual grants and to ensure greater consistency of project data provided by multiple grants, the Pollinator Fund provides a list of metrics in Easygrants from which to choose for future reporting. We ask that applicants select the most relevant metrics from this list for their project. All possible program metrics are shown in the table below. 

  • All proposals must include Acres Restored or Acres Under Improved Management as one of the metrics. Proposals must include plans to restore or enhance a minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states. For project ideas related to overwintering sites in California that anticipate preserving, restoring, or improving less than 100 acres, please contact Senior Program Manager Crystal Boyd (crystal.boyd@nfwf.org) to discuss before applying.
  • The starting value for all metrics must be entered as zero. 

Please contact Senior Program Manager Crystal Boyd (crystal.boyd@nfwf.org) if you have questions about which metrics best apply to your project. 

For the Technical Assistance category, the Pollinator Fund encourages projects that engage organizations and producers in one or more of the NRCS Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. Applicants are encouraged to use the metrics notes fields to indicate the extent that the overall values for the # people and # jobs metrics are expected to include people in the Underserved or Special Emphasis categories.

 

Recommended Metric Additional Guidance
Acres Restored* Enter the total # of acres restored. Restoration means returning integrity to a site where native habitat has been lost or degraded. E.g., planting native plant community or providing technical assistance to develop a conservation plan that references NRCS practice standards designed to establish wildlife habitat. If a project is enhancing already existing monarch habitat, use the metric "acres under improved management” instead. A project acre should be reported using only 1 of these 2 metrics.
Acres Under Improved Management* Enter total # of acres improved. Improved means changing specific ecological function(s) or the vegetative successional stage of a site to provide additional benefit for monarchs. E.g., conservation mowing, haying, grazing, burning, invasive plant species control, inter-seeding existing habitat, or providing technical assistance to develop a conservation plan that references NRCS practice standards to enhance wildlife habitat. A project acre should be reported using only 1 of these 2 metrics.  
# Workshops, Webinars, Meetings Enter the number of workshops, webinars, and/or meetings hosted.
# People Reached

Enter the number of individuals or partners directly engaged. Do not include media impressions (number of newsletters sent, social media posts viewed, etc.).

If applicable for Technical Assistance proposals, in the NOTES section report the number of people reached in the Historically Underserved or Special Emphasis categories.
 
# Plans Developed Enter the number of conservation plans created.
# Jobs Created

Enter the number of new Full Time Employees (FTEs) hired. 

If applicable for Technical Assistance proposals, in the NOTES section report the number of new jobs created for people in the Historically Underserved or Special Emphasis categories.
 
# Jobs Sustained

Enter the number of existing Full Time Employees (FTEs) sustained.

If applicable for Technical Assistance proposals, in the NOTES section report the number of jobs sustained for people in the Historically Underserved or Special Emphasis categories.
 
Pounds Harvested Enter the number of pounds of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) seed collected. Only include pounds of clean seed (i.e., seeds exclusive of inert matter, invasive/weed seeds, and all other seeds). May include fractions.
# Seedlings Propagated Enter the number of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) plugs propagated. This includes the number of new milkweed plants successfully established to be transplanted for use in current or future monarch habitat restoration/enhancement sites.


*For reporting purposes, each project acre should be reported only once as either “restored” or “under improved management” based on the condition of the acre relative to monarch butterflies at the beginning of project implementation (see Definitions section).

 

DEFINITIONS

  • At-risk Native Insect Pollinator Species: Federally listed, candidate, or proposed native insect pollinator species.
  • Local Ecotype: A locally adapted population of a species that has a distinctive limit of tolerance to environmental factors.
  • Clean Seed: Seeds exclusive of inert matter, invasive/weed seeds, and all other seeds.
  • Restore*: Habitat restoration involves the manipulation of an area with the goal of returning integrity to a site where native habitat has been lost or degraded. Examples may include, but are not limited to, planting native plant communities that likely existed previously on the site. For example, conservation plans developed with technical assistance would reference appropriate NRCS practice standards designed to establish wildlife habitat.
  • Under Improved Management*: Habitat under improved management (i.e. enhanced) involves the manipulation of an area to change (heighten, intensify, or improve) specific ecological function(s) or the vegetative successional stage of the project site to provide additional benefits to monarchs and other pollinators. Habitat under improved management (i.e. enhanced) includes implementation or modification of land management practices such as mowing, haying, grazing, prescribed burning, invasive plant species control, forest health management activities, and interseeding existing habitat with milkweeds and forbs. For example, conservation plans developed with technical assistance would reference appropriate NRCS practice standards designed to enhance wildlife habitat. 
  • NRCS’ Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis Categories: Underserved/Special Emphasis Categories – The historically underserved farmer and rancher categories include those with limited resources, beginning farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged (American Indians or Alaska Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics) and veterans. More information on the underserved categories can be found here. The special emphasis categories are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American, Black, Disability, Women, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Hispanic, and Veterans. More information on the special emphasis categories can be found here.

 

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible and Ineligible Entities

  • Eligible applicants include nonprofit 501(c) organizations, U.S. federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions.
  • Ineligible applicants include businesses, unincorporated individuals, and international organizations.

Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds 

  • 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. 
  • Equipment: Applicants are encouraged to rent equipment where possible and cost-effective or use matching funds to make those purchases.  NFWF acknowledges, however, that some projects may only be completed using NFWF funds to procure equipment. If this applies to your project, please contact the program staff listed in this RFP to discuss options.
  • 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.


FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND MATCH

Up to $5.1 million is expected to be available for grant awards in 2024. Over the past five funding cycles, the average application success rate was 34%. Funding availability and project duration relevant to each category are described here:

  1. Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands: Up to $2 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $150,000 to $500,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to three years in length following finalization of the grant agreement.
  2. Habitat Improvement: Up to $3.1 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $200,000 to $300,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to two years in length following finalization of the grant agreement.

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. The project narrative should include a clear timetable or schedule for project completion. Significant project deliverables and outcomes are expected to be achieved within the first year. The start date indicated in the proposal should not precede January 1, 2025.

Matching funds are not required. However, the ratio of matching contributions offered to grant funding requested is one criterion considered during the review process, and projects that offer a 1:1 match ratio with contributions from non-federal sources will be more competitive. For category 1 (Technical Assistance for Private Workings Lands), organizations relevant to any of NRCS’s Underserved/Special Emphasis Categories that are unable to provide significant non-federal matching contributions are encouraged to contact NFWF prior to submitting a proposal. Discussing challenges and setting expectations will help ensure matching contributions do not become an undue barrier during the review process.

Applicants are also encouraged to indicate relevant federal contributions to demonstrate the scope of partner investment in the project. Matching contributions must be spent or applied between the project start and end dates indicated in the proposal. 

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. The cost of land acquisition or easement may also qualify as leverage for a project involving work at the protected site. In addition, eligible indirect costs (that would not be paid with requested grant funding) may be applied as match. More information about using indirect costs as match can be found by clicking here. NFWF will not consider the portion of landowner expenses required as cost share to obtain funding on Farm Bill projects as partner contributions to match.


EVALUATION CRITERIA

All proposals will be screened for relevance, accuracy, completeness, and compliance with NFWF and funding source policies. Proposals will then be evaluated based on the extent to which they meet the following criteria. Project selections may also be based on other considerations, such as availability of funding, geographic balance, and balance among project types and grant size.

Conservation Merit and Implementation

  • Program Goals and Priorities – Project contributes to the Pollinator Fund’s overall habitat and species conservation goals and has specific, quantifiable performance metrics to evaluate project success. Project addresses one or more of the program priorities.
  • Technical Merit – Project is technically sound and feasible, and the proposal sets forth a clear, logical, and achievable work plan and timeline. Project engages appropriate technical experts throughout project planning, design, and implementation to ensure activities are technically sound and feasible.
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) – Proposal clearly articulates benefits to underserved and underrepresented communities and any other meaningful DEIJ considerations associated with project delivery and how those will be monitored and measured.
  • Transferability – Project has the opportunity and plans to transfer lessons learned to other communities and/or to have lessons learned integrated into government programs and policies.
  • Communication – Project includes a detailed plan to communicate information about the project to appropriate audiences.
  • Conservation Plan and Context – The project advances the Monarch Butterfly Business Plan and other existing conservation plans or strategies.
  • Complementarity – Project complements and builds on the work of others rather than duplicating efforts.
  • Timeliness – Project has commenced planning, design, and engineering to the extent that on-the-ground implementation can begin shortly after the grant is awarded.
  • NRCS Coordination – Project is in alignment with NRCS goals and priorities and has conferred with the NRCS State Conservationist and their staff in the state in which the project is located. A list of NRCS state contacts can be found here. 

Project Costs

  • Budget – 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.
  • Cost-Effectiveness – 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 direct/indirect 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.
  • Funding Need – Proposal establishes a clear need for the funds being requested and demonstrates that activities would not move forward absent funding.
  • Matching Contributions –Matching contributions are to be spent/applied between the start and end dates specified in the proposal. Matching contributions consist of cash, contributed goods and services, volunteer hours, and/or property raised and spent for the project during the Period of Performance. Larger match ratios and matching fund contributions from a diversity of partners are encouraged and will be more competitive during application review.
  • Efficiency – Costs are fitting for the activities proposed.

Qualifications

  • Past Success – Applicant has a proven track record of success in implementing conservation practices with specific, measurable results.
  • Partnership – An appropriate partnership exists to implement the project, and the project is supported by a strong local partnership that leverages additional funds and will sustain it after the life of the grant. Proposal identifies proposed partners (including potential or contemplated subawards to third party subrecipients of the applicant), the roles they will play in implementing the project, and how this project will build new or enhance existing partnerships. (Note: a project partner is any local community, non-profit organization, tribe, and/or local, state, and federal government agency that contributes to the project in a substantial way and is closely involved in the completion of the project.)
  • Letters of Support – Proposal includes letters of support from landowners where the proposed work would occur and from other significant partners, especially those providing match or contributing to the project in a significant way. Letters of support should be signed by the partner, reference the specific proposal under review, and state the partner’s commitment to achieving specific project goals and supporting monitoring efforts.

Evaluation and Maintenance

  • Monitoring – Project includes a plan for monitoring progress during and after the proposed project period to track project success, adaptively address new challenges and opportunities as they arise, and assure conservation efforts are effective and strategic. Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate plans to document site condition and monarch usage prior to project implementation. For example, please note if Integrated Monarch Monitoring Program protocols or similar monitoring efforts have been or will be employed at project sites.
  • Long-term Sustainability – Project will be maintained to ensure benefits are achieved and sustained over time. Proposal indicates how future funding will be secured to implement necessary long-term monitoring and maintenance activities.


OTHER

Monitoring – NFWF may implement independent monitoring efforts in the future to measure the environmental outcomes from projects funded under this solicitation. Award recipients may be asked to facilitate granting of access to project sites for NFWF or its designees for future environmental monitoring purposes.

Applicant Demographic Information – In an effort to better understand diversity in grantmaking, NFWF is collecting basic demographic information on applicants and their organizations through 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.

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. 

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 that reflect applicable laws and regulations.  

Publicity and Acknowledgment of Support – Award recipients will be required to grant NFWF the right and authority to publicize the project and NFWF’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. 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 may be subject to requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act (state and federal), and National Historic Preservation Act. 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 should budget time and resources to obtain the needed approvals. 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.

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 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.

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.

NRCS’ Underserved/Special Emphasis Categories – Underserved/Special Emphasis Categories – The historically underserved farmer and rancher categories include those with limited resources, beginning farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged (American Indians or Alaska Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics) and veterans. More information on the underserved categories can be found here. The special emphasis categories are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American, Black, Disability, Women, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Hispanic, and Veterans. More information on the special emphasis categories can be found here.

 

TIMELINE

Dates of activities are subject to change. Please check the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund webpage for the most current dates and information.

Applicant Webinar [View Recording] June 12, 3:00 PM, Eastern Time
Full Proposal Due Date July 24, 11:59 PM, Eastern Time
Review Period July to December
Awards Announced Mid-December

            

HOW TO APPLY

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

  1. Go to easygrants.nfwf.org to register in the 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). Enter your applicant information. 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 can be downloaded here .

Additional information to support the application process can be accessed on NFWF’s website at the Applicant Information page.

For more information or questions about this RFP, please contact: 
Crystal Boyd
Senior Manager of Pollinator Programs 
crystal.boyd@nfwf.org

For issues or assistance with the 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, name of program to which you are applying (Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund), and a description of the issue.