FY 2022 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) Traditional Conservation Grants Program (Service Legacy Region 4) | F22AS00136

Opportunity Information: Apply for F22AS00136

The FY 2022 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) Traditional Conservation Grants Program (Service Legacy Region 4) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service aimed at helping state wildlife agencies carry out practical conservation and recovery work for species covered by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The central purpose of the program is to strengthen and support state-led programs that conserve and recover threatened and endangered species under the Service's jurisdiction, with grant funds used for on-the-ground actions and other efforts that produce measurable conservation outcomes.

Funding under this program can support projects that provide direct benefits to federally listed species, as well as proactive work for candidate species, at-risk species, and species that have been recently delisted. In other words, the program is not limited to species already listed as threatened or endangered; it can also help states prevent future listings by addressing threats early, and it can help ensure that recently delisted species stay recovered through continued monitoring and support. Eligible projects may include a mix of management actions (such as habitat restoration or threat reduction), scientific research, population or habitat monitoring, and outreach activities, either as stand-alone efforts or combined into a single integrated project.

Applications are expected to spell out, clearly and specifically, how the proposed activities will move the needle for species recovery or reduce the likelihood that a species will need ESA listing. Competitive proposals are those that make a straightforward case for a direct conservation benefit to the target species or its habitat, rather than general environmental benefits. States can request support for conservation work on federally listed resident species as long as those species are included in the state's cooperative agreement with the Service. States may also seek funding specifically to monitor candidate, at-risk, and recently delisted species, which is often critical for tracking trends, evaluating management effectiveness, and demonstrating whether protections or interventions are working.

Eligibility is narrowly defined. Only state governments may apply, and the applicant must be a state agency that has entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under Section 6(c) of the ESA. If the cooperative agreement is not already in place, the state must enter into or reconfirm the agreement within 30 days of the application deadline to be considered eligible. Importantly, the Service must have a complete and signed cooperative agreement before it can obligate federal funds to any project, consistent with the cited regulatory requirements (50 CFR 81.3, 50 CFR 81.5, and 43 CFR 12.50(b)(3)). While the grant itself can only be awarded to states, other partners such as counties, universities, and conservation organizations can still participate by working with an eligible state agency as subgrantees or project partners, as long as the state remains the official applicant and grant recipient.

From the posted opportunity details, this funding opportunity is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.615, offered as a grant instrument, and categorized under environmental funding activities. The opportunity number is F22AS00136, and the original application closing date was April 12, 2022. The listed award ceiling is $3,433,829, indicating the maximum possible award amount referenced in the notice, although the actual number of expected awards is not specified in the source data provided. Overall, the program is designed to channel federal support through state agencies with established ESA partnerships, focusing on targeted, defensible projects that directly contribute to species recovery, reduce threats, and build the monitoring and management foundation needed for long-term conservation success.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2022 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) Traditional Conservation Grants Program (Service Legacy Region 4)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.615.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-04-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,433,829.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F22AS00136

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