FWS-NWFW Urban Partnership Program 2018 | F18AS00047

Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00047

The FWS-NWFW Urban Partnership Program 2018 (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00047) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding action structured as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.655. Its central purpose is to provide $50,000 in FWS funds to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to strengthen the Five Star-Urban Waters Restoration grant program by creating or supporting an Urban Refuge focal area within that larger competitive program. In practice, the federal funds are intended to help NFWF direct more resources toward projects that advance Urban Wildlife Refuge standards of excellence, with a clear emphasis on urban bird conservation and community-based conservation in city settings.

A defining feature of this opportunity is that it is built around a public-private partnership model. The FWS contribution is explicitly meant to be leveraged with funding already committed by other federal partners, including the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as a range of non-federal corporate and private partners. The idea is that, by pooling and coordinating investments, the program can target priority urban watersheds and support restoration and engagement projects that would be difficult to fund through a single source alone. NFWF serves as the program manager that administers the competitive grant process, soliciting project proposals and coordinating partner roles, while FWS and other agencies contribute technical alignment and strategic direction tied to urban refuge goals.

Although the funds in this specific notice flow from FWS to NFWF, the broader intent is that NFWF will then solicit and fund on-the-ground projects from a wide mix of applicants such as state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, Tribes, and academic institutions. The projects supported under the Urban Refuge focal area are expected to align with places where FWS already has a presence or active relationships. Specifically, selected projects must be located near FWS lands or offices, or in locations with existing FWS urban partnerships, ensuring that FWS staff involvement and long-term collaboration are realistic and not just symbolic.

The program is designed around four core objectives that shape what strong projects should look like. First is partnerships: proposals are expected to include public and private partner organizations and show a credible ability, or at least a clear strategy, for working with specific urban cultures and communities rather than treating "the public" as a single, generic audience. Projects should also explain how working directly with FWS staff helps achieve shared goals, especially connecting people with nature through bird-related education and conservation activities. Second is measurable benefits: funded efforts should produce measurable outcomes, including evidence of increased participation in fish and wildlife-related activities among diverse urban audiences and improved public understanding of how conservation contributes to community well-being. Third is sustainability: projects should demonstrate commitment to neighborhood strength and community capacity so that relationships, skills, and engagement can continue beyond the grant period, with the expectation that communities remain engaged as partners with FWS over the long term. Fourth is community assets: proposals should spell out tangible ways FWS can be an asset to the community, such as providing technical assistance on fish and wildlife issues, creating pathways for youth employment, supporting urban bird conservation, or improving community education and recreational enjoyment connected to local natural resources.

Administratively, this posting is a notification of intent to make a single-source award, meaning it is not an open competition for the cooperative agreement itself. The recipient was already selected: the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which fits the stated eligible applicant category in the posting (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit other than an institution of higher education). The expected number of awards is one, and the award ceiling is $50,000. The opportunity was created on December 1, 2017, with an original closing date of December 8, 2017, reflecting that this was primarily a formal public notice of the government’s intent to fund NFWF to carry out the described grant-making and partnership coordination role.

The legal authority cited for making the award includes several major federal wildlife and conservation statutes, including the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (as amended), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Taken together, these authorities support the program’s focus on conserving fish and wildlife resources, coordinating conservation alongside other land and water uses, and advancing migratory bird conservation, all while placing special emphasis on urban settings where community engagement and equitable access to nature are central outcomes alongside ecological restoration.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FWS-NWFW Urban Partnership Program 2018" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.655.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 01, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 08, 2017 This is a Notification of Intent to award a single source cooperative agreement to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The recipient has already been selected.. (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 $50,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for F18AS00047

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: