Species Recovery Grants to Tribes | NOAA NMFS PRPO 2023 2007505

Opportunity Information: Apply for NOAA NMFS PRPO 2023 2007505

The Species Recovery Grants to Tribes opportunity is a discretionary federal funding program run by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its purpose is to support federally recognized tribal nations in conserving and recovering marine and anadromous species that are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), including species that are listed as endangered or threatened, species that are candidates for listing, and species that have been proposed for listing. The program can also fund post-delisting monitoring, meaning it may help track and safeguard species that have recovered enough to be removed from the ESA list but still require follow-up monitoring to ensure they remain stable.

NMFS emphasizes that many protected species hold unique cultural, subsistence, and ecological importance for tribes, and the program is designed to strengthen tribal-led conservation and stewardship where NMFS has ESA jurisdiction. Funding can be provided either as a grant or as a cooperative agreement, depending on the level of expected federal involvement in the project. Supported work can include practical conservation and recovery actions such as developing or implementing species management plans, conducting scientific research and monitoring, and delivering public education and outreach that improves awareness and compliance and supports long-term recovery goals.

Within the program, NMFS encourages proposals that help recover certain high-priority endangered species highlighted through the agency's Species in the Spotlight initiative. Projects that address recovery needs for the following species are specifically encouraged: the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic salmon, white abalone, the Cook Inlet distinct population segment of beluga whales, Hawaiian monk seals, Pacific leatherback sea turtles, North Atlantic right whales, and the southern resident distinct population segment of killer whales. While projects can support a broader range of NMFS-managed ESA species, this list signals areas where NMFS is particularly interested in accelerating progress through targeted recovery efforts.

Eligibility is limited to federally recognized tribes and organizations of federally recognized tribes that have the delegated authority to represent a tribe on matters related to ESA-listed, candidate, or proposed species. An example mentioned is the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, illustrating that tribally authorized intertribal organizations may apply when they are formally empowered to act on behalf of member tribes for the relevant species issues. The program explicitly excludes proposals focused on listed, candidate, or proposed Pacific salmon or steelhead; NMFS notes those projects are generally addressed through a different funding source, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, so applications centered on those fish will not be considered under this opportunity.

For the FY 2023 cycle described in the announcement, the opportunity is identified as NOAA NMFS PRPO 2023 2007505 under CFDA 11.472. The funding instrument types are grant and cooperative agreement, and the activity areas align with environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development. The announcement indicates an award ceiling of $300,000, with an expectation of around three awards. The original posting timeline shows a creation date of August 1, 2022, and an original closing date of October 31, 2022. The solicitation also notes that some submission and evaluation details changed compared to prior years, and applicants were expected to follow the full document instructions for preparing and submitting proposals and for understanding how NMFS would decide which projects to fund.

• The Department of Commerce in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Species Recovery Grants to Tribes" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 11.472.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 01, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 31, 2022. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).

Apply for NOAA NMFS PRPO 2023 2007505

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