NAWCA FY18 U.S. Small Grants | F17AS00403

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00403

The NAWCA FY18 U.S. Small Grants opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00403) is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.623. It is designed to fund on-the-ground wetland conservation work in the United States that advances the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). The program emphasizes collaborative, public-private partnerships and supports projects that deliver tangible habitat outcomes rather than studies or academic research.

Projects funded through this program must focus on long-term conservation actions involving wetlands and associated upland habitats. Eligible project activities include the long-term protection, restoration, enhancement, and/or establishment of wetlands and related uplands, with the explicit purpose of benefiting migratory birds and other wildlife that depend on wetland ecosystems. The intent is to produce durable conservation benefits, meaning proposals should be oriented toward lasting habitat improvements or protections (for example, through restoration work, enhancement of existing wetland functions, or securing habitat through protection mechanisms), rather than short-term efforts.

A central requirement of the U.S. Small Grants Program is cost sharing: applicants must provide a 1:1 match, meaning every federal dollar requested must be matched by an equal amount of non-federal contributions. This match typically comes through partner contributions and can include cash and qualifying in-kind support, reinforcing the program's partnership-driven approach and ensuring that projects leverage federal funds to generate broader investment in habitat conservation.

Funding is capped at an award ceiling of $100,000 per grant. This ceiling reflects an increase approved by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council (NAWCC) in June 2016, when the maximum award amount rose from $75,000 to $100,000. The opportunity anticipated making approximately 50 awards, underscoring that it is competitive and that proposals likely need to be well-scoped, clearly justified, and strongly supported by partners to stand out.

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally means a wide range of applicants may apply, provided they can meet program requirements and propose eligible work. The funding activity category is Environment and Natural Resources, consistent with the program's habitat conservation mission. The application closing date for this cycle was October 19, 2017, and the opportunity was created on August 15, 2017, indicating a defined submission window for FY18 consideration.

One clear limitation is that research funding is not eligible. Proposals centered on research, monitoring as a primary purpose, or other non-implementation activities would not fit the program's intent. The program is aimed at implementation-focused conservation outcomes that protect and improve wetland and upland habitats in ways that directly benefit wetland-associated migratory birds over the long term.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NAWCA FY18 U.S. Small Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.623.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-08-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-10-19. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

Apply for F17AS00403

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