F23AS00103 Refuge Enhancement/Non-Infrastructure
Closed
This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Fish and Wildlife Service notices from 2022.
Fish and Wildlife Service offered grants of up to $5.0 million (at least $5,000) to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments and tribes. It expected to make $5.0 million in total. Applications closed on September 10, 2023.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed February 8, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$5.0 million
- Award floor$5,000
- Total funding$5.0 million
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | December 1, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | September 10, 2023 |
| Archived by Grants.gov | September 15, 2023 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments and tribes.
All 12 applicant types the notice lists
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
Be a state or local government entity, the governing body of any Indian tribe, a nonprofit organization, or an accredited institution of higher education. Have financial policies and procedures that reflect generally accepted accounting principles. Have risk management policies that reflect industry standards and are proactive and thorough in mitigating and managing risk. Have a current contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with FWS (national, regional office, or field station) that clearly identifies both organization’s roles and responsibilities for implementing the type of project the Partner Organization is proposing. If an MOU is used to establish eligibility an organization will not need a new MOU for every individual project if the current award includes the type of project being proposed. For example, a national nonprofit organization with a general national MOU with FWS to conduct trail maintenance will not need a new MOU for every refuge where it performs trail maintenance. A copy of the contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or MOU must be included in the application under Other in GrantSolutions. Please contact your local U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge or Robert L. Williams for more information on developing an MOU.Other Organizations that have an established Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service such as 501(c) 4 or 501(c) 5 nonprofit organizations that are labor unions, neighborhood associations, or other types of eligible organizations, including those that reach or represent potentially underserved communities.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements awards averaged $656,267; this notice allows up to $5.0 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (57% over five years) went to nonprofits.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is the premier government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats. We are the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of these important natural resources for the American public. FWS origins date back to 1871 when Congress established the U.S. Fish Commission to study the decrease in the nation’s food fishes and recommend ways to reverse that decline. Today, we are a diverse and largely decentralized organization, employing about 8,000 dedicated professionals working out of facilities across the country, including a headquarters office in Falls Church, Virginia, and eight regional offices. The National Non-Infrastructure Partnerships initiative encourages National Wildlife Refuge System field stations to partner with local, regional, and national nonprofit organizations, other land management groups, state and tribal partners, and others to accomplish projects that: promote the stewardship of resources of the refuge through habitat maintenance, restoration, and improvement, biological monitoring, or research; increase awareness and understanding of the refuge and the National Wildlife Refuge System through the development, publication, or distribution of educational materials and products; advance education concerning the purposes of the refuge and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System through the use of the refuge as an outdoor classroom to combine educational curricula with the personal experiences of students relating to fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitat and to the cultural and historical resources of the refuges and development of other educational programs; promote the understanding of, education relating to, and the conservation of the fish, wildlife, plants, and cultural and historical resources; improve scientific literacy. The goals of the initiative are to enable local communities to play a more active role in increasing outdoor recreation opportunities on refuge lands and waters, and to enhance wildlife habitat.
Who has won National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements (15.654) awarded $278 million across 424 grant awards, an average of $656,267 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks Unlimited, Inc. | Mississippi | 12 | $30.2 million |
| Ducks Unlimited Inc | California | 5 | $29.0 million |
| Department of Conservation and Energy, State of Louisiana | Louisiana | 1 | $27.5 million |
| Well Done New Mexico LLC | Montana | 1 | $19.3 million |
| The Nature Conservancy | Virginia | 12 | $13.4 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is F23AS00103 still open?
No. It closed on September 10, 2023.
Who can apply for F23AS00103 Refuge Enhancement/Non-Infrastructure?
Fish and Wildlife Service accepted applications from nonprofits, colleges and universities, state and local governments and tribes. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for F23AS00103 Refuge Enhancement/Non-Infrastructure?
Closed September 10, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $5.0 million each. About $5.0 million in total.
Who has won National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Ducks Unlimited Inc, Department of Conservation and Energy, State of Louisiana. The program made 424 awards worth $278 million in that time.
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