Tribal Wildlife Grants (15.639)
Tribal Wildlife Grants (Assistance Listing 15.639) is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, part of the Department of the Interior. It awarded $29.9 million in 173 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $172,704 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $199,000. Half of the 173 awards fell between $175,000 and $200,000, and they ranged from $14,957 to $200,000.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$29.9 million
- Grant awards173
- Typical award$199,000
- Awarded in FY 2025$5.9 million
- Size rank1186 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants (discretionary)
Key findings
- Annual funding was roughly flat, $5.8 million in fiscal 2021 and $5.9 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 1186th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 37% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 25 states and territories.
What the program funds
Support the development and implementation of programs for the benefit of wildlife and their habitats and species of Tribal cultural or traditional importance, including species that are not hunted or fished.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Participation is limited to Federally recognized Indian tribal governments.
What the money can and cannot pay for
Approved activities include those which develop and implement programs for the benefit of wildlife and their habitat, including species of Native American cultural or traditional importance and species that are not hunted or fished. Activities may include, but are not limited to: Planning for conservation of fish and wildlife, and their habitats; Conservation management actions for fish and wildlife, and their habitats; Field and laboratory research related to fish and wildlife resources; Natural history studies; Habitat mapping or evaluation; Field surveys and population monitoring; Restoration of habitat; Management of invasive species; and Public education relevant to the proposed project.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range: $10,000-$200,000; Average: $170,000.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: Sitka Tribe of Alaska ($200,000) Artificial Intelligence for Subsistence Salmon Monitoring and Management Sitka Tribe of Alaska will partner with Wild Salmon Center and the US Forest Service to install artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled video chutes to produce automated real-time counts of Redoubt Lake sockeye salmon for a fraction of the cost of traditional weirs. Once the model meets accuracy targets, it will substantially reduce long-term monitoring costs and be able to generate accurate in-season salmon counts in real-time with minimal human input. Navajo Nation, within Arizona ($100,000) Estimating Abundance, Preserving Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Resolving Human-Bear Conflict of Black Bears on the Navajo Nation This project is led by University of Arizona with technical and logistical support from Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife. The project aims to assess the current status of the black bear population on the Navajo Nation to contribute to effective habitat management while preserving Traditional Ecological Knowledge and minimizing human-wildlife conflicts. Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, within North Carolina ($200,000) Leveraging DNA Sampling to Understand and Manage Resources The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian’s Office of Fisheries and Wildlife Management Actively implements over 40 projects to adaptively manage and protect fisheries and wildlife resources across the boundary.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Tribal Wildlife Grants (15.639) awarded$29.9 million across 173 grant awards, an average of $172,704 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminole Tribe of Florida | Florida | 5 | $1.0 million |
| Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe | Nevada | 4 | $768,410 |
| Hoonah Indian Association | Alaska | 4 | $628,405 |
| White Mountain Apache Tribe | Arizona | 3 | $600,000 |
| Chickaloon Native Village | Alaska | 3 | $600,000 |
| Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation | Montana | 3 | $600,000 |
| Yurok Tribe | California | 3 | $599,676 |
| Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | North Carolina | 3 | $588,908 |
| Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe | Minnesota | 3 | $581,290 |
| Native Village of Eklutna | Alaska | 3 | $573,953 |
| Pueblo of Santa Ana | New Mexico | 3 | $561,285 |
| Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians | Maine | 3 | $515,842 |
| Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak | Alaska | 3 | $497,887 |
| Navajo Nation Tribal Government | Arizona | 4 | $488,487 |
| Karuk Tribe of California | California | 2 | $400,000 |
| Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe | Washington | 2 | $400,000 |
| Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians | Michigan | 2 | $400,000 |
| Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Indian Reservation | Washington | 2 | $399,970 |
| Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians | Minnesota | 2 | $399,642 |
| Muscogee Creek Nation | Oklahoma | 2 | $397,833 |
Who usually wins
Tribal governments and organizations received 97% of the money, state and local governments 2.0%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tribal governments and organizations | 167 | $28.8 million | 97% |
| State and local governments | 3 | $600,000 | 2.0% |
| Other | 3 | $432,869 | 1.5% |
By state
12 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 30 | $5.5 million |
| Washington | 23 | $4.2 million |
| California | 21 | $4.0 million |
| Nevada | 10 | $1.8 million |
| Arizona | 12 | $1.7 million |
| Oklahoma | 9 | $1.4 million |
| Montana | 8 | $1.3 million |
| New Mexico | 7 | $1.2 million |
| Minnesota | 6 | $1.2 million |
| Maine | 7 | $1.1 million |
| Oregon | 6 | $1.0 million |
| Florida | 5 | $1.0 million |
| Nebraska | 4 | $727,128 |
| North Carolina | 3 | $588,908 |
| Michigan | 3 | $574,364 |
| Idaho | 3 | $532,710 |
| Wisconsin | 4 | $473,834 |
| Virginia | 2 | $387,382 |
| New York | 4 | $348,638 |
| Wyoming | 1 | $200,000 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $197,911 |
| Utah | 1 | $175,000 |
| Louisiana | 1 | $159,637 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $130,265 |
| Colorado | 1 | $128,606 |