Fish and Wildlife Coordinaion and Assistance Programs | F19AS00386

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00386

The Fish and Wildlife Coordination and Assistance Programs opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00386) is a discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, listed under CFDA 15.664 and categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development. The legal authority for the award comes from a mix of long-standing U.S. conservation statutes, including the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (1958), the Fish and Wildlife Act (1956, as amended), and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, along with any additional direction provided through annual Congressional appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Importantly, this posting is not a broad, competitive solicitation. It is a notice that the agency intends to make a single-source financial assistance award, meaning one expected award, with an award ceiling of $150,000. Eligible applicants are nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) IRS status (other than institutions of higher education). The notice was created September 11, 2019, with an original closing date of September 16, 2019, reflecting a short administrative window typical of single-source announcements.

Programmatically, the grant is centered on migratory shorebird conservation in Barbados, which sits in a strategic position in the western Atlantic and functions as an important stopover point for shorebirds, especially during periods of adverse weather. Shorebird hunting has deep roots on the island dating back to the early colonial era and continues today in purpose-built "shooting swamps." Even with hunting pressure, these sites have been recognized as Important Bird Areas (IBAs), highlighting their ecological value for migratory and resident waterbirds. The project described in the announcement supports a pragmatic conservation approach that works within the local cultural context: encouraging the evolution of hunting traditions toward sustainable management and, where possible, establishing and maintaining no-shooting refuges that provide safe habitat during migration.

A major focus is the continued upkeep of the Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge. Woodbourne was formerly a shooting swamp that was leased in 2008 specifically to create a no-shooting sanctuary. Restoration began in May 2009 and was completed in time for the southbound migration that same year, when shorebird use increased immediately into the thousands. The site is now managed locally by the Shorebird Conservation Trust in Barbados, and observations suggest birds departing from the refuge take flight paths that reduce exposure to further shooting pressure. The grant funding is needed primarily for ongoing maintenance, monitoring, and annual management tasks that keep the habitat functional for feeding and roosting. The most expensive and technically challenging recurring issue is preventing flooding of the refuge's "feeding tray" area; when flooded, the feeding habitat becomes far less useful for shorebirds. The current management approach is described as labor-intensive, requiring regular maintenance and monitoring each year.

The opportunity also supports habitat management at another site known as the Fosters swamp, an artificial wetland originally created in 1944 for hunting migrating shorebirds. Located in St. Lucy parish with open northern exposure, Fosters historically operated as a private shooting site with multiple members. Starting in 2017, members stopped shooting shorebirds and expressed interest in maintaining the area as a no-shooting reserve instead. Grant funds are intended to maintain the feeding trays and ensure water availability during the fall migration period. The announcement notes that Fosters shareholders are contributing personal matching funds specifically to supply water, indicating local buy-in and cost sharing toward the management goals.

Beyond direct habitat work, the announcement emphasizes the importance of continued engagement with the hunting community, particularly through the Barbados Wildfowlers Association (BWFA). Founded in 1981 by around 40 hunters and growing to roughly 80 individuals by 2014, BWFA represents a key constituency for shorebird conservation outcomes on the island. Since 2008, partners including the Canadian Wildlife Service and BirdLife International have worked to ensure the Barbados harvest is managed sustainably and does not create population-level impacts on the shorebird species being taken. The approach is not framed as eliminating hunting outright, but rather as improving regulation when needed, grounded in accurate harvest data and objective analysis. The announcement highlights meaningful progress in recent years in attitudes, regulatory approaches, information availability, and conservation actions. To keep that momentum, the grant would fund a local liaison role to maintain communication and coordination with shooting swamp hunters, helping sustain trust, data-informed management, and continued movement toward conservation-compatible practices.

Finally, the agency ties the project to broader Department of the Interior priorities. It is presented as advancing Priority 1 by promoting a conservation stewardship legacy through sustainable use that supports migratory shorebird conservation. It also aligns with Priority 3 by strengthening trust and relationships with local communities and improving coordination with international partners in ways that consider local stakeholders in shaping conservation solutions. In practical terms, the grant blends on-the-ground wetland management (water control, feeding habitat upkeep, monitoring) with social infrastructure (liaison and outreach) to protect migratory shorebirds at a critical Atlantic stopover while working constructively with local landowners and the hunting community.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fish and Wildlife Coordinaion and Assistance Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.664.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 11, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 16, 2019. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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