F25AS00287 FY 2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 3

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), a federal agency under the Department of the Interior, has announced the FY 2025 Traditional Conservation Grants Program for Region 3 under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. This initiative is authorized under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and aims to provide financial support to State governments for the conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species. The program prioritizes species that are resident to each participating State and are listed under the ESA. The financial assistance is provided as competitive grants and is intended for projects that offer direct benefits to federally listed species, candidate species, eligible unlisted species, and species that have recently been delisted due to recovery efforts. The primary goal of this funding opportunity is to support high-priority recovery actions that will directly impact species recovery, prevent extinction, or prevent the need for new listings under the ESA. Eligible project activities include but are not limited to habitat restoration, species status surveys, genetic research, public education, monitoring, and propagation of species. Projects may address new or ongoing conservation efforts, provided that continuation proposals include documentation of accomplishments to date and a strong justification for further funding. Eligibility is restricted to State governments that have entered into a cooperative agreement with FWS under Section 6(c) of the ESA. These cooperative agreements outline the responsibilities of both the State and the FWS in managing listed species. Eligible States must seek funding for conservation actions involving federally listed resident species currently covered under their cooperative agreement. Additionally, funding may be used to monitor candidate, eligible unlisted, and species delisted within the past five years. While only States may apply directly, other entities like counties or nonprofits may participate as subgrantees under a State-led application. The estimated total program funding for FY 2025 is $633,201, with a maximum award of the same amount and a minimum award of $1,000. A minimum 25% non-federal cost share is required for all projects unless the application involves two or more States, in which case the match requirement drops to 10%. For U.S. Territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, the match requirement is waived. States must submit all required documentation, including standard federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-LLL if lobbying applies), project abstracts, narratives, and budget details. Applications are to be submitted through GrantSolutions.gov no later than September 19, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET. The anticipated project start date is September 30, 2025, with a maximum project period of three years. A one-time extension of up to 12 months may be granted upon justification. Applications are evaluated on several merit criteria, including listing status and priority of recovery actions, relevance to program goals, technical and scientific merit, and budget reasonableness. The Regional Director, with input from subject-matter experts, will make the final funding decisions based on ranked applications, funding availability, and strategic program considerations. Applicants are advised to confer with FWS Regional contacts before applying to ensure alignment with regional priorities. The primary contacts for this funding opportunity are Erik Olson and Laura Ragan, who can be reached at 612-713-5488 and 612-713-5157, or via email at R3FedAid@fws.gov. Pre-award notifications are expected early in FY 2025, with the goal of obligating funds within 120 days of notification. Projects must align with approved or draft species recovery plans and cannot include activities that satisfy regulatory requirements under the ESA or other federal environmental regulations.

Coordinate early with FWS Regional staff and ensure completeness to avoid disqualification.