Brown Treesnake Program 2025 funding announcement - updated July 2, 2025

The Brown Treesnake Program 2025, offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs (OIA), is designed to address the severe ecological and economic impacts of the invasive Brown Treesnake (BTS) on Guam and surrounding U.S. territories. The program funds interdiction, suppression, detection, response, and outreach projects to prevent the spread of the BTS to other islands and mitigate its effects on Guam’s native species and infrastructure. The program also supports the development of new technologies and methods for landscape-scale snake control and rapid response mechanisms. The BTS is an invasive species believed to have arrived in Guam post-World War II. Its unchecked population growth has led to the extinction or local extirpation of numerous native bird and lizard species and has caused substantial economic damage, including frequent power outages. These outages have been known to cost over $3 million per island-wide incident. The BTS has been inadvertently transported to various global locations, raising alarm for potential ecological disasters elsewhere, particularly in Hawaii and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Consequently, the grant prioritizes projects that reduce risks through interdiction at key transport hubs, rapid response readiness, and public education campaigns. Eligibility for the grant is highly specific. Only members of the Brown Treesnake Technical Working Group may apply. This group includes representatives from the governments of Guam, CNMI, the State of Hawaii, and applicable federal agencies. Eligibility is established under 2 CFR 200. The grant has no cost-sharing requirement and all applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Registrants must also be compliant with financial assistance general representations and certifications. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov, and new users are advised to allow up to 30 days to complete the required registrations. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on August 15, 2025. Proposals must include several required documents: SF-424, SF-424A or SF-424C, project abstract, detailed project narrative, performance measures, cover letter, and budget narrative. The proposal must not exceed 10 pages and should address the statement of need, objectives, timeline, and any overlap with other federal projects. Budget justifications must ensure all items are reasonable, allowable, allocable, and necessary, and indirect costs must follow federal cost principles. Applications must also include a signed statement confirming whether there is overlap or duplication with other federal applications. Evaluation of applications is conducted by the BTS Review Committee and scored on the basis of alignment with OIA priorities, clarity of narrative, and detailed budgeting. High priority is given to interdiction and rapid response projects. Proposals are reviewed for completeness, alignment with program goals, and adherence to 2 CFR 200 guidelines. Award announcements are expected during summer 2025, with anticipated start and end dates of October 1, 2025, and October 1, 2027, respectively. Post-award requirements include semi-annual progress reporting, adherence to geospatial data standards, and compliance with financial transparency laws like FFATA. For technical questions related to the submission process, applicants may contact Hailey McCoy at Hailey_McCoy@ios.doi.gov. However, OIA staff cannot review or provide feedback on proposals prior to submission. The program offers approximately $3,500,000 in total funding, with seven awards expected. While no minimum or maximum award amounts are specified, applicants are advised to align their requests with previous years' funding levels. All awarded projects must receive Authorization to Proceed (ATP) before implementation can begin, except for NEPA compliance activities.

Applicants should begin SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration early and ensure the application is complete with all required forms and attachments.