Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00209
The National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00209) was a discretionary funding notice issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). It was offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning FWS expected to be substantially involved in planning, oversight, and execution rather than simply providing funds and stepping back. The funding activity areas were broad and cross-cutting, covering environment and natural resources as well as workforce and service components such as employment, labor, and training, and it was associated with CFDA 15.654 (a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assistance listing tied to refuge-related work).
At a high level, the purpose was to support enhancement work within the National Wildlife Refuge System. While the public summary does not spell out a specific project list, the title and the legal authorities cited indicate the work was intended to strengthen refuge conservation and public-use infrastructure and capacity, typically involving on-the-ground improvements and stewardship actions that benefit wildlife, habitat, and visitor services. The statutory authorities referenced span core fish and wildlife conservation authorities (including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and the Fish and Wildlife Act), refuge public recreation authorities (Refuge Recreation Act), and the main administrative framework for managing refuges (National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act). The inclusion of the Youth Conservation Corps and Public Lands Corps authorities points to a strong service and conservation workforce component, often involving conservation crews and hands-on projects. The Archaeological Resources Protection Act reference signals that projects could intersect with cultural and archaeological resource considerations on refuge lands, requiring appropriate compliance and protection measures. The mention of Federal Aid for Highways provisions suggests that certain transportation-related or access improvements connected to refuge operations or visitation could also be relevant when consistent with applicable rules.
The notice was explicitly framed as a "Notice of Intent to Single Source to the American Conservation Experience," which is important context for how competitive the funding actually was. A single-source intent generally indicates the agency planned to make one award to a specific organization rather than run a full open competition, typically because that organization is uniquely positioned to perform the work or because of continuity, capacity, or other justified reasons. Even though the eligibility field lists qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education), the single-source language indicates that, in practice, the intended recipient was American Conservation Experience, and applications would have needed to conform to the specific requirements described in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity, including the activities and stipulations in Sections I through VII and an application checklist.
In terms of funding scale and timing, the opportunity had an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1). The record shows it was created on May 10, 2019, with an original closing date of May 16, 2019, reflecting a very short application window consistent with a targeted, single-source action rather than a longer, broadly competitive process. Overall, the opportunity can be understood as a one-time, FWS-managed cooperative agreement aimed at delivering tangible improvements and capacity enhancements across refuge system priorities, likely leveraging conservation corps-style labor and training pathways while operating under the suite of federal conservation, recreation, and cultural resource protection laws that govern work on national wildlife refuges.Apply for F19AS00209
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the agriculture, employment, labor and training, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.654.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 10, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 16, 2019 Notice of Intent to Single Source to the American Conservation Experience. Applications must address all activities amp stipulations in Sections I-VII and the Application Checklist (via Notice of Funding Opportunity).. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the National Wildlife Refuge System Enhancements opportunity (F19AS00209)?
It was a U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary funding notice focused on supporting enhancement work within the National Wildlife Refuge System. The opportunity is identified by Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00209 and was tied to CFDA 15.654 (a Fish and Wildlife Service assistance listing associated with refuge-related work).
What type of award was this?
This opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement. Under a cooperative agreement, FWS expected to be substantially involved in planning, oversight, and execution of the supported work, rather than providing funds with minimal federal involvement.
What was the main purpose of the funding?
The purpose was to support enhancement work within the National Wildlife Refuge System. While the public summary does not provide a detailed project list, the opportunity title and cited legal authorities indicate the intent was to strengthen refuge conservation and public-use infrastructure and capacity, generally through on-the-ground improvements and stewardship actions that benefit wildlife, habitat, and visitor services.
What kinds of activities or project themes were implied by the notice?
Based on the description and the authorities referenced, the work typically would align with tangible refuge improvements and stewardship actions. The notice also points to a service/workforce component (for example, conservation crews and hands-on projects) and suggests that certain access or transportation-related improvements could be relevant when consistent with applicable rules.
What were the funding activity areas?
The funding activity areas were broad and cross-cutting, spanning environment and natural resources and workforce/service components such as employment, labor, and training.
Which agency issued and managed this opportunity?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What does it mean that this was a "Notice of Intent to Single Source"?
The notice was explicitly framed as a "Notice of Intent to Single Source to the American Conservation Experience." In general, a single-source intent indicates the agency planned to make one award to a specific organization rather than run a fully open competition, often due to unique qualifications, continuity, capacity, or other justified reasons described in the full notice.
Was this opportunity actually competitive?
Even though the eligibility field referenced qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than institutions of higher education), the single-source language indicates that, in practice, the intended recipient was American Conservation Experience. That context suggests the funding was targeted rather than broadly competitive.
Who was the intended recipient mentioned in the notice?
The notice stated an intent to single source to American Conservation Experience.
What types of organizations were listed as eligible?
The eligibility field listed qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations (other than institutions of higher education). However, the notice also stated an intent to single source to a specific organization, which affects how open the award was in practice.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity anticipated a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1).
What was the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling was $1,000,000.
When was the opportunity created, and what was the closing date?
The record shows it was created on May 10, 2019, with an original closing date of May 16, 2019. That short window is consistent with a targeted, single-source action rather than a longer, broadly competitive process.
What federal laws or authorities were referenced, and why do they matter?
The cited authorities span core fish and wildlife conservation authorities (including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and the Fish and Wildlife Act), refuge public recreation authorities (Refuge Recreation Act), and the main administrative framework for managing refuges (National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act). These references indicate the funded work would operate within the legal framework that governs refuge management, conservation, and public use.
What do the Youth Conservation Corps and Public Lands Corps references suggest about the work?
The inclusion of Youth Conservation Corps and Public Lands Corps authorities points to a strong service and conservation workforce component. This typically aligns with conservation corps-style labor, hands-on projects, and training or work experience pathways tied to refuge stewardship needs.
Why was the Archaeological Resources Protection Act mentioned?
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act reference signals that projects could intersect with cultural and archaeological resource considerations on refuge lands. In those cases, appropriate compliance and protection measures would be relevant to ensure resources are handled and protected properly.
How could transportation or access improvements relate to this opportunity?
The mention of Federal Aid for Highways provisions suggests that certain transportation-related or access improvements connected to refuge operations or visitation could be relevant, as long as they are consistent with applicable rules and requirements.
What does "CFDA 15.654" indicate?
CFDA 15.654 identifies the assistance listing associated with this kind of Fish and Wildlife Service refuge-related work. It helps categorize the funding program area and can be used for reference when tracking or aligning assistance opportunities.
What would applicants have needed to follow to be considered?
The description notes that applications would have needed to conform to the specific requirements described in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity, including the activities and stipulations in Sections I through VII and an application checklist.
What is the overall takeaway about this opportunity?
Overall, it can be understood as a one-time, FWS-managed cooperative agreement intended to deliver tangible improvements and capacity enhancements across National Wildlife Refuge System priorities, likely leveraging conservation corps-style labor and training while operating under the suite of federal conservation, recreation, and cultural resource protection laws that govern work on national wildlife refuges.
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Previous opportunity: Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU
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