FY 2021 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) Traditional Conservation Grants Program (Service Legacy Region 6) | F21AS00177

Opportunity Information: Apply for F21AS00177

The FY 2021 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) Traditional Conservation Grants Program (Service Legacy Region 6) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to strengthen and carry out state-led endangered species conservation work under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The core purpose is to help states develop and implement effective conservation and recovery programs for species that fall under the Service's jurisdiction, especially where state actions can produce clear, measurable benefits for imperiled wildlife and plants and the habitats they depend on.

Funding is intended for on-the-ground and programmatic projects that directly support federally listed threatened and endangered species, as well as several categories of species that are not yet listed but are considered conservation priorities. In addition to federally listed species, the program supports work on candidate species (species the Service has determined warrant listing but are delayed by higher-priority actions). It also covers certain "at-risk" species beyond formal candidates, specifically including: (1) species with a positive 90-day petition finding but no proposed rule yet, (2) species with a proposed listing rule but not a final rule, (3) species for which the Service has initiated and publicly announced an ESA status review in the Federal Register, and (4) species included on the National Listing Workplan (with a reference that a full list appears in the opportunity attachments). The program also allows funding for recently delisted species, defined here as species delisted within the past five years, but only when delisting occurred due to recovery (not for other reasons). The intent behind including these groups is to support proactive conservation that either advances recovery of listed species or reduces threats early enough to prevent future listings.

Projects can be broad in approach as long as they can show a direct conservation benefit to a species or its habitat and clearly explain how the work supports recovery or prevents the need for ESA listing. The opportunity explicitly allows management, research, monitoring, and outreach, either as stand-alone efforts or in combination. Examples of eligible activities include reintroducing species into suitable habitat within their historic range, restoring or enhancing habitat, conducting surveys and inventories (including habitat and species status surveys), propagating plants or animals to support recovery, and performing applied research such as genetic analyses that inform population structure and genetic health. It also supports public education and outreach when it is tied to a specific conservation need, such as developing targeted outreach tools or coordinating workshops with local landowners to address a defined threat. Monitoring is emphasized for candidate, at-risk, and recently recovered (delisted) species, reflecting the program's focus on tracking status and trends to guide timely conservation decisions.

Eligibility is limited to state government agencies, and a key requirement is that the applicant state agency must have an active cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under ESA section 6(c). If a state does not currently have the agreement in place, it must enter into or reaffirm the cooperative agreement within 30 days of the application deadline to be considered eligible. The Service also notes that it cannot obligate federal funds to a project without a complete, signed cooperative agreement, referencing the applicable federal regulations (50 CFR 81.3, 50 CFR 81.5, and 43 CFR 12.50(b)(3)). While only states can receive the awards directly, the program anticipates partnerships: counties, conservation organizations, and other groups can participate and carry out portions of the work as subgrantees under a state agency that holds the cooperative agreement.

Administrative details provided in the posting include the funding opportunity number F21AS00177 and CFDA 15.615, with the funding instrument identified as a grant and the activity area categorized under natural resources. The closing date listed for applications was July 16, 2021, and the award ceiling was stated as $674,745. The notice was created on November 12, 2020, and is associated with Service Legacy Region 6. Overall, the program is structured to channel federal support through state wildlife agencies for practical, well-justified projects that can show a clear line from proposed actions to conservation outcomes for species at every stage of the ESA pathway: listed, close to listing, and recently recovered.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2021 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) Traditional Conservation Grants Program (Service Legacy Region 6)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.615.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-07-16. (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 $674,745.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F21AS00177

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: