F24AS00005_Fiscal Year 2024 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program | F24AS00005

Opportunity Information: Apply for F24AS00005

The Fiscal Year 2024 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program (NCWCG), funding opportunity number F24AS00005, is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.614) focused on protecting and restoring coastal wetland resources through long-term conservation actions. The program’s requirements are grounded in federal regulations established by a Final Rule published July 30, 2002 (67 FR 49264) and codified at 50 CFR Part 84. In practical terms, the program is designed to help states secure and improve high-value coastal wetland ecosystems by supporting land and water conservation projects that will last, with a minimum conservation commitment of at least 20 years.

The program funds three main types of projects, all centered on coastal wetlands ecosystems: (1) acquisition of real property interests from willing sellers or partners for long-term protection (such as conservation easements or fee-title acquisitions), (2) restoration, enhancement, or management activities that improve the condition and function of coastal wetlands, and (3) combined projects that blend acquisition with restoration, enhancement, and/or management. A consistent theme across all eligible activities is permanence and accountability: the project has to lock in long-term conservation outcomes rather than short-lived improvements.

Several important eligibility limits shape what a competitive and allowable project looks like. The program will not fund projects that create wetlands in places where wetlands did not previously exist, meaning applicants must be working with wetlands that are current or historically documented. For each site, proposals must include evidence verifying current or historic wetland presence, which can come from sources like the Service’s National Wetlands Inventory, earlier GIS datasets, or other historic documentation. In addition, the program excludes projects focused on acquiring and/or restoring upper watershed areas when the benefits to the coastal wetlands ecosystem are not significant and direct. Applicants also need to clearly demonstrate that the targeted lands or waters meet the regulatory definition of a “coastal wetland ecosystem” as described in 50 CFR 84.11, since that definition is central to determining whether the site and proposed outcomes fall within the program’s scope.

Applications are scored and ranked using evaluation criteria published in 50 CFR 84.32, with the notice indicating that a summary of the ranking criteria appears in the announcement’s application review section. While the specific scoring elements are not reproduced in the text provided, the key takeaway is that selection is competitive and governed by standardized regulatory criteria rather than first-come, first-served funding. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,000,000 per award.

Administrative reporting and performance tracking are handled through Wildlife TRACS (Tracking and Reporting Actions for the Conservation of Species), the system used by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program to collect grant statements, performance measures, accomplishments, and real property reporting. TRACS functions as the electronic repository for the federal award record and is used to document outcomes and ensure accountability. The announcement makes clear that required grant and project statement information, along with performance reporting data, must be entered into TRACS, consistent with federal assistance requirements referenced in 2 CFR 200 (including sections 200.102(c), 200.202, 200.301, and 200.329).

Eligibility to apply is limited to state governments: specifically, state agencies or entities designated as eligible by the Governor of a coastal state, most commonly a state natural resource or fish and wildlife agency. If an applicant is unsure whether they qualify as the designated eligible entity, the notice directs them to contact their WSFR Regional Office or the national program coordinators. Eligible coastal states include those bordering the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts, with one major statutory exception: Louisiana is not eligible under this program due to provisions in the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 3955(b)(1)). The full list of eligible jurisdictions provided in the notice is: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Key administrative details included in the source data are that the funding instrument is a grant, the activity category is Natural Resources, and the original closing date listed is 2023-06-23 (as captured in the posting data for this FY 2024 opportunity).

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F24AS00005_Fiscal Year 2024 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.614.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-01-30.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-23. (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.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

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