Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act FY 2023

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) requests interested entities to submit research, restoration, and Regional Project proposals for the restoration of the Great Lakes Basin fish and wildlife resources, as authorized under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 941c). The purpose of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (GLFWRA) is to provide assistance to States, Indian Tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration, research, and management of the fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin.

Supported in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we expect approximately $2.89 million to support proposals this fiscal year. Available funding and proposal awards are subject to final Congressional appropriations for Fiscal Year 2023. Up to 33 and one-third percent of the total Congressional appropriation to the GLFWRA is eligible to fund Regional Project proposals. Expected award funding for Regional Project proposals is between $180,000 to $960,000. Successful restoration and research proposals have ranged from $2,300 to $2,000,000 with the average proposal at $136,444. Expected award funding for restoration and research proposals is between $20,000 and $350,000. Selected restoration and research proposals and Regional Project proposals will be awarded funding for the duration of the proposal via a grant or cooperative agreement between the recipient and the Service. Funding will be made available once the official award letter has been received and the performance period has started. Continuation of proposals funded in previous fiscal years are eligible but will be considered and reviewed as a new proposal.

Restoration and research proposals will be awarded a grant agreement and Regional Project proposals will be awarded a cooperative agreement under this announcement. For cooperative agreements, the Service anticipates to be substantially involved by performing one or more of the following activities:

Participating and working closely with the recipient in carrying out the scope of work, including training recipient personnel or detailing Federal personnel to work on the proposal effort.
Reviewing and approving one stage of work before the next stage can begin.
Prior to award, reviewing and approving proposed modifications or sub-awards.
Helping select proposal staff or trainees.
Directing or redirecting the work because of interrelationships with other proposals.
Reserving the right to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met.
Limiting recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award.
Regional Project proposals selected for funding, will be issued a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners that submit Regional Project proposals that qualify as CESU proposals will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap.

Regional Projects are authorized activities of the Service related to fish and wildlife resource protection, restoration, maintenance, and enhancement impacting the resources of multiple States or Indian Tribes with fish and wildlife management authority in the Great Lakes Basin. The Service will be responsible for accomplishing Regional Projects on behalf of the State and/or Tribal agencies submitting the Regional Project proposal.  Restoration and research projects require a 25% non-federal match. Regional Projects selected shall be exempt from cost sharing if the Service’s Regional Director Great Lakes Region determines that the authorization for the project does not require a non-Federal cost-share. The 2016 Reauthorization of the GLFWRA made some significant additions to allowable non-federal match as it relates to time period, and land and conservation easements.  Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity for more details.

The two page restoration and research pre-proposals and Regional Project proposals are submitted to the Service for review. Successful restoration and research pre-proposal applicants are invited to submit full proposals, which are reviewed and ranked by the Proposal Review Committee. Restoration and research full proposals, and Regional Project proposals selected for funding will be awarded funding for the duration of the project via a grant or cooperative agreement between the recipient and the Service. Funding will be made available once the award letter has been received. Continuation of projects funded in previous fiscal years is eligible, but will be considered and reviewed as a new project.