White-Nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes. | F21AS00460

Opportunity Information: Apply for F21AS00460

The White-Nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes (Funding Opportunity Number F21AS00460) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help state wildlife and natural resource agencies, the District of Columbia, and federally recognized Native American Tribes (and certain tribal organizations) take direct, on-the-ground and management-focused action against white-nose syndrome (WNS). WNS is a fungal disease that has caused severe bat population declines across North America, and the program is designed to fund practical work that helps agencies manage the disease, reduce impacts where possible, and conserve bat species that are already affected or likely to be vulnerable.

The opportunity emphasizes proposals that are clearly actionable, meaning applicants should lay out specific steps they will take to manage WNS and support bat conservation rather than just describing the problem. The Service highlights that WNS has been confirmed in at least 12 bat species, including three federally listed threatened or endangered species. It also points to the northern long-eared bat being listed as Threatened largely because of WNS, and notes that declines tied to WNS prompted the Service to schedule status assessments for the little brown bat and the tricolored bat. A key point in the program description is that funded projects are expected not only to support immediate disease response and conservation efforts, but also to generate information that strengthens the scientific foundation for Endangered Species Act decision-making.

Historically, the WNS grants have been in place for states since 2008 and are credited with producing critical information and resources that help states target bat conservation where it has the greatest need and payoff. In 2019, the program was expanded to include Tribes that are already engaged in bat management and conservation or are working to build that capacity. The Service also notes that, while WNS has been devastating, the past decade of research and management experience has produced multiple tools that agencies can now consider when designing strategies to combat WNS. In other words, the program is intended to translate what has been learned into coordinated management actions and applied conservation work.

From the published opportunity details, the funding instrument is a grant, the activity category is Natural Resources, and the CFDA number listed is 15.684. The award ceiling is $75,000 per award. The original closing date for the opportunity was June 7, 2021, and the posting reflects a creation date of April 7, 2021. Overall, the grant is aimed at helping eligible state and tribal partners implement concrete WNS management and bat conservation projects while also improving the data and science used to guide future species protection decisions.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "White-Nose Syndrome Grants to States and Tribes." and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.684.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-04-07.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-06-07. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).

Apply for F21AS00460

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