Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00027
The Combatting Wildlife Trafficking grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00027) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) funding program designed to support practical, on-the-ground and policy-relevant work that reduces illegal wildlife trade. The program is rooted in the U.S. government-wide push launched under Executive Order 13648 (2013) and the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Implementation Plan (released February 11, 2015). USFWS is seeking proposals that help carry out that Implementation Plan by funding projects that prevent poaching and illegal take, disrupt trafficking and smuggling networks, and reduce the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products. For this competition, "wildlife trafficking" is defined broadly to include the illegal taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife, parts, and products. The term "wildlife" is also broad here and explicitly includes terrestrial and aquatic animal species as well as plant species involved in illegal trade.
Funding is offered through grants and cooperative agreements, meaning applicants should be prepared for either a standard assistance award or a more collaborative arrangement where USFWS may have substantial involvement in the project. The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding under CFDA 15.679, with activity areas tied to environment, natural resources, and community development. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full notice. The listed award ceiling is $100,000, and USFWS anticipated making about 20 awards under this announcement. The original posting date was November 23, 2016, with an original closing date of February 5, 2017.
While proposals may address any of the objectives in the National Strategy Implementation Plan, USFWS states that priority will be given to projects aligned with five highlighted focus areas. The first priority area is strengthening implementation of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). CITES is the main global treaty framework governing international wildlife trade, aiming to ensure trade is legal, sustainable, and traceable so that species do not become endangered or extinct due to commerce. USFWS is especially interested in capacity-building work that helps key countries and regions implement CITES more effectively, because weaknesses in permitting, enforcement, and scientific findings in any major trade hub can undermine the system as a whole. The notice specifically points to Central America and the Caribbean, and also Oceania with emphasis on the Pacific Islands, including efforts that help wildlife-trading non-Parties join the Convention. USFWS also flags that decisions made at the 17th CITES Conference of the Parties in October 2016 created new commitments and action items that require technical and financial support, and the program intends to back those outcomes that are highest priority to the U.S. government while also advancing the National Strategy.
The second priority area centers on good governance and anti-corruption as a necessary foundation for effective wildlife law enforcement. The notice frames corruption as one of the biggest barriers to stopping wildlife trafficking, affecting the entire chain from source (supply) countries, to transit routes, to end markets (demand countries). Projects in this category are expected to improve transparency, reduce opportunities for bribery and influence, and strengthen governance practices that make enforcement and prosecution more credible and effective. USFWS indicates openness to a range of approaches, including programs that confront corruption directly, pilot efforts intended for later scale-up, or anti-corruption components embedded within existing conservation and enforcement initiatives.
The third priority area is the "Africa/Asia nexus," reflecting the reality that many major trafficking networks move high-value products from Africa to Asian markets. USFWS notes that substantial investments have already been made to build capacity within individual countries, but that these efforts have not always created the sustained cross-border relationships and information-sharing mechanisms needed to dismantle transnational criminal networks. The program therefore seeks projects that increase operational cooperation between African and Asian countries implicated in wildlife crime, improve intelligence and information exchange, and build durable working relationships among customs, police, wildlife enforcement agencies, and CITES authorities. The emphasis is on making interdiction, investigation, and prosecution more effective through coordinated action, especially in light of large seizures involving products such as elephant ivory and pangolin scales.
The fourth priority area focuses on social and behavior change communication as a tool to reduce wildlife trafficking by shifting human behavior at critical points in the supply chain. USFWS is looking for proposals grounded in a clear theory of change that explains who needs to change behavior, what barriers currently prevent change, how those barriers will be removed, and what alternative behaviors will be promoted. Importantly, the notice stresses that theories of change should be supported by data, either because the proposal already has evidence to justify the approach or because the project will conduct applied research to build an evidence-based theory of change. Because USFWS awards are constrained by time and budget, proposals are expected to show how the planned work fits into a broader program or how research and pilot activities will be used to test approaches that can later be scaled up or replicated.
The fifth priority area targets conservation action for critically endangered species threatened primarily by illegal trade, with eligibility tied to the IUCN Red List categories (Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable). Species listed as Data Deficient may be included if the applicant can credibly demonstrate that the conservation urgency is comparable, while species categorized as Extinct in the Wild are not eligible. USFWS also clarifies a key funding preference: priority will go to species that are not already covered under the Multinational Species Conservation Fund programs (which include Asian and African elephants, all rhino species, all tiger subspecies, great apes like gorillas and chimpanzees and bonobos, orangutans, all gibbon species, and all marine turtles). In other words, this funding stream is meant to help fill gaps for heavily trafficked, highly threatened species that may not have dedicated U.S. funding sources elsewhere. Projects in this category should be clearly designed to address the illegal trade threat as the primary driver of decline, rather than general conservation work unrelated to trafficking.
Taken together, the opportunity is aimed at practical interventions that either strengthen the global rules and systems governing wildlife trade (especially CITES), reduce corruption and improve governance so enforcement can function, connect enforcement and regulatory agencies across borders to disrupt transnational networks, change the human behaviors that sustain illegal trade, or directly conserve threatened species where illegal trade is the core threat. The consistent thread across all priorities is measurable progress toward reducing wildlife trafficking by improving the systems, incentives, enforcement coordination, and targeted conservation actions that make trafficking harder, riskier, and less profitable.Apply for F17AS00027
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the community development, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combatting Wildlife Trafficking" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.679.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 23, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 05, 2017. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Combatting Wildlife Trafficking (USFWS) Grant Opportunity FAQs (F17AS00027)
What is the Combatting Wildlife Trafficking grant opportunity (F17AS00027)?
It is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) funding opportunity that supports practical, on-the-ground and policy-relevant work to reduce illegal wildlife trade. It is tied to the U.S. government-wide effort launched under Executive Order 13648 (2013) and is intended to help implement the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Implementation Plan (released February 11, 2015).
What problem is this program trying to address?
The program is designed to reduce illegal wildlife trade by funding projects that (1) prevent poaching and illegal take, (2) disrupt trafficking and smuggling networks, and (3) reduce the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products.
How does this opportunity define "wildlife trafficking"?
For this competition, "wildlife trafficking" is defined broadly. It includes the illegal taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife, parts, and products.
What does "wildlife" include under this opportunity?
"Wildlife" is defined broadly and explicitly includes terrestrial and aquatic animal species as well as plant species involved in illegal trade.
What types of awards are available (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding is offered through grants and cooperative agreements. Applicants should be prepared for either a standard assistance award (grant) or a more collaborative arrangement (cooperative agreement) where USFWS may have substantial involvement in the project.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity, and what is the CFDA number?
Yes. The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding under CFDA 15.679.
What activity areas does this funding relate to?
The activity areas are tied to environment, natural resources, and community development.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full notice.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $100,000.
How many awards did USFWS anticipate making under this announcement?
USFWS anticipated making about 20 awards under this announcement.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it originally due?
The original posting date was November 23, 2016, and the original closing date was February 5, 2017.
Do proposals have to align with the National Strategy Implementation Plan?
Proposals may address any of the objectives in the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Implementation Plan, and the opportunity is intended to help carry out that plan.
Are there priority areas that USFWS will favor in this competition?
Yes. While proposals may address any objective in the Implementation Plan, USFWS states that priority will be given to projects aligned with five highlighted focus areas described in the notice.
What are the five highlighted priority focus areas?
The five priority areas are: (1) strengthening implementation of CITES, (2) good governance and anti-corruption, (3) the Africa/Asia nexus, (4) social and behavior change communication, and (5) conservation action for critically endangered species threatened primarily by illegal trade.
What does USFWS mean by "strengthening implementation of CITES"?
This priority supports work that helps countries and regions implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) more effectively. The notice highlights capacity-building to address weaknesses in permitting, enforcement, and scientific findings, because gaps in major trade hubs can undermine the system.
Are there specific regions emphasized under the CITES priority?
Yes. The notice specifically points to Central America and the Caribbean, and also Oceania with emphasis on the Pacific Islands. It also includes efforts that help wildlife-trading non-Parties join the Convention.
How do the outcomes of the 17th CITES Conference of the Parties (CoP17) factor into this funding?
USFWS notes that decisions made at the 17th CITES Conference of the Parties (October 2016) created new commitments and action items that need technical and financial support. The program intends to support those outcomes that are highest priority to the U.S. government while also advancing the National Strategy.
What kinds of projects fit under the good governance and anti-corruption priority area?
Projects are expected to improve transparency, reduce opportunities for bribery and influence, and strengthen governance practices so wildlife law enforcement, prosecution, and related processes are more credible and effective. The notice describes corruption as a major barrier across source, transit, and demand countries.
Does USFWS require a specific approach to anti-corruption work?
No single approach is specified. USFWS indicates openness to a range of approaches, including projects that confront corruption directly, pilot efforts intended for later scale-up, or anti-corruption components embedded within existing conservation and enforcement initiatives.
What is meant by the "Africa/Asia nexus" priority?
This priority reflects that many major trafficking networks move high-value wildlife products from Africa to Asian markets. USFWS is seeking projects that strengthen operational cooperation between African and Asian countries implicated in wildlife crime, improve intelligence and information exchange, and build durable cross-border working relationships among relevant agencies.
What types of agencies or counterparts are expected to be involved in Africa/Asia nexus projects?
The notice emphasizes building durable working relationships among customs, police, wildlife enforcement agencies, and CITES authorities, with the goal of more effective interdiction, investigation, and prosecution through coordinated action.
Why does the notice emphasize cross-border relationships and information sharing?
USFWS notes that prior investments have built capacity within individual countries, but not always the sustained cross-border coordination needed to dismantle transnational criminal networks. This priority is meant to address that gap.
What kinds of trafficking indicators are mentioned as examples for the Africa/Asia nexus?
The notice references large seizures involving products such as elephant ivory and pangolin scales as part of the context for the priority on coordinated transnational action.
What does USFWS look for in social and behavior change communication proposals?
USFWS is looking for proposals grounded in a clear theory of change that explains who needs to change behavior, what barriers prevent change, how barriers will be removed, and what alternative behaviors will be promoted.
Do behavior change proposals need data to support the theory of change?
Yes. The notice stresses that theories of change should be supported by data, either because the proposal already has evidence to justify the approach or because the project will conduct applied research to build an evidence-based theory of change.
How should applicants handle the time and budget constraints for behavior change work?
The notice states that, because USFWS awards are constrained by time and budget, proposals are expected to show how planned work fits into a broader program, or how research and pilot activities will be used to test approaches that can later be scaled up or replicated.
What species are eligible under the threatened-species conservation action priority?
Eligibility is tied to IUCN Red List categories: Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable. Species listed as Data Deficient may be included if the applicant can credibly demonstrate comparable conservation urgency. Species categorized as Extinct in the Wild are not eligible.
What is the key funding preference for species under this priority?
Priority will go to species that are not already covered under the Multinational Species Conservation Fund programs. The intent is to fill gaps for heavily trafficked, highly threatened species that may not have dedicated U.S. funding sources elsewhere.
Which species groups are explicitly mentioned as already covered by the Multinational Species Conservation Fund programs?
The notice lists: Asian and African elephants, all rhino species, all tiger subspecies, great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos), orangutans, all gibbon species, and all marine turtles.
Does the threatened-species priority support general conservation work?
The notice indicates projects in this category should be clearly designed to address illegal trade as the primary driver of decline, rather than general conservation work unrelated to trafficking.
What is the common thread across all five priority areas?
The consistent theme is measurable progress toward reducing wildlife trafficking by improving systems and incentives, strengthening enforcement coordination and governance, and supporting targeted interventions that make trafficking harder, riskier, and less profitable.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (F17AS00027) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Combatting Wildlife Trafficking Apply for F17AS00031 Funding Number: F17AS00031 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Fiscal Year 2018 Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (Tier 1 - State) Apply for F17AS00214 Funding Number: F17AS00214 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (Tier 2 - National) Apply for F17AS00215 Funding Number: F17AS00215 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
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| Lewis and Clark Expedition Exhibit Development- LECL Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00179 Funding Number: NPS NOIP18AC00179 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $95,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F18AS00160 Funding Number: F18AS00160 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F18AS00161 Funding Number: F18AS00161 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F19AS00201 Funding Number: F19AS00201 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F19AS00202 Funding Number: F19AS00202 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Partnership in Resource Enhancement, Protection and Education- NIOB Apply for NPS NOIPAC00002 Funding Number: NPS NOIPAC00002 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Restoration of wet woods and coastal wetland areas around Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island, OH (Lake Erie)- GLRI Apply for NPS NOIP17AC01120 Funding Number: NPS NOIP17AC01120 Agency: National Park Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $325,000 |
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