F25AS00287 FY 2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 3 | F25AS00287

Opportunity Information: Apply for F25AS00287

F25AS00287 is a FY 2025 funding opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, specifically the Traditional Conservation Grants Program for Region 3. The core purpose of this program is to strengthen and support State and Territorial endangered species programs by funding on-the-ground conservation work that helps conserve and recover species that fall under FWS jurisdiction. In practical terms, the program is meant to pay for projects that produce clear, direct conservation gains for species and their habitats, with an emphasis on actions that move species toward recovery under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or help keep at-risk species from needing to be listed.

Only State governments are eligible applicants, and eligibility is tightly tied to ESA section 6. A State agency must already have a cooperative agreement with FWS under section 6(c) of the ESA, or it must enter into or reaffirm that cooperative agreement within 30 days of the application deadline. FWS also notes that it must have a complete, signed cooperative agreement in hand before it can obligate any federal funds for a project, citing relevant federal regulations. While the award itself can only go to a State, the program anticipates that partners like counties, tribes (if working through the State), conservation organizations, universities, and other groups may participate as subgrantees or collaborators through the eligible State agency.

The work funded through this opportunity must be focused on federally listed resident species that are already covered under the State's section 6 cooperative agreement. In addition, States may seek support to monitor species that are candidates or "eligible unlisted" species as of the application deadline, as well as species that have been delisted due to recovery within the last five years. The program is flexible in the types of activities it will support, as long as the application clearly connects the work to measurable conservation benefits. Eligible project types can include management actions (such as habitat improvement or threat reduction), research, monitoring, and outreach, or a combination of these approaches. A strong application, based on the program description, is one that plainly explains how the tasks and deliverables will contribute to recovery objectives or reduce threats enough to prevent future listing.

Projects must be voluntary conservation efforts carried out within the United States, and they must align with species recovery planning. The proposed work must be consistent with approved or draft recovery plans, and it cannot conflict with an approved recovery plan. Applicants should therefore be prepared to reference the relevant recovery plan(s) and show how the proposed actions fit into those strategies and priorities.

The opportunity also flags several important compliance and funding limitations. If a project involves activities such as take, interstate transport, introducing a species outside its historical range, or holding wildlife in captivity for more than 45 days, a permit from the Regional Director may be required. When those types of activities are anticipated, the applicant may need to submit an Environmental Assessment to the Regional Director before a permit would be granted. Separately, the program draws a clear line between voluntary conservation and regulatory compliance: neither the federal grant funds nor the required non-federal cost share can be used to meet ESA regulatory requirements. That includes things like satisfying section 7 biological opinion terms, meeting mitigation/minimization/monitoring obligations under a section 10 habitat conservation plan, or fulfilling other federal mitigation requirements (including mitigation tied to Clean Water Act permits). In other words, this program is intended to fund proactive conservation outcomes, not to subsidize required compliance or mitigation.

From a budgeting and administration standpoint, applications cannot include FWS Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) costs. State administrative costs must either be absorbed by the State or, if included, must be handled in line with federal cost principles and other applicable requirements. The program generally reimburses costs incurred during the approved period of performance beginning on the effective date of the award, but it also allows States to request pre-award costs in limited circumstances when those costs are necessary for the proposed timeline. Pre-award costs require written approval, are only allowable if the grant is ultimately awarded, and must meet the same allowability rules that would apply after award (consistent with 2 CFR 200.458).

The opportunity allows both new projects and continuation projects. For ongoing work that is essentially continuing the same scope and objectives over time, applicants must describe what has been accomplished so far and provide a clear justification for why the work should continue, included in the Project Narrative. One major exclusion is also stated plainly: land acquisition is not eligible under this funding opportunity.

Key administrative details included in the notice are: the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and uses a grant funding instrument; it falls under the environment activity category and CFDA 15.615; the agency is FWS; eligible applicants are State governments; the original application closing date is 2025-09-19; and the listed award ceiling is $633,201.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F25AS00287 FY 2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 3" 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 2025-07-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-09-19. (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 $633,201.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F25AS00287

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