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Coral reefs and associated seagrass and mangrove communities are among the most complex and diverse ecosystems on earth. They support important fishing and tourism industries, protect coasts from wave and storm damage, build tropical islands, contain an array of potential pharmaceuticals, and provide essential services like food security, livelihood, and culture, among other benefits.As shallow-water, near shore communities, coral reef ecosystems are ecologically closely linked to adjacent watersheds and are highly vulnerable to human activity. Stresses in the coral reef environment include poor water quality from runoff and inadequate sewage treatment, destructive fishing practices, sedimentation, recreational overuse and misuse, and impacts from climate change and ocean acidification.To address these threats, Congress passed the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (Act), which established the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) and provided guidance for allocation of Federal funding toward efforts to conserve coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. and Internationally. As required in the Act, one of the primary functions of the CRCP is to provide matching grants of financial assistance to external partners for coral reef conservation projects consistent with the Act and CRCP priorities. 

Central Africa is a globally important region for forest and biodiversity conservation. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works closely with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a range of other partners to ensure a strategic, results-based approach to wildlife conservation in the region. In collaboration with U.S. Agency of International Development¿s (USAID) Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE), the Service is providing this funding opportunity to reduce threats to key wildlife populations, and to develop the requisite individual and institutional conservation capacity to undertake long-term conservation programs.Funding will only be considered for projects that impact wildlife populations in the following countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe. Please review the Notice of Funding Availability for each funding opportunity for specific details.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (hereinafter, "NMFS") recognizes the unique importance of marine mammals to Alaska Native Organizations (hereinafter, "ANOs") and values ongoing efforts by Alaska Native Tribes and ANOs to conserve and protect subsistence species under NMFS' jurisdiction. Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1388, NMFS may provide Federal assistance to ANOs to conserve marine mammals and to promote co-management of Alaska Native subsistence use of such mammals under NMFS' jurisdiction. This assistance, provided in the form of cooperative agreements, may be used to support conservation of marine mammals utilized for subsistence purposes by Alaska Natives. Funded activities may include development and implementation of species management, subsistence harvest monitoring, subsistence harvest sampling, scientific research, and public education and outreach. Proposed activities should address priority actions identified in an Endangered Species Act Recovery Plan or Marine Mammal Protection Act Conservation Plan where applicable and the priorities identified within this federal funding opportunity. Tribally-Authorized ANOs with a signed agreement for co-management with NMFS are eligible to apply under this solicitation. Proposals focusing on marine mammals under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not be considered for funding under this grant program. This document describes how to prepare and submit proposals for funding in fiscal year (hereinafter, "FY") 2015 and how NMFS will determine which proposals will be funded. This announcement should be read in its entirety, as some information has changed from the previous year.

The Bureau of Land Management has been working with the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) since 2001 to re-introduce and monitor the Pink Sand-verbena population at the North Spit. The population has been monitored every year since 1997 and has grown from 1,700 plants to over 350,000 plants currently. The Conservation Strategy for pink sand verbena was developed and employed by IAE in 2004. This research and work has been the foundation and guideline for the ongoing monitoring used by IAE that is crucial part of the conservation strategy for this species. Pink sand-verbena is a Species of Concern by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), listed as Endangered by the State of Oregon, listed as threatened with extinction by the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, and listed as a BLM sensitive species. BLM manual 6840 for Special Status Species provides guidance to conserve listed species and the ecosystems on which they depend. The primary threats to the species include competition from European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria), habitat disturbance by off road vehicles (ORVs), and changes to the natural disturbance regime. Repeated seeding at Coos Bay North Spit since 1997 have resulted in the largest population of pink sand verbena in Oregon. Seed collected from the North Spit is currently the only seed source available in sufficient quantities for restoration efforts of the species throughout the State. Despite continued management treatments and seeding efforts at the North Spit, recent declines in the size and reproductive effort of plants at the site, and an increase in non-native species has been observed. Continued monitoring of this population combined with assessments of associated vegetation and substrate will allow for quantifying factors that influence successful re-introduction efforts for this dune species. At New River, 50,000-150,000 seeds have been dispersed within swales throughout the fore dune almost every year from 1997 to 2014. The population

Launched in 2005 as a partnership between Walmart Stores and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Acres for America, NFWF's premier land conservation program, was established to provide urgently needed funding for projects that conserve important large-scale habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants through land acquisitions and perpetual conservation easements. The program gives preferential consideration to proposals that demonstrate potential to achieve more than one of the program's priorities, which include conserving critical habitats for birds, fish, plants, and wildlife; connecting existing protected lands to unify wild places and protect critical migration routes; providing access to the outdoors for people; and ensuring the future of local economies that depend on forestry, ranching, and wildlife.

Cooperative Agreement Number P15AC0024 was entered into by and between the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), and Conservation Legacy Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC) for the purpose of placement of youth and other qualified persons who volunteer their services through AZCC in exchange for training and educational experience in resource management and conservation programs. Unless otherwise specified herein, the terms and conditions as stated in the Cooperative Agreement will apply to this Task Agreement. Youth interns will work along with park staff and volunteers to rehabilitate disturbed land. Disturbed land is defined as unauthorized trail use (social trails), undocumented immigrant unauthorized use of park lands, invasive plants, roadside accidents, etc. Visitor viewshed will be improved by restoring disturbed areas to natural conditions. Youth will be engaged in and complete project work including learning new skills, receiving academic credit or organizational recognition, and receive a formal program about the NPS mission, the park, and their relevance. Other benefits to the youth include increasing their environmental awareness, especially regarding natural area restoration techniques; participating in a healthy lifestyle; and exposure to conservation professionals and pathways for employment as future stewards and NPS leaders.

Primate Conservation, Incorporated is a nonprofit foundation founded to fund field research that supports conservation programs for wild populations of primates. To that end, PCI is accepting applications from researchers and conservationists for original research that can be used to formulate and to implement conservation plans for the species studied. Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded to support field work or conservation projects. Priority will be given to projects that study, in their natural habitat, the least known and most endangered species. In addition, preference will be given to projects based in Asia and West Africa. The program is open to graduate students, qualified conservationists, and primatologists. The involvement of citizens from the country in which the primates are found will be a plus.

The NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Grant Program (CRCP), 16 USC §§ 6401-6409, provides matching grants of financial assistance through the Domestic Coral Reef Conservation Grant program to institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, and local (as defined at 2 CFR § 200.64, which includes counties, municipalities, and cities) and Indian tribal government agencies. These awards are intended to support coral reef conservation projects in shallow water coral reef ecosystems, including reefs at mesophotic depths, in American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and coral-dominated banks in the U.S. portions of the Gulf of Mexico. Projects may be proposed in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas, but these locations are not considered geographic priorities under this announcement. Proposals submitted to this competition must address at least one of the following five categories: 1) Improve Fisheries Sustainability; 2) Reduce Land-Based Sources of Pollution; 3) Increasing Resilience to Climate Change; 4) Restore Viable Coral Populations; and 5) Local and Emerging Management Issues. Each category is described in more detail in the Federal Funding Opportunity announcement. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through a grant or cooperative agreement and will require a 1:1 match of non-Federal funds.

The purpose of the program is to create opportunities for leading conservation scientists to strengthen their skills through two years of applied postdoctoral research, supplemented by training programs, peer networking, and field-learning experiences that help them build productive partnerships with conservation practitioners and contribute to and communicate scientific knowledge of critical importance in conservation.

The Amazon plays a major role in regulating regional and global climate. Some models suggest that if the Amazon experiences 20 percent to 25 percent deforestation, some forested areas would convert to tropical savanna, impacting global climatic stability. Deforestation is currently at 17 percent, making the Amazon's protection and management critical for both the people who call it home and for the rest of the planet. Long-term protection of the Amazon requires active participation and leadership from the communities that live within and near it. These communities are often deeply reliant on forest resources and also often have an intricate understanding of local ecological relationships that can influence the success of conservation efforts. Numerous studies have found that lower levels of deforestation are associated with Indigenous territories versus other protected areas. Sustainable forest conservation requires empowering and supporting these communities, enabling them to maximize the effectiveness of their conservation efforts while also improving their own lives and futures.

Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded in support of plant, animal, and fungi species conservation efforts without discrimination on the basis of region or selected species. Priority will be given to in situ species conservation work, although the fund will consider ex situ projects where the project is demonstrated to be critical to the survival of the species concerned.

The American Wildlife Conservation Foundation (AWCF) provides grants supporting research and public education towards enhancing scientific wildlife management and conservation of wild habitats in North America, with an emphasis on New York State. Our goal is to ensure that wild animals and the ecosystems sustaining them will thrive for the long term, conserved for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies, while leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production. CIG projects are expected to lead to the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS technical manuals and guides or to the private sector. CIG is used to apply or demonstrate previously proven technology in order to increase adoption with an emphasis on opportunities to scale proven, emerging conservation strategies. CIG promotes sharing of skills, knowledge, technologies, and facilities among communities, governments, and other institutions to ensure that scientific and technological developments are accessible to a wider range of users.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Applications will be accepted from all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2014 will be up to $15 million. Applications are requested from eligible governmental or non-governmental organizations or individuals for competitive consideration of grant awards for projects between 1 and 3 years in duration.

The United States Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) established an annual, competitive grants program to support projects that promote the conservation of neotropical migratory birds and their habitats in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service¿s Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (DBHC) is responsible for managing the NMBCA grants program and administers all grants. Applicants submit project proposals, using Grants.gov, to the DBHC during the program¿s one funding cycle per year. The FWS Director selects the projects for funding.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in Vermont (VT). NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2015 will be up to $225,000. Proposals are requested from eligible governmental or non-governmental organizations, individuals, or legal entities for competitive consideration of grant awards for projects between 1 and 3 years in duration. Funds will be awarded through a statewide competitive grants process. Only projects with a direct nexus to the state of Vermont will be considered.This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for CIG projects. Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit grant proposals from eligible Great Lakes States for coastal and estuarine land conservation (land acquisition) projects under the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP). Applications selected for funding through this solicitation will be implemented through a grant, with awards dependent upon the amount of funds made available to NOAA for this purpose. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement shall protect important coastal and estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their natural, undeveloped, or recreational state to other uses. Proposals must also advance the goal of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to protect and restore Great Lakes aquatic and terrestrial habitats. The designated lead agency for implementing CELCP (lead agency) in each participating State is eligible to submit up to two proposed projects for funding under this competition. The State's lead agency may solicit, and include in their application, project proposals from additional eligible State or local agencies, as described in this notice. Projects must be located in one of the following Great Lakes States that have submitted a CELCP plan to NOAA and are currently participating in the program: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania (Lake Erie coast); New York (Lake Erie and Lake Ontario coasts); and Wisconsin. Projects in Illinois and Minnesota will only be eligible if the State's CELCP lead agency submits a CELCP plan to NOAA by February 12, 2015.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing availability of Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Proposals will be accepted from Iowa. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2015 will be up to $800,000. Proposals are requested from eligible governmental or non-governmental organizations or individuals for competitive consideration of grant awards for projects between 1 and 3 years in duration. This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for CIG projects. Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant.

NRCS is the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) conservation agency working with farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners nationwide to identify and address natural resource objectives in balance with operational goals in order to benefit soil, water, wildlife, and related natural resources locally, regionally, and nationally. NRCS works in partnership with other entities to accelerate getting conservation on the ground. Through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners in innovative, workable, and cost-effective approaches to benefit farming, ranching, and forest operations, local economies, and the communities and resources in a watershed or other geographic area. RCPP partners develop project applications, as described in this notice, to address specific natural resource objectives in a proposed area or region.

The Wildlife Program includes both wildlife and fisheries management, and threatened and endangered species activities. Wildlife and Fisheries Management Wildlife and Fisheries Management activity maintains and restores fish, wildlife, and their habitats by conserving and monitoring habitat conditions, conducting inventories of fish and wildlife resources, and providing for recreational opportunities in coordination with State fish and wildlife agencies. Threatened and Endangered Species Threatened and Endangered Species Program works to conserve and recover federally listed species and their habitat on public lands. The BLM places a special emphasis on maintaining functioning ecosystems to benefit all wildlife and plants, and restoring habitat. Because the habitat of many species includes lands and waters not administered by the BLM, successful conservation requires extensive collaboration and cooperation with a number of partners.