Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00087
Combating Wildlife Trafficking - Priority Species (F18AS00087) is a discretionary grant program from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, focused on reducing illegal wildlife trade that targets a wide range of high-risk terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species. The opportunity explicitly highlights species commonly impacted by poaching and illicit trade, including elephants, rhinos, tigers, pangolins, great apes, exotic birds, sea turtles, land tortoises, sharks, tuna, sturgeon, coral, and various reptiles and invertebrates such as iguanas, chameleons, and tarantulas. It also treats fisheries trafficking as part of the broader wildlife trafficking problem, emphasizing downstream impacts on food supplies and food security. Another core concern is that illegal harvest and trade in plants and trees can enable wildlife trafficking by destroying habitat and opening access to remote ecosystems, which can increase pressure on highly endangered wildlife populations.
Projects proposed for funding must directly address the priority species named in the announcement (across both terrestrial and marine environments) and use a multifaceted approach that aligns with the objectives in the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Implementation Plan. In practical terms, this means applicants are expected to connect their proposed activities to the U.S. government-wide strategy for countering wildlife trafficking, rather than proposing isolated or purely local actions without a clear link to the national framework. The program is designed to support efforts that are integrated and strategic, reflecting the reality that trafficking networks are complex and typically require coordinated prevention, enforcement support, and demand-reduction measures to make lasting progress.
The grant has an award ceiling of $200,000, with an anticipated 10 awards. Applications were due 45 days after the posting date, and the original closing date listed for this opportunity was May 10, 2018. Because the program is discretionary, funding decisions are made competitively based on how well proposals meet the program goals and requirements, rather than being guaranteed by formula or entitlement.
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and even individuals. This wide eligibility suggests the agency intended to attract proposals from a range of actors involved in conservation, research, enforcement support, community engagement, supply-chain work, or public awareness, provided the work directly ties to the trafficking problem and the listed species priorities.
The opportunity also sets clear restrictions on what grant funds can and cannot be used for. Funds cannot be used to purchase firearms or ammunition. They also cannot be used to buy intelligence information, pay informants, or support information gathering by people who conceal their true identity, and they cannot be used for law enforcement operations that induce suspects to commit crimes for the purpose of arrest (entrapment). The funding cannot be used for activities that would circumvent U.S. or in-country sanctions, laws, or regulations. In addition, recipients may not use funds to provide material support or resources to any individuals, entities, or organizations in countries designated by the U.S. Department of State as state sponsors of terrorism. The program also specifies that funds may not be used to train U.S. Federal Government personnel. These limitations are important for applicants to account for when designing project activities, partnerships, and budgets, especially for proposals involving enforcement-adjacent work or cross-border collaboration.
The legal and policy authority behind the program is anchored in major U.S. wildlife protection and anti-trafficking directives, including Executive Order 13648 (July 5, 2013) establishing the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, the accompanying Implementation Plan (February 11, 2014), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543). Overall, the grant opportunity is aimed at supporting targeted, strategy-aligned projects that measurably reduce trafficking threats to priority species while staying within strict legal and ethical boundaries for funded activities.Apply for F18AS00087
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Combating Wildlife Trafficking - Priority Species" 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 Mar 26, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2018 Applications are due 45 days after the post date of this funding opportunity.. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Combating Wildlife Trafficking - Priority Species (F18AS00087)" grant program?
It is a discretionary, competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. The program focuses on reducing illegal wildlife trade that threatens a wide range of high-risk terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to support projects that measurably reduce illegal wildlife trafficking threats to specified priority species. The program emphasizes approaches that reflect the complexity of trafficking networks and that connect clearly to the U.S. government-wide strategy for combating wildlife trafficking.
Which species are considered "priority species" under this opportunity?
The announcement highlights species commonly targeted by poaching and illicit trade, including elephants, rhinos, tigers, pangolins, great apes, exotic birds, sea turtles, land tortoises, sharks, tuna, sturgeon, coral, and various reptiles and invertebrates such as iguanas, chameleons, and tarantulas.
Does the opportunity include both land and marine species?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly covers terrestrial, freshwater, and marine species, and it expects projects to address priority species across these environments as applicable to the proposal.
Is fisheries trafficking considered part of wildlife trafficking for this program?
Yes. The opportunity treats fisheries trafficking as part of the broader wildlife trafficking problem and notes downstream impacts on food supplies and food security.
How does the opportunity address plants and trees?
The opportunity notes that illegal harvest and trade in plants and trees can enable wildlife trafficking by destroying habitat and opening access to remote ecosystems, which can increase pressure on highly endangered wildlife populations.
Do proposed projects have to focus on the specific priority species named in the announcement?
Yes. Projects must directly address the priority species named in the announcement, across terrestrial and marine environments.
What approach does the program expect from applicants?
The program expects a multifaceted approach aligned with the objectives in the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking Implementation Plan. Applicants are expected to connect proposed activities to the national framework rather than proposing isolated or purely local actions without a clear link to the strategy.
What does it mean that the grant is "discretionary" and "competitive"?
It means funding is not guaranteed by formula or entitlement. Awards are made competitively based on how well proposals meet the program goals and requirements.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $200,000.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated approximately 10 awards.
When were applications due for this opportunity?
Applications were due 45 days after the posting date, and the original closing date listed was May 10, 2018.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; special districts; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and individuals.
Can for-profit organizations apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations, including small businesses, are listed as eligible applicants.
Can individuals apply?
Yes. Individuals are included in the eligibility list.
Can tribal governments and tribal organizations apply?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are included as eligible applicants.
Can nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status apply?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible.
Are there restrictions on using grant funds to purchase firearms or ammunition?
Yes. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase firearms or ammunition.
Can grant funds be used to buy intelligence information or pay informants?
No. Funds cannot be used to buy intelligence information or pay informants.
Can grant funds support undercover information gathering where people conceal their true identity?
No. The opportunity specifies that funds cannot be used to support information gathering by people who conceal their true identity.
Can grant funds be used for law enforcement operations that involve entrapment?
No. Funds cannot be used for law enforcement operations that induce suspects to commit crimes for the purpose of arrest (entrapment).
Can grant funds be used for activities that circumvent sanctions or violate laws and regulations?
No. The opportunity states that funding cannot be used for activities that would circumvent U.S. or in-country sanctions, laws, or regulations.
Are there restrictions related to countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism?
Yes. Recipients may not use funds to provide material support or resources to any individuals, entities, or organizations in countries designated by the U.S. Department of State as state sponsors of terrorism.
Can grant funds be used to train U.S. Federal Government personnel?
No. The opportunity specifies that funds may not be used to train U.S. Federal Government personnel.
What legal and policy authorities support this program?
The opportunity cites Executive Order 13648 (July 5, 2013) establishing the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, the accompanying Implementation Plan (February 11, 2014), and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543).
What kinds of work does the program appear to encourage, based on the description?
Based on the description, the program is designed to attract proposals from a range of actors involved in conservation, research, enforcement support (within stated limits), community engagement, supply-chain work, or public awareness, as long as the work directly ties to wildlife trafficking and the listed species priorities and aligns with the national strategy framework.
Why does the opportunity emphasize coordinated and strategic efforts?
Because trafficking networks are complex, the opportunity stresses that lasting progress typically requires coordinated prevention, enforcement support, and demand-reduction measures rather than isolated actions.
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