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| Division of Bird Habitat Conservation |
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (DBHC) is responsible for managing the NMBCA grants program and administers all grants. Applicants submit project proposals to the DBHC during the program’s one funding cycle per year, and the proposals are reviewed for eligibility. A panel of experts reviews eligible project proposals and makes recommendations for funding to the FWS Director, who selects the projects for funding.
All organizations applying for a grant must follow the instructions given here. In addition, applicants should review the following guidelines before writing a proposal in order to understand the responsibilities of grantees.
Important: Read these instructions carefully before submitting a proposal and use the format provided at the bottom of this page. Proposals that do not follow the instructions are ineligible for funding. Before contacting us with questions, please read information on this page and on the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). These sections provide helpful suggestions that may improve the competitiveness of your proposal.
What is a neotropical migratory bird?
For the purposes of this program, a neotropical migratory bird is one that breeds in or migrates through the United States, at least to some extent, and spends the non-breeding season in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, or South America. Birds from all taxa are included, so that proposals may benefit land birds, waterbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, and others. Click here for a list of these birds.
Who may apply?
An individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other private entity;
- An officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, state, municipality, or political subdivision of a state, or of any foreign government;
- A state, municipality, or political subdivision of a state;
- Any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or of any foreign country; or
- An international organization.
Where may a project be located?
Project activities may be carried out in the USA, in Canada, or in any country or territory in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Should projects with activities in the USA coordinate with a Joint Venture?
For projects with activities in the USA, we strongly encourage applicants to contact the Migratory Bird Joint Venture (JV) where the project activities are planned. Proposals with activities that are coordinated with a JV will be more competitive. Check the JV Map and Directory to find the JV appropriate for your project area.
What kinds of projects are eligible?
- Protection and management of neotropical migratory bird populations;
- Maintenance, management, protection, and restoration of neotropical migratory bird habitat;
- Research and monitoring;
- Law enforcement; and
- Community outreach and education.
Because NMBCA funds are limited, please note that: 1) Proposals for habitat conservation located in wetlands in the United States and Canada should be directed to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council. See http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/index.shtm. 2) Proposals involving NAWCA priority wetlands in Mexico should be submitted to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council. See http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/index.shtm. (Priority wetlands are described in the Application Instructions at http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Grants/NAWCA/Standard/Mexico/instructionsSPA.shtm.)
What criteria are used in selecting projects?
The USFWS may solicit advice from qualified experts during the technical review of your proposal. We also may contact past and proposed partners about the costs included in your proposal. Your proposal will be ranked on how well it addresses all of these selection criteria. Reviewers also will consider whether or not the proposal clearly provides all of the information requested in the NMBCA Proposal Format section.
- What is the conservation value of the project to neotropical migrants? When the project is completed, how will the birds benefit? More competitive proposals usually focus on on-the-ground activities. Example: Residents of communities near neotropical migrants' habitats are informed about the value of the birds, and take actions to conserve them.
- How will conservation activities continue after the project has been completed? Example: After land acquisition, neotropical migrant habitat will be managed for conservation as part of a private reserve network.
- Is the project located in important breeding and non-breeding areas for neotropical migrants? Example: Area 1 in this project is located in a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Site.
- Does the project address neotropical migrants identified as a conservation priority by a government agency or conservation initiative? Example: Two of the species that are the focus of project activities are Birds of Conservation Concern 2008 (a publication of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).
- Are natural resources in the project area under threat? Example: Timber is being harvested in an unsustainable manner in the project area, reducing its value to neotropical migrants.
- Is the project coordinated with an international bird conservation plan? Example: Significant populations of ten species on the Partners in Flight Watch List occur on the project site.
- Does the proposal represent a partnership or is it coordinated among public, private and/or other organizations? Example: The project activities will contribute to the restoration objective of the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Implementation Plan.
- Is the proposal well written, with clear objectives? Does it follow the correct format?
- Is the budget accurate, with reasonable requests for overhead and personnel? Does the project provide good benefits for the costs? Example: The budget clearly lays out budget items and costs (for both grant and match funds) in enough detail and with enough explanation/justification to determine what actions are being taken to achieve the project goals and that they are reasonably priced.
- Does the project satisfy other important national or local objectives, in addition to neotropical migratory bird conservation? Example: biodiversity conservation
Can project funds be used for environmental mitigation?
While eligible, a proposal for such work would be considered lower priority. NMBCA is interested in funding new conservation work that results in a net gain for conservation.
Are there special rules for land acquisition (purchase or easements) outside of the USA?
If your project will acquire land or easements outside the USA with Federal funds, you must state in your proposal that the title holder or easement holder will be an in-country organization. You will also need to provide proof that you have communicated your intention to acquire land during this project to the appropriate government agency in the country. At the end of the project, you will need to submit copies of legal and other documentation (settlement statements, maps, etc.) showing that all acquisitions were completed within the project period.
What is the duration of a grant?
The funding period is typically two years. A grant project period starts on the date on which the grant is awarded, which typically occurs within 3 months after the selected grants are announced.
What are the match requirements?
Federal funds (i.e., fund from the USA government) requested under the Act must be matched 3:1 by non-Federal funds. That is, for every Federal dollar, a minimum of three non-Federal dollars are required. Match contributions must not have been used to match another project funded by the Federal government of the USA!
- For projects in the United States and Canada, the non-Federal share must be in cash.
- For projects in Latin America and the Caribbean including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the non-Federal share may be cash or in-kind contributions.
Cash means the recipient's cash outlay (including the outlay of money contributed to the recipient by third parties) to be expended after the date the proposal is submitted. (Note that equipment depreciation and volunteer labor are not considered cash.). Contributions that have been expended up to two years prior to the date the proposal is submitted may be considered in-kind contributions; however, contributions made after the proposal is submitted are preferred. Contributions made more than two years before proposal submission are not eligible as match. Match contributions must be directly related to the proposed project and the types of activities eligible under the Act and this relationship of activities funded by the match to neotropical migratory bird conservation described in the proposal must be clearly explained in the proposal, budget table and budget justification.
Is there a maximum or minimum grant amount for which I can apply?
The maximum award for 2010 will be US$250,000. The average award has been around US$100,000, with a range of US$9,000 to US$250,000. Requests under US$15,000 are discouraged; please contact us if you are planning such a proposal.
In what languages may I submit proposals?
English, Spanish, and Portuguese. However, all proposals must have an English summary.
When is the deadline for proposals?
Project proposals must be received by DBHC no later than 5 AM (Eastern Standard Time, EST) on November 2, 2009. We strongly encourage applicants to submit their proposals well in advance of this deadline to ensure the on time arrival of your proposal. Any proposals received after the deadline will not be eligible.
Is there a suggested proposal format?
Yes. The document format shown below, “NMBCA PROPOSAL FORMAT” will facilitate the proposal review. Do not send printed materials; submit a digital file in Adobe PdF (preferred) or Microsoft Word. Do not include photos within the document. Do not send a file larger than 10 MB. The proposal must be no longer than 10 pages, including maps and the budget. If you attach additional pages or appendices, your proposal is ineligible! [Note for applicants located in the USA: As explained below, you must also submit the form called “SF 424”; however, this form does not count towards this page limit.]
Where do I send the proposal?
We strongly recommend that you submit your proposal as an electronic mail attachment to neotropical@fws.gov. If that is not possible, send it on a computer disk (CD) to the address on the Contacts page. Receipt of your proposal will be acknowledged by email only. Please note that we receive a high volume of proposals and we may not have time to respond to inquiries in person or in a timely manner around the deadline. Please ensure that a functional and correctly spelled email address is listed on the first page of your proposal! If we have any questions regarding your proposal, we will send them to that email address.
How do I know that my proposal was received?
We will send you an email message acknowledging receipt of your proposal. Please ensure that a functional and correctly spelled email address is listed on the first page of your proposal!.
Whom do I contact for further information?
Contact information is available on the Contacts page.
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NMBCA PROPOSAL FORMAT
- Cover Page (1 page maximum; provide all information listed below; show the item number and name, e.g., “a. Project Title: NMB Cons in southern Mexico II”)
a. Project Title in English (maximum 80 characters; use lower case letters after the initial capital; abbreviate “neotropical migratory bird” as NMB; abbreviate “conservation” as “cons”; if this is a second phase of a previous NMBCA project, use a roman numeral “II” at the end of the title)
b. Project Location (State/Province, Country). (This refers to the location of the project activities, not the applicant’s office nor the range of a species.)
c. Latitude/Longitude of On-the-ground Activities (Give the approximate project location’s centroid; if possible, use Degrees/Minutes/Seconds; if you use UTM, include the zone, easting, and northing. We use this information to create a general map showing the location of all projects.)
d. Ecoregion (see http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/terrestrial.html)
e. Name of Person who is Responsible for Project (not more than one)
f. Name of Organization applying for the grant (not more than one)
g. Type of Organization (USA federal government, non-USA federal government, state/provincial government, local government, aboriginal organization/tribal government, conservation NGO, private corporation/business, school/college/university, other)
h. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number (An organization whose proposal is provisionally selected must have a DUNS number before it can be approved for funding. If you do not have a DUNS number, you should begin the process of applying for it before submitting the proposal, as this process takes several weeks. Insert “Applied for DUNS number” in this space. To obtain a DUNS number, see “Smart Link” )
i. Mailing Address of Organization
j. Street (Physical) Address, State/Province, Postal Code, Country of Organization.
k. Telephone Numbers of the person who is responsible for coordinating the project (office phone, cell phone)
l. Fax Number
m. E-mail Address of the person who is responsible for coordinating the project (Please ensure that this is a functional email address!)
n. Duration of this proposal (not more than 2 years)
o. For projects in the United States only: County and Congressional District
p. For projects in North America only: Bird Conservation Region(s) (see http://www.nabci-us.org/map.html) and Joint Venture in which the project is located.)
q. Project Summary (in English)
r. Eligible activities that are included: (list only those activities that are explicitly described as objectives in your proposal)
(i) “protection or management of bird populations”
(ii) “maintenance, management, protection, or restoration of bird habitat” (give the number of hectares or acres directly impacted by each of these 4 sub-activities) (Note that “protection” in NMBCA means only the legal protection of a piece of land, for example, acquisition, easement, “servidumbre”)
(iii) “research, monitoring”
(iv) “law enforcement”
(v) “community outreach, education”
s. Total Funding Requested from NMBCA (in USA Dollars)
t. Total Matching Funds (in USA Dollars)
u. Total Non-matching Funds (, i.e., funding originating from the Federal government of the USA)
v. List of all partners contributing match, including contributions from the grantee; include the full name of each partner (i.e., no acronyms), organization type (USA federal government, non-USA federal government, state/provincial government, local government, aboriginal organization/tribal government, conservation NGO, private corporation/business, school/college/university, other) and contribution amount in USA dollars
- Qualifications of Individuals Conducting the Project (half page maximum)
- Project Description
a. Demonstrate that the project will enhance the conservation of Neotropical migratory bird species in the United States, Canada, Latin America, or the Caribbean. The proposed activities should be clearly linked to regional or national conservation strategies. Does your project contribute to the objectives of an international bird conservation plan or initiative? Click here for a link to some bird plans. Please identify the neotropical migratory bird species native to the habitat affected by the proposed activities. In the event that this list is long, only list the migratory bird species of highest conservation concern or focal or umbrella migratory bird species used for conservation planning. Please explain how you determined the presence of these species in your project area and what guidelines you used to determine their conservation status. Click here for the Birds of Conservation Concern and Audubon Watch List.
b. Describe in detail all project activities, including those funded with matching contributions. Specifically (and separately for each of the five “eligible activities” listed under “r.” above) describe your project activities.
c. If your project includes habitat protection, state that only host country organizations will acquire any land rights with grant funds. Give the name of those organizations. If your project includes land acquisition or restoration (including reforestation), give the number of hectares or acres that will be acquired or restored and refer to the map under item 11.
d. If your project includes research and monitoring, describe how the information will be used for conservation, and by whom. Research and monitoring must have management implications or similar clear and direct links to conservation. For research, present your hypothesis and methods. For monitoring, describe how the monitoring directly targets priorities for migratory bird conservation and management. (A species inventory will be less competitive unless it is well justified in the proposal.)
e. If your project includes capacity building, show how it is directly related to a bird conservation effort or a research and monitoring initiative.
f. If there were previous phases of your project, add a description of the results of the previous phases. Describe your progress during earlier phases and how the proposed activities will build on previous achievements and knowledge, including prior projects that may not yet be completed.
g. For more hints on how to increase the competitiveness of your proposal, refer to “What criteria will be used in selecting projects?” on the FAQ page.
- Local Participation
a. Describe the mechanisms included to ensure adequate local public participation in project development and implementation.
- Agency Consultation
a. Clearly state that the project will be implemented in consultation with relevant wildlife management authorities and other appropriate government officials with jurisdiction over the resources addressed by the project. Describe how your activities are coordinated with or communicated to decision-makers and management authorities. For land acquisition projects outside of the United States, the applicant will be asked to provide documentation of this consultation.
- Historical and Cultural Resources
a. Demonstrate how the project is sensitive to local historic and cultural resources and complies with applicable laws.
b. State whether the project affects a property that is on the World Heritage List or a national register of historic places.
- Sustainability
a. Describe how the project will promote sustainable, effective, long-term programs to conserve Neotropical migratory birds. Explain how the organizations involved will continue project-related activities after the NMBCA funding ends. Name the relevant governmental management authorities and explain how they are involved.
- Other Information
a. Provide any other information that you think will be helpful in evaluating the proposal. You may want to address any of the 10 criteria shown in the Application Instructions, above, under “What criteria will be used in selecting projects?” on the FAQ page”
- Evaluation
a. Describe how the project activities will be evaluated. How will you determine the impact of your activities on neotropical migratory birds? What outcomes will be measured? How will you determine whether your project was successful? Describe your planned evaluation measures.
- Budget
a. Include an itemized budget table within the text of the proposal (not in a separate file), having one column for NMBCA funding and an additional column for each partner’s contribution. The budget should clearly lay out budget items and costs in enough detail and with enough explanation to determine what is needed to achieve the project goals and show that they are reasonably priced. Describe the activities funded with matching contributions (eligible partner funds) in enough detail to allow reviewers to determine how they relate to the neotropical migratory bird conservation priorities of your project. Budgets that do not show such detail will be less competitive. You can use footnotes to explain items or a budget justification section following the budget. Organize budget items under subheadings for each of the “eligible activities” (see section 1.r. above) and give the subtotals for each “eligible activity”. Prepare the budget in USA dollars, and round all figures to the nearest dollar (do not use cents). A good budget format is shown here.
b. Partner contributions (“match”) that are not of Federal origin must exceed the amount requested by at least 3:1 to be eligible for funding. Proposals with insufficient match are ineligible. Indicate in the budget table whether the contributions are cash or in-kind.
c. All activities taking place in the United States and Canada must clearly have at least a 3:1 (match:grant) match in cash represented in the budget to be eligible for funding. Please see the definition of cash match in the instructions above. Funds from USA Federal sources, which are not eligible as match, may be listed in a separate column and labeled “non-match”.
d. More competitive proposals generally request overhead or administrative costs below 20%. These costs must be directly attributable to the project. (Exception: If your organization has an officially negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with a US federal agency (your “cognizant” agency), you may use your negotiated indirect rate. However, having an overhead cost that is lower than the negotiated cost rate may make your proposal more competitive.
e. Requests for new equipment that will outlive the project period, such as new vehicles, are discouraged. Used or leased vehicles, for example, may be more appropriate.
f. Requests for building construction are discouraged. Such requests may be considered only if the proposal clearly demonstrates that the building is a perpetual contribution to neotropical migratory bird conservation.
g. Applicants may be asked to submit letters confirming the commitment of matching funds from each contributing partner. Please wait for us to contact you before submitting these letters.
- Map
a. Include a map of the project area, along with a map showing the location within the country. Place these within the text of the proposal, not in a separate file.
b. If your project includes land acquisition or restoration (including reforestation), show the polygons of each specific area (tract) that will be acquired or restored (if known). If funded, a map showing the polygons will be required as an annex to your report.
- For Applicants Located in the United States
a. Applicants located in the United States, regardless of where the project activities are located, must submit the "Application for Federal Assistance", Standard Form 424, and either SF 424B or 424D (see http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15). You may submit these digitally as attachments to the email message that transmits your proposal. The signature must be that of the person who is fiscally responsible. These forms do not count toward the 10-page limit.
- For Proposals with Activities Located in the United States
Address the following additional questions in your proposal application:
a. How does the project contribute to the conservation of priority bird species assemblages that depend on upland habitat (see http://www.blm.gov/wildlife/pifplans.htm)?
b. How does the project contribute to the goals, objectives, and recommendations in the appropriate Bird Conservation Plans (see http://www.fws.gov/birdhabitat/Plans/index.shtm)?
/birdhabitat/Grants/NMBCA/InstructionsENG.shtm was last updated 07/24/09 07:22:01