The Latin America Regional Program provides technical and financial support to projects that deliver measurable conservation results for priority species, habitats, and ecological processes across landscapes with high biodiversity value in Mexico and Central and South America.
Pursuing an evidence-based approach, we publish strategic geographical and thematic priorities and application guidelines in a Notice of Funding Opportunity. All proposals go through a rigorous and competitive evaluation process. Once project support is confirmed, we engage in a partnership with the grantee, providing technical support as needed, communicating on a regular basis, and playing an active role in monitoring and evaluating the project's success. This helps ensure that our limited funding is effective and enables us to improve the impact of the Latin America Regional Program through adaptive management.
Background
Latin America is the single most biologically diverse region of the world and of critical importance to wildlife conservation efforts in the Western Hemisphere and globally. The United States and Latin America share a great number of species that largely depend on the region’s unique landscapes for their survival. The region’s ecosystems provide important environmental services and reduce the severity of climate change climate change
Climate change includes both global warming driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Though there have been previous periods of climatic change, since the mid-20th century humans have had an unprecedented impact on Earth's climate system and caused change on a global scale.
Learn more about climate change impacts. Protecting wildlife and their habitats in Latin America is critical for regional stability, security, and economic prosperity.
Latin America Regional Grant Program Requirements
Project activities should take place in Latin America in eligible geographies. If work is to be conducted in the United States, the proposal must show a clear impact on biodiversity conservation in Latin America to be eligible. Project activities that emphasize data collection and status assessment should describe a direct link to management action, and explain how lack of information has been a key limiting factor for management action in the past. Proposals that do not identify how actions will reduce threats or that do not demonstrate a strong link between data collection and management action will be rejected. Please note that local government endorsement is required for all proposals. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with relevant government authorities prior to preparing applications for Service funds. Due to other grant programs supported by the Service, the Latin America Regional Program WILL NOT FUND projects related to marine turtles (Marine Turtle Conservation Fund), tortoises or freshwater turtles (Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Conservation Fund), neotropical migratory birds (Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Fund), or song birds (Species Conservation Catalyst Fund).
Thematic Eligibility
For all countries, regions and landscapes under the Geographic Eligibility section below, proposed projects should include one or more of the following two themes: 1) Species Conservation and 2) Conservation Stewardship.
Proposed projects related to Species Conservation should be designed to achieve one or more of the following desired outcomes:
- The extinction of species is prevented, and their conservation status is improved and sustained.
- Stakeholders and/or practitioners’ collaboration and coordination is enhanced as reflected in the successful implementation of recovery and conservation strategies on the local, national, and/or transnational levels.
- Species natural habitat is enhanced through conservation and restoration activities.
- Human-wildlife and other conservation related conflicts are prevented/reduced through solutions that are participative, culturally, ecologically and economically robust and sustainable.
- Existing action gaps and/or missed coordination opportunities for the conservation of the species are identified and addressed.
- Change in behaviors of the targeted audiences as demonstrated by their willingness to stop direct threats to the species and their habitats and implement positive environmental actions.
Proposed projects related to Conservation Stewardship should be designed to achieve one or more of the following desired outcomes:
- Habitat loss and fragmentation around agricultural landscapes is significantly reduced and agricultural lands are capable of sustaining biodiversity and promote wildlife and ecosystem connectivity.
- Degraded ecosystems are restored and safeguarded using science-based techniques and/or Indigenous and traditional practices.
- Ecosystem resilience is enhanced through the application of traditional land-use practices and restoration activities.
- Areas under agriculture and forestry schemes are managed sustainably by their owners and users.
- Traditional knowledge and local communities’ practices relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are encouraged, incorporated, and respected.
- Species populations are managed and harvested sustainably by local communities and illegal trade of wildlife is curtailed through the effective implementation of alternative sustainable livelihood schemes.
- Human-wildlife and other conservation related conflicts are prevented or reduced through solutions that are participative, culturally, ecologically and economically robust and sustainable.
- Existing action gaps and/or missed coordination opportunities for the conservation of the communities managed lands are identified and addressed.
- Change in behaviors of the targeted audiences as demonstrated by their willingness to stop direct threats to the species and their habitats and implement positive environmental actions.
Geographic Eligibility*
Projects are to be implemented in or around natural protected areas, biological corridors, and recovery units in:
Mexico:
Species: jaguar; Geographic Eligibility: Yucatan Peninsula and Lacandon jungle
Central America:
Geographic Eligibility: Guatemala and Honduras
South America:
Geographic Eligibility: Gran Chaco (Eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina) and Andes-Amazon (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru)
Eligibility
Applicants under this program can be multi-national secretariats, foreign governments, U.S. and foreign non-profits, non-governmental organizations, community and Indigenous organizations, and U.S. and foreign public and private institutions of higher education.
Individuals are not eligible to apply under this Notice of Funding Opportunity. In addition, tuition for individuals and field expenses for projects carried out in support of masters, doctorate degrees, and post-doctorate research are not eligible under this Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Process
See the Notice of Funding Opportunity and sample budget tablefor full details on the application requirements and process for applying. Applicants must apply by 11:59PM ET, June 04, 2024, through GrantSolutions.gov (search for funding opportunity F24AS00309) or Grants.gov. Please send any queries to latam@fws.gov.
PROPOSALS DUE BY 11:59PM ET, June 04, 2024