Zoonotic Disease Initiative to Fund Wildlife Disease Prevention and Preparedness

The Zoonotic Disease Initiative is a grant program focused on wildlife disease prevention and preparedness. Authorized under the American Rescue Plan (2021, H.R. 1319, Section 6003.3), the Initiative will provide up to $9 million in available funding to states, Tribes and territories to strengthen early detection, rapid response and science-based management research to address wildlife disease outbreaks before they cross the barrier from animals to humans and become pandemics.

The highest priority for the funding is to increase organizational readiness and ensure a network of state, Tribal and territorial wildlife managers across the nation are prepared for zoonotic disease outbreaks. Strengthening partner capacity for wildlife health monitoring will allow for the early detection of diseases.

The 2023 Zoonotic Disease Initiative Notice of Funding Opportunity is now available

Proposals will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. EST on April 20, 2023. Please reach out to Anna-Marie York (Anna-Marie_York@fws.gov) with questions.  

 

The Zoonotic Disease Initiative will host two informational webinars about these funding opportunities:

  • March 13, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST
  • April 5, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. EST 

 

Please reach out to Anna-Marie York (Anna-Marie_York@fws.gov) with any questions or if you would like to attend one of the informational webinars.

 

The recipients of the 2022 Zoonotic Disease Initiative Grants are as follows:

Tribes

  • Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - Developing Tribal Capacity for Zoonotic Disease Preparedness and Response – A One Health Initiative, $773,303
  • InterTribal Buffalo Council, Building Capacity and Strengthening Wildlife Health and Disease Networks Through Buffalo Necropsy Trainings in Indian Country, $247,544
  • Karuk Tribe, Ithivthaneenyav, One Good Earth, Indigenous Wildlife Health Infrastructure Project, $775,000
  • Lummi Indian Business Council, Lummi Nation Natural Resources Wildlife Disease Management Program, $354,067
  • Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska, Development of Avian Flu Prioritization for Multisector Engagement, $774,478

 

States

  • Alabama, Wildlife Health and Zoonotic Disease, $702,706
  •  Arkansas, Arkansas Fish and Wildlife Health Response Proposal for Zoonotic Disease Initiative Funding, $434,782
  • Florida, Increasing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Ability to Respond to Wildlife Disease Events: Building Capacity & Interconnections, $759,245
  • Indiana, Establishing a Stakeholder Preparedness Framework for Existing and Emerging Zoonoses, $764,410
  • Oregon, Building an Eastern Pacific Marine One Health Coalition to Strengthen Capacity for Health Monitoring, Zoonotic Disease Surveillance, Response and Management in Marine Ecosystems, $746,757

 

For more information, please contact Katie Steiger-Meister, katie_steiger-meister@fws.gov.

Programs