Opportunity Information: Apply for F22AS00217
The Refuge Enhancement/Infrastructure Partnerships Initiative is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funding opportunity designed to strengthen on-the-ground partnerships that improve National Wildlife Refuge System lands, facilities, and visitor services. Using a cooperative agreement model, the program encourages refuge field stations to team up with non-federal partners such as nonprofits, state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, colleges and universities, and other eligible groups to carry out practical projects that enhance habitat, address refuge infrastructure needs, and expand meaningful public engagement on refuge lands and waters. At its core, the initiative is meant to help refuges tackle real maintenance and improvement demands while also increasing outdoor recreation opportunities and deepening community connections to refuges.
Projects supported under this initiative generally fall into a few major categories. On the conservation side, proposals can focus on habitat stewardship through maintenance, restoration, and improvement work, as well as biological monitoring, research, and other assessments tied to refuge priorities. On the infrastructure and operations side, projects can involve constructing, operating, maintaining, or improving refuge facilities and services, which may include visitor and recreation infrastructure that supports wildlife-dependent activities. The program also places strong emphasis on education and outreach, including creating and distributing educational materials, using refuges as outdoor classrooms, developing education programs that link curriculum to hands-on experiences with fish, wildlife, plants, and habitat, and promoting scientific literacy. Many competitive projects will blend these elements by improving the visitor experience while also supporting conservation outcomes and long-term sustainability.
The initiative is also positioned as a catalyst for broader Service priorities. The opportunity highlights goals such as economic and conservation enhancement, career training and mentoring opportunities for youth and adults, equity and inclusion in conservation and recreation, climate and wildlife resilience, and community health. In practice, this means the Service is looking for partnership-driven projects that do more than fix a trail or upgrade a facility; strong proposals often show how the work will engage local communities, expand access to nature-based recreation, help build workforce pathways, and improve resilience of habitat and infrastructure in the face of climate pressures.
The legal authority behind the program is the Fish and Wildlife Act Community Partnership Enhancement Authority (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)), which allows the Service to enter into cooperative agreements with non-federal entities to implement projects for a refuge or a complex of geographically related refuges, including certain construction activities on refuge property. This authority comes with important limits that applicants must plan around. It applies only within the National Wildlife Refuge System, and any improvements constructed or installed through the project become property of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A key financial requirement is that federal funds cannot exceed the non-federal match, meaning partners must cover at least 50 percent of total project costs through cash or qualified third-party in-kind contributions such as donated labor, materials, supplies, or equipment loans. Another major constraint is that federal funds under this authority cannot be used for the non-federal partner's operational or administrative expenses, including indirect costs; federal dollars must be spent only on direct project expenses.
Eligibility is broad but still structured. The opportunity indicates that eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special districts, independent school districts, tribal governments (federally recognized) and other tribal organizations, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations), and even for-profit entities including small businesses, as reflected in the source listing. Beyond applicant type, the program expects partners to have strong organizational readiness, including financial policies and procedures aligned with generally accepted accounting principles and risk management policies that meet industry standards and demonstrate proactive risk mitigation. A practical requirement for applying is an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Service (at the national, regional, or field station level) that clearly spells out roles and responsibilities for the type of work proposed. Applicants must include the MOU in the application, and the guidance notes that a broad MOU can cover multiple projects of the same general type, so organizations do not necessarily need a new MOU for every single refuge project if the existing agreement already applies.
In terms of funding specifics, the opportunity is a discretionary program offered by the Fish and Wildlife Service under a cooperative agreement funding instrument, categorized under natural resources (CFDA 15.654). The listed award ceiling is $250,000. The original closing date shown in the source information is September 15, 2022. Overall, the program is best understood as a partnership and leverage tool: the Service is seeking projects where non-federal partners bring substantial match and capacity to help refuges address infrastructure backlogs, improve habitat conditions, and deliver higher-quality, more inclusive visitor and education experiences tied directly to refuge purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.Apply for F22AS00217
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Refuge Enhancement/Infrastructure Partnerships Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.654.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-02-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-09-15. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
- 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.
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Refuge Enhancement/Infrastructure Partnerships Initiative - FAQs
What is the Refuge Enhancement/Infrastructure Partnerships Initiative?
It is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funding opportunity that supports cooperative, on-the-ground partnerships to improve National Wildlife Refuge System lands, facilities, and visitor services. The emphasis is on practical projects that enhance habitat, address refuge infrastructure needs, and expand meaningful public engagement on refuge lands and waters.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The initiative is intended to help refuges meet real maintenance and improvement needs while increasing outdoor recreation opportunities and strengthening community connections to refuges through partnership-driven projects.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The program uses a cooperative agreement model, meaning projects are carried out in partnership between refuge field stations and non-federal partners.
Who is this program designed to partner with?
Refuge field stations are encouraged to team with non-federal partners such as nonprofits, state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, colleges and universities, and other eligible groups.
What kinds of projects can be supported?
Supported projects generally fall into three broad areas: (1) conservation and habitat stewardship, (2) refuge infrastructure and operations improvements, and (3) education and outreach. Competitive projects often blend these elements to improve visitor experiences while supporting conservation outcomes and long-term sustainability.
What conservation and habitat stewardship activities are eligible?
Examples include habitat maintenance, restoration, and improvement work, as well as biological monitoring, research, and other assessments that are tied to refuge priorities.
What infrastructure or facility work is eligible?
Projects may involve constructing, operating, maintaining, or improving refuge facilities and services. This can include visitor and recreation infrastructure that supports wildlife-dependent activities.
Does the program support visitor services and recreation-related improvements?
Yes. The opportunity specifically notes that infrastructure and services can include visitor and recreation infrastructure that supports wildlife-dependent recreational activities on refuge lands and waters.
What education and outreach activities are eligible?
Eligible education and outreach work includes creating and distributing educational materials, using refuges as outdoor classrooms, developing education programs that link curriculum to hands-on experiences with fish, wildlife, plants, and habitat, and promoting scientific literacy.
What broader priorities does the Service want projects to advance?
The opportunity highlights priorities such as economic and conservation enhancement, career training and mentoring opportunities for youth and adults, equity and inclusion in conservation and recreation, climate and wildlife resilience, and community health.
Do strong proposals need to do more than basic maintenance?
The opportunity indicates that the Service is looking for partnership-driven projects that go beyond basic fixes by also engaging local communities, expanding access to nature-based recreation, building workforce pathways, and improving resilience of habitat and infrastructure to climate pressures.
What is the legal authority for this initiative?
The legal authority is the Fish and Wildlife Act Community Partnership Enhancement Authority (16 U.S.C. 742f(d)), which allows the Service to enter into cooperative agreements with non-federal entities to implement projects for a refuge or a complex of geographically related refuges, including certain construction activities on refuge property.
Where must projects take place?
The authority and the described program scope apply only within the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Who owns improvements or installations completed under the project?
Any improvements constructed or installed through the project become property of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. A key financial requirement is that federal funds cannot exceed the non-federal match. Partners must cover at least 50 percent of total project costs.
What counts as non-federal match?
Match may be provided as cash or as qualified third-party in-kind contributions, such as donated labor, materials, supplies, or equipment loans.
Can federal funds be used for the partner's administrative or operational expenses?
No. The opportunity states that federal funds under this authority cannot be used for the non-federal partner's operational or administrative expenses, including indirect costs. Federal dollars must be spent only on direct project expenses.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state, county, city, or township governments; special districts; independent school districts; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations); and for-profit entities, including small businesses.
Are tribal entities eligible?
Yes. The eligibility description includes federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Public and private institutions of higher education are included as eligible applicants.
Are nonprofits eligible?
Yes. Nonprofits are eligible, including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain non-501(c)(3) organizations as reflected in the opportunity description.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list includes for-profit entities, including small businesses.
What organizational readiness is expected of partners?
The opportunity expects partners to demonstrate strong organizational readiness, including financial policies and procedures aligned with generally accepted accounting principles and risk management policies that meet industry standards and show proactive risk mitigation.
Is an MOU required to apply?
Yes. A practical requirement described is an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Service (at the national, regional, or field station level) that clearly spells out roles and responsibilities for the type of work proposed. The MOU must be included in the application.
Do we need a new MOU for every project?
Not necessarily. The guidance notes that a broad MOU can cover multiple projects of the same general type, so a new MOU may not be needed for each individual refuge project if an existing agreement already applies.
What is the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling is $250,000.
Is this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary program offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under natural resources with CFDA 15.654.
What was the closing date shown for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown in the source information is September 15, 2022.
How should applicants think about competitiveness for this program?
Based on the description, competitive projects are typically partnership-driven and show strong leverage through match and capacity, while directly addressing refuge purposes through habitat improvements, infrastructure needs, and higher-quality, more inclusive visitor and education experiences.
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