Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00106
The grant opportunity titled "Restoring and Protecting Piping Plover Nesting Habitat in the St. Louis River Estuary - Phase III" is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) project funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, administered through the Green Bay Ecological Services Field Office. It focuses on recovery support for the Great Lakes piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a federally protected shorebird that depends on open, sandy shoreline habitat for nesting. The overall purpose is to continue on-the-ground habitat work and community-facing efforts that make it more likely piping plovers can successfully return to, nest, and raise young in the St. Louis River Estuary, particularly along shoreline areas where plovers have been seen in recent years.
The project is tied directly to established regional planning and restoration priorities. Specifically, it is intended to advance recovery actions laid out in the Draft Wisconsin-Minnesota Piping Plover Management Plan and to help address "beneficial use impairments" within the St. Louis River Estuary Area of Concern. In practical terms, this means the work is not just about a single species, but also about improving ecological conditions in a historically impacted Great Lakes estuary where habitat quality and wildlife use are key measures of restoration success.
The funded activities concentrate on Minnesota Point and Wisconsin Point, two locations in the estuary where piping plovers have been recently observed and where suitable nesting habitat can be created or maintained. The work described includes habitat maintenance and restoration (such as keeping nesting areas open and suitable), direct site protection and monitoring (to reduce disturbance and track plover presence and nesting outcomes), and outreach and education (to build public understanding and cooperation around protecting nesting areas). In addition to these core tasks, the project includes an investigative component at the end of Minnesota Point to assess future plover management possibilities there, suggesting the effort is also meant to expand or refine where and how management might be effective over time.
Administratively, this is a discretionary grant (CFDA 15.662) with an award ceiling of $60,000 and an expectation of a single award. It is not a competitive funding opportunity and does not include an application process. Instead, it is a notice of intent to make a single-source award to the St. Louis River Alliance (SLRA) under the Department of the Interior justification cited as 505 DM 2.14B (2 and 4). The rationale given is that competition is not practical because this Phase III effort is a continuation of work SLRA began in 2011. USFWS emphasizes SLRA's established track record in the project area, including sustained site monitoring and extensive work with local communities to build support and enthusiasm for piping plover recovery. That history is presented as the foundation for enabling breeding plovers to return to western Lake Superior, making the continued partnership the most efficient and effective way to achieve the project goals.
Key logistics in the posting include the funding opportunity number F17AS00106, an original posting date of February 1, 2017, and an original closing date of February 8, 2017, though the "closing" functions more as a notice timeline rather than a deadline for applicants because the award is intended for a named recipient. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as targeted continuation funding to maintain momentum on habitat improvement, protective management, monitoring, and public engagement activities that support piping plover recovery in a specific Great Lakes estuary restoration setting.Apply for F17AS00106
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Restoring and Protecting Piping Plover Nesting Habitat in the St. Louis River Estuary - Phase III" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.662.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 01, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 08, 2017 There is not an application process for this funding opportunity. This is a notice of intent to award a single source grant to the Saint Louis River Alliance under justification 505DM 2.14B 2 and 4. (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 $60,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Restoring and Protecting Piping Plover Nesting Habitat in the St. Louis River Estuary - Phase III."
Which federal agency is offering and administering the project?
The project is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) effort, administered through the Green Bay Ecological Services Field Office.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The purpose is to continue on-the-ground habitat work and community-facing efforts that increase the likelihood that Great Lakes piping plovers can return to, nest, and raise young in the St. Louis River Estuary, especially along shoreline areas where plovers have been observed in recent years.
Which species is the project supporting?
The project supports recovery of the Great Lakes piping plover (Charadrius melodus), a federally protected shorebird that relies on open, sandy shoreline habitat for nesting.
Where will the funded work take place?
The work focuses on Minnesota Point and Wisconsin Point within the St. Louis River Estuary. The posting also mentions an investigative component at the end of Minnesota Point to assess future management possibilities.
What types of activities are included in Phase III?
The described activities include:
- Habitat maintenance and restoration (keeping nesting areas open and suitable)
- Direct site protection and monitoring (reducing disturbance and tracking plover presence and nesting outcomes)
- Outreach and education (building public understanding and cooperation to protect nesting areas)
- An investigative assessment at the end of Minnesota Point to inform future plover management options
How does this project connect to regional restoration plans and priorities?
The project is intended to advance recovery actions identified in the Draft Wisconsin-Minnesota Piping Plover Management Plan and to help address beneficial use impairments in the St. Louis River Estuary Area of Concern.
Is this work only about piping plovers?
While piping plover recovery is the central focus, the posting frames the project as part of broader ecological improvement in a historically impacted Great Lakes estuary, where habitat quality and wildlife use are important indicators of restoration success.
What is the funding source for this project?
The project is funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
What type of grant is this?
This is described as a discretionary grant (CFDA 15.662).
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed is $60,000.
How many awards does USFWS expect to make under this notice?
The posting indicates an expectation of a single award.
Is this a competitive funding opportunity?
No. The notice states this is not a competitive funding opportunity.
Is there an application process for other organizations to apply?
No. The notice does not include an application process. It is a notice of intent to make a single-source award to a named recipient.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the St. Louis River Alliance (SLRA).
Why is the award being made as a single-source (non-competitive) award?
The rationale provided is that competition is not practical because Phase III continues work that SLRA began in 2011. USFWS cites SLRA's established track record in the project area, including sustained monitoring and extensive community engagement, as the basis for continuing the partnership as the most efficient and effective way to meet the project goals.
What Department of the Interior justification is cited for the single-source approach?
The notice cites a Department of the Interior justification under 505 DM 2.14B (2 and 4).
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is F17AS00106.
What are the original posting and closing dates shown in the notice?
The original posting date is February 1, 2017, and the original closing date is February 8, 2017.
Does the closing date function as an application deadline?
Based on the description provided, the closing date functions more as a notice timeline rather than a deadline for applicants, because the award is intended for a named recipient and there is no application process.
What does "Phase III" imply about this project?
"Phase III" indicates this effort is a continuation of prior work rather than a brand-new initiative. The notice specifically notes the work builds on actions SLRA began in 2011.
What is meant by "community-facing efforts" in this context?
In this posting, community-facing efforts refer to outreach and education activities intended to build public understanding and cooperation around protecting piping plover nesting areas and reducing disturbance.
What does the project mean by "site protection and monitoring"?
As described, this includes actions to reduce disturbance at nesting areas and to monitor piping plover presence and nesting outcomes in the project locations.
What does the investigative component at the end of Minnesota Point involve?
The posting describes an investigative component to assess future piping plover management possibilities at the end of Minnesota Point, suggesting the project will also inform where and how management could be expanded or refined over time.
Which shoreline areas are specifically named as focus locations?
Minnesota Point and Wisconsin Point are specifically named as the areas where habitat can be created or maintained and where piping plovers have been observed recently.
How does USFWS describe SLRA's qualifications for this work?
USFWS emphasizes SLRA's long-term involvement in the project area, including sustained site monitoring and extensive work with local communities to build support and enthusiasm for piping plover recovery, describing that history as foundational to enabling breeding plovers to return to western Lake Superior.
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