2020 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program | F19AS00069

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00069

The 2020 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program is a Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00069; CFDA 15.636) that supports research and monitoring projects aimed at sustaining subsistence fisheries on Federal public lands in Alaska for rural Alaskans. The program is rooted in Section 812 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), which directs the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, working with other federal agencies, the State of Alaska, and Alaska Native and rural organizations, to research and monitor subsistence uses and to actively seek data from, consult with, and use the knowledge of local residents who participate in subsistence. After the federal government took over management responsibility for subsistence fisheries on Federal public lands in Alaska in 1999, the Department of the Interior emphasized a commitment to improve both the amount and the quality of information available for management decisions, expand meaningful involvement by Alaska Native and rural organizations, and increase collaboration across federal, state, and local partners.

At its core, the program funds multidisciplinary, collaborative work that produces practical information used directly in federal subsistence fisheries management. That includes the collection of fisheries data, the dissemination of results in usable forms, and the application of findings to management actions. While producing management-relevant information is the central priority, the program also explicitly aims to build and strengthen partnerships and capacity in rural organizations, communities, and individuals. Proposals are expected to show that outreach and relationship-building are not an afterthought: investigators must demonstrate that capacity-building has already progressed to at least the communication or partnership-development stage during proposal development, and they should include a plan to move that collaboration to deeper levels when appropriate. The program recognizes that the highest level of local involvement may not always be feasible or desired in every community, but it clearly favors projects where rural residents have meaningful roles, such as participating in fieldwork, contributing local knowledge, or supporting project management.

A major emphasis of the 2020 competition is alignment with priority information needs identified by Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils. Applicants are encouraged to design projects that directly address those council-identified needs; if a proposal focuses on another topic, it must make a strong, specific case for why the work is strategically important and how it will be used in federal subsistence management. Community partnership is not just encouraged but documented: proposals must include letters of support from local communities or organizations that will partner on the project, reinforcing that collaboration is expected to be real, active, and agreed upon.

Projects are reviewed using five equally weighted criteria: strategic priority (how well the project matches management needs and priorities), technical and scientific merit (sound methods and credible design), investigator ability and resources (whether the team can successfully deliver), partnership and capacity building (the quality and depth of collaboration with rural and Alaska Native partners), and cost/benefit (value and reasonableness relative to outcomes). In practice, strong proposals tend to combine rigorous sampling and/or research designs with clearly stated, achievable objectives; they show administrative readiness and cost effectiveness; they integrate traditional knowledge and methods alongside scientific approaches; and they demonstrate that requested funds are reasonable, well-justified, and tied to concrete management-relevant outputs.

Administratively, this is a discretionary opportunity offered through cooperative agreements, which typically means substantial federal involvement is expected during the project (for example, coordination with program staff, shared planning, or collaborative implementation). Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types may apply, subject to any additional eligibility details in the full notice. The original posting date was December 12, 2018, with an original closing date of March 15, 2020. The anticipated maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $215,000, and the program expected to make about 25 awards. Overall, the opportunity is designed for applicants who can deliver high-quality fisheries monitoring and research that directly informs federal subsistence management decisions, while also building durable partnerships and local capacity in rural Alaska.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2020 Fisheries Resource Monitoring Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.636.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 12, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 15, 2020. (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 $215,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for F19AS00069

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