Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To assist in the conservation of neotropical migratory birds by providing financial resources for the projects of partnerships in countries within the ranges of neotropical migratory birds.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
Funds may be used for approved neotropical migratory bird conservation projects. Projects must: enhance the conservation of neotropical bird species in the U.S., Latin America, or the Caribbean; ensure adequate local public participation in project development and implementation; be implemented in consultation with relevant wildlife management authorities and other appropriate government officials with jurisdiction over the resources addressed by the project; be sensitive to local historic and cultural resources and comply with applicable laws; promote sustainable effective, long-term programs to conserve neotropical migratory birds; and other requirements the Secretary considers to be necessary. The Act requires that not less than 75 percent of the amounts made available each fiscal year shall be expended for projects outside of the U.S. Projects are approved for up to a 2-year period of time.
Who is eligible to apply...
Applicants may be: an individual, corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other private entity; an officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, of any State, municipality, or political subdivision of a State, or of any foreign government; a State municipality, or political subdivision of a State; or any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or of any foreign country; or international organization with an interest in neotropical migratory bird conservation.
Credentials/Documentation
None. Outside the U.S., circulars and regulations are applicable only to the extent U.S. Federal law provides.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Grant application, including Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance, is to be submitted electronically to the address referenced on the website. Program description and complete application instructions can be found on the Division's website, at http://birdhabitat.fws.gov/NMBCA/eng-instructions.htm. Or, if unable to access the website, request a proposal package, which includes specific requirement information, from the Chief, Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop MBSP 4075, Arlington, Virginia 22203. Instructions are available in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
Proposals are reviewed by a panel of experts from the Fish and Wildlife Service, who make funding recommendations to the Director. After projects are selected for funding, a grant agreement between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the grantee is drafted by the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation (DBHC). The agreement is then processed by DBHC and sent to the recipient. The agreement is considered to be executed on the date of receipt by the recipient, as evidenced by return of registered mail receipt to DBHC. Other than the registered mail signature, an agreement signature is not required of the recipient.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
Application submittal dates are announced on a yearly basis; dates set are for the latest date that an application may be postmarked and still be accepted for funding consideration.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Decisions on funding of project proposals are usually made no later than 180 days after the receipt of the project proposal.
Preapplication Coordination
None. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
A grant agreement can be modified, e.g., extended, budget or acreage changes, etc., at the discretion of the Division of Bird Habitat Conservation. NMBCA grants are not renewed, in the sense that after the prescribed period of performance they are continued with additional funding.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
An individual, profit organization, other private institution/organization, public nonprofit institution/organization, an officer, employee, agent, department, or instrumentality of the Federal Government, of any State, municipality, or olitical subdivision of a State, or of any foreign government; a State municipality, or political subdivision of a State; or any other entity subject to the jurisdiction of the United States or of any foreign country; or international organization with an interest in neotropical migratory bird conservation.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Variable amounts. Awards have ranged from $2,000 to about $242,000, with an average of about $84,000. For FY 2004 the maximum award may not exceed $250,000.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 03 $2,981,000; FY 04 est $3,951,000; and FY 05 est $4,000,000.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
14-1696-0-1-303.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Conservation projects that have as their focus enhancement and/or protection of neotropical migratory birds and their habitats, and that encourage and incorporate local jurisdictional and public participation in the project planning and execution process.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
During the first two years of the program (FY 2002-2003), $5.8 million was awarded in 69 grants to partners in 28 countries.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
Proposals will be screened and selected for funding primarily on the basis of criteria contained in 16 U.S.C. 6101. However, proposals will also be evaluated on: scope and significance of effort; importance of resource values; relationship of project to other efforts locally/regionally; feasibility and cost- effectiveness.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Unless the project is extended, awarded funds must be spent during the approved Period of Performance of the grant agreement, and in accordance with financial and reporting procedures specified in the grant agreement.
Formula and Matching Requirements
In determining whether to accept projects for funding approval, applicants must guarantee a 3:1 match amount. That is, the applicant must match each Act dollar with 3 non-Federal dollars. Federal dollars refers to U.S. Federal dollars. Federal dollars of non-U.S. governments are eligible. In the U.S., match must be in cash; outside of the U.S., match may either be in cash or in-kind.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
Progress and final reports are to be submitted in accordance with terms and conditions of the grant agreement.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," nonfederal entities that receive financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Records for grants awarded to State and Local Governments will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments." Records for grants awarded to institutions of higher education and other nonprofit organizations will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations."
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000, Public Law 106-247, 16 U.S.C. 6101
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
Grants will be administered in conformance with the "Policies" established by DBHC, which uses as its sources the regulations at 43 CFR Part 12 and 49 CFR Part 24 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Administrative Manual.