Fiscal Year 2017 Candidate Conservation Action Funds

The overall goal of this Candidate Conservation funding opportunity is based on cooperative relationships with states, non-profit organizations, private landowners and those interested in habitat restoration or undertaking candidate and at-risk species research, surveys and monitoring, or educational outreach efforts. Work may be done via grant agreement, project grants, or direct payment for specified use. This opportunity provides funds to accomplish high priority conservation tasks for high priority, FWS-managed, candidate and at-risk species in the United States (based on our annual Candidate Species Assessments), such that known threats to the species may be reduced or eliminated. Projects for NMFS-managed species are not included in this funding opportunity. Financial assistance is available to secure candidate and other at-risk species information or undertake restoration actions that will help avert federal listing of species. The purpose is to provide a means by which the ecosystems upon which candidate and at-risk species depend may be conserved, to provide a program for the conservation of these species. Applications are due by July 31, 2017. However, you may submit applications throughout the year. Consideration of applications ultimately will be based on the FWS budget cycle.