2017 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Implementation Plan conservation delivery in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota | F19AS00259

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00259

The funding opportunity titled "2017 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Implementation Plan conservation delivery in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota" (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00259) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. It falls under the environment funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 15.637. The notice was created on June 20, 2019, with an original closing date of June 27, 2019. The agency stated this posting is a notice of intent to make a single-source award, relying on Department of the Interior policy authorities related to unsolicited proposals and unique qualifications, which signals that the work is intended for a specific organization rather than being competed broadly.

The central purpose of the award is to help implement objectives from the 2017 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV) Implementation Plan by expanding conservation delivery led by Pheasants Forever (PF) across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota. In practical terms, the funds are meant to strengthen on-the-ground conservation programs that align with PPJV priorities in the Prairie Pothole Region, a landscape widely recognized for its importance to waterfowl and grassland wildlife due to its mix of wetlands, native prairie, and working agricultural lands. The opportunity emphasizes implementation and delivery capacity rather than research or planning alone, aiming to translate joint venture conservation goals into coordinated action with partners and landowners.

A key focus of the described work is maintaining leadership capacity within North Dakota to deliver, coordinate, manage, and expand PF conservation efforts. The grant frames state-level leadership as essential infrastructure for effective conservation delivery, supporting the staff time and coordination needed to keep programs moving, build partnerships, and scale innovative approaches. Two named priority areas are PF's women in conservation program and precision agriculture paired with conservation efforts. The women in conservation emphasis suggests support for outreach, engagement, and program growth that broadens participation and strengthens networks among landowners, conservation professionals, and community stakeholders. The precision agriculture and conservation component points to integrating farm management technologies and data-driven practices with habitat and soil and water conservation goals, an approach often used to target conservation practices more efficiently, reduce nutrient and sediment loss, and improve outcomes while keeping operations productive.

The opportunity also highlights the value of PF maintaining an active role in several North Dakota conservation and technical forums. Continued PF leadership is described as ensuring participation and input in the North Dakota Action Group, the North Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society, the North Great Plains Working Group, and the NRCS State Technical Committee. These groups are typically where priorities are discussed, technical standards and recommendations are shaped, and partner alignment is built. By supporting PF's engagement in these venues, the agreement is designed to keep conservation delivery coordinated across agencies and organizations, reduce duplication, and help ensure that PPJV implementation stays connected to state and regional planning, NRCS programs, and professional wildlife and habitat expertise.

In terms of funding details, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $75,000 and anticipates two awards, though it is also explicitly described as a single-source intent, meaning the agency expected to direct the cooperative agreement to a uniquely qualified recipient rather than opening it to full competition. Eligibility is broadly indicated as "Others," with a note that additional clarification would appear in an eligibility text field (not included in the excerpt). Overall, the opportunity is best understood as targeted capacity funding meant to bolster PF's ability to deliver and coordinate high-priority habitat and conservation actions tied to the PPJV Implementation Plan across the three-state region, with a particularly strong emphasis on sustaining North Dakota leadership and expanding innovative delivery approaches.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2017 Prairie Pothole Joint Venture Implementation Plan conservation delivery in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.637.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 20, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 27, 2019 This is a notice of intent to award a single source cooperative agreement in accordance to DOI Policy 505 DM 2 (1) Unsolicited Proposal and (4) Unique Qualifications.. (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 $75,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for F19AS00259

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