Opportunity Information: Apply for F27AS00008
F27AS00008 (NAWCA 2027-1 U.S. Standard Grants) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that funds on-the-ground wetlands conservation projects in the United States through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The program is built around competitive, matching grants that are meant to bring together public and private partners to deliver projects with durable conservation outcomes. At its core, the opportunity supports long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated upland habitats, with an emphasis on benefits to wetlands-associated migratory birds.
Projects funded under this opportunity typically involve activities such as securing long-term habitat protection (for example, through acquisition, easements, or other long-term conservation agreements where eligible), restoring degraded wetland systems, improving wetland function and water management, and enhancing surrounding upland habitats that are important for nesting, feeding, and migration. The program is explicitly partnership-driven, meaning applications are expected to demonstrate coordinated planning and shared investment among multiple entities rather than a single organization acting alone. Because the program focuses on outcomes that persist over time, proposals generally need to show how the conservation benefits will be maintained well beyond the grant period.
A strict 1:1 non-federal match requirement applies, meaning the applicant must provide at least one dollar in eligible matching funds (cash and/or eligible in-kind contributions, as allowed by program rules) for every federal dollar requested. This matching structure is central to NAWCA and often shapes project design, budgeting, and partner commitments. Applicants should plan to document match sources clearly and align them with the project scope and timeline so that the proposal remains credible and competitive.
Eligible applicants are broad and include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, federally recognized tribal governments, other tribal organizations, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as listed), and small businesses. The funding activity category is Natural Resources, and the assistance listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 15.623. Awards are made as grants.
The notice lists an award ceiling of $3,000,000 and anticipates approximately 25 awards. The application deadline shown is September 25, 2026. As a competitive program, awards depend on proposal quality and alignment with published evaluation factors. The opportunity directs applicants to the U.S. Standard Instructions, including the formal scoring criteria (referenced as being on page 33 of the instructions), and to the U.S. Standard eligibility criteria and application materials hosted on the Fish and Wildlife Service website. It also points prospective applicants to the NAWCA public grants database (via the FWS GrantSum site) to review previously funded U.S. Standard projects, which can be useful for understanding typical project types, partnership structures, geographic distribution, budget ranges, and the kinds of conservation outcomes that have been successful in past cycles.
In practical terms, a strong application under this opportunity generally needs to do three things well: clearly describe the wetland and upland habitat actions being implemented and why they matter for migratory birds, demonstrate lasting conservation value (not just short-term improvements), and show a well-organized partnership with firm matching commitments that meet or exceed the 1:1 requirement. For the exact rules on what counts as eligible activities, match, and costs, as well as required formats and templates, applicants are expected to rely on the official U.S. Standard grant instructions and proposal template linked in the announcement.Apply for F27AS00008
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F27AS00008-NAWCA 2027-1 US Standard Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.623.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-25. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): F27AS00008 (NAWCA 2027-1 U.S. Standard Grants)
1) What is the F27AS00008 grant opportunity?
F27AS00008, titled "NAWCA 2027-1 U.S. Standard Grants," is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It supports on-the-ground wetlands conservation projects in the United States under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA).
2) What is the main purpose of this program?
The program funds projects that deliver durable (long-lasting) wetlands conservation outcomes. It emphasizes long-term protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of wetlands and associated upland habitats, with a focus on benefits to wetlands-associated migratory birds.
3) Where do projects have to take place to be eligible?
Projects funded through this opportunity are intended to take place in the United States.
4) What kinds of conservation actions are typically funded?
Funded projects typically include activities such as:
- Securing long-term habitat protection (for example, through acquisition, easements, or other long-term conservation agreements where eligible)
- Restoring degraded wetland systems
- Improving wetland function and water management
- Enhancing associated upland habitats important for nesting, feeding, and migration
5) Does the program support short-term projects, or does it require lasting outcomes?
The program is designed around conservation outcomes that persist over time. Proposals generally need to explain how benefits will be maintained well beyond the grant period, not just during the funded project window.
6) Who is the program intended to benefit?
The opportunity emphasizes benefits to wetlands-associated migratory birds, supported through wetlands conservation and improvements to related upland habitats.
7) Is this a partnership-based program?
Yes. The program is explicitly partnership-driven. Applications are expected to show coordinated planning and shared investment among multiple entities, rather than relying on a single organization acting alone.
8) What is the matching requirement?
A strict 1:1 non-federal match requirement applies. Applicants must provide at least one dollar in eligible non-federal match for every federal dollar requested.
9) Does the match have to be cash, or can it include in-kind support?
The information provided indicates the match may be cash and/or eligible in-kind contributions, as allowed by NAWCA program rules. Applicants are expected to follow the official instructions for what qualifies as eligible match.
10) Why is the 1:1 match described as central to NAWCA?
The match requirement is a core part of NAWCA's competitive, matching-grant structure. It often shapes project design, budgeting, and the level of partner commitments included in the proposal.
11) How should applicants present matching funds in the application?
Applicants are expected to document match sources clearly and align match commitments with the project scope and timeline so the proposal is credible and competitive.
12) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Federally recognized tribal governments
- Other tribal organizations
- Nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories as listed)
- Small businesses
13) Are institutions of higher education eligible under the nonprofit categories listed?
The notice indicates that nonprofits are eligible (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), excluding institutions of higher education in those categories as listed. Applicants should confirm applicability using the official eligibility criteria referenced in the opportunity materials.
14) What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Natural Resources.
15) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number associated with this opportunity is 15.623.
16) What type of award is being offered?
Awards are made as grants.
17) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The notice lists an award ceiling of $3,000,000.
18) How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates approximately 25 awards.
19) When is the application deadline?
The application deadline shown is September 25, 2026.
20) Is this a competitive grant?
Yes. It is a competitive program, and awards depend on proposal quality and alignment with published evaluation factors.
21) Where can applicants find the scoring criteria and evaluation factors?
The opportunity directs applicants to the U.S. Standard Instructions, including the formal scoring criteria referenced as being on page 33 of those instructions.
22) Where can applicants find required application materials and templates?
Applicants are expected to use the official U.S. Standard grant instructions and the proposal template linked in the announcement, as well as the U.S. Standard eligibility criteria and application materials hosted on the USFWS website.
23) How can applicants learn what successful projects have looked like in past funding cycles?
The announcement points applicants to the NAWCA public grants database (via the FWS GrantSum site) to review previously funded U.S. Standard projects. This can help applicants understand typical project types, partnership structures, geographic distribution, budget ranges, and conservation outcomes that have been funded before.
24) What does a strong application generally need to demonstrate?
Based on the information provided, a strong application generally needs to:
- Clearly describe the wetland and upland habitat actions being implemented and why they matter for migratory birds
- Demonstrate lasting conservation value beyond the grant period
- Show a well-organized partnership with firm matching commitments that meet or exceed the strict 1:1 non-federal match requirement
25) Where should applicants look for the official rules on eligible activities, match, and costs?
Applicants are expected to rely on the official U.S. Standard grant instructions and proposal template linked in the announcement for the exact rules on eligible activities, what counts as eligible match, and allowable costs.
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