F24AS00176 Refuge System Enhancement/ Infrastructure 2024

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is the premier government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats. We are the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of these important natural resources for the American public.FWS origins date back to 1871 when Congress established the U.S. Fish Commission to study the decrease in the nation’s food fishes and recommend ways to reverse that decline. Today, we are a diverse and largely decentralized organization, employing about 8,000 dedicated professionals working out of facilities across the country, including a headquarters office in Falls Church, Virginia, and eight Regional offices.The National Infrastructure Partnerships initiative of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) encourages National Wildlife Refuge System field stations to partner with local, regional, and national nonprofit organizations, other land management groups, state and tribal partners, and others to accomplish projects that:i. promote the stewardship of Refuge System resources through habitat maintenance, restoration, and improvement, andii. support the operation and maintenance of the Refuge System through constructing, operating, maintaining, or improving the facilities and services of the Refuge System.The goals of the initiative are to enable local communities to play a more active role in increasing outdoor recreation opportunities on refuge lands and waters, to be more focused and deliberate in using partnerships to help FWS address infrastructure repair and improvement needs such as proactive maintenance and the maintenance backlog, and to enhance wildlife habitat.Additionally, this initiative can help address multiple FWS priorities as a catalyst for:Economic and Conservation EnhancementCareer Training and Mentoring Opportunities for Youth and AdultsEquity and Inclusion in Conservation and RecreationClimate and Wildlife ResilienceCommunity HealthSuccessful projects will address identified FWS priorities or projects at FWS sites that enhance the visitor experience, promote wildlife-dependent outdoor recreation, provide sustainable wildlife habitat, provide career training and mentoring opportunities, and engage the community in opportunities to participate in wildlife-dependent outdoor recreation on FWS lands and waters.See Full Announcement for additional eligibility requirements.