US Fish & Wildlife has announced that the Great Lakes Basin Fish Habitat Partnership (Partnership) received funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to complete on-the-ground fish habitat projects. The Partnership recognizes that most work to protect, restore and enhance fish habitat will be done at the local level by local watershed associations, municipalities, tribes, states and non-governmental organizations. The Partnership will work with organizations to encourage local conservation actions that fit within the Partnership’s Strategic Plan priorities. Up to $1 million will be available for habitat projects. A “project” is defined as an action that will protect, restore or enhance Great Lakes fish habitat. Project proposals will be compiled, ranked by a subcommittee of the Partnership and submitted to the Partnership’s Steering Committee for review. These funds are available through a portion of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative allocation, so the Service will be responsible for making final funding decisions.
Focus areas for 2010 funding are:
1) Fish habitat protection and restoration, specific to one or more of the following: a) Tributary stream restoration or protection to improve fish and aquatic species passage, riparian habitat, large woody debris, water temperatures, natural stream flow functions, or natural stream channel form; b) Coastal and connecting channel wetland restoration, enhancement and protection; c) Connecting channel restoration or protection to improve fish and aquatic species passage and/or riparian habitat.
2) Inventory and assessment of habitats in local watersheds that will lead directly to future on-the-ground projects. We will limit funding for the second focus area to no more than 25 percent of available project funds.
Eligible applicants include:
State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
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 Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Expected Number of Awards:
12
Estimated Total Program Funding:
$1,000,000
Award Ceiling:
$500,000
Award Floor:
$10,000
There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. Contact us for more information!
