Western Hemisphere Program (Caribbean Regional Program) | F19AS00102

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00102

The Western Hemisphere Program (Caribbean Regional Program) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, designed to support biodiversity conservation across the Caribbean, with a particular focus on coastal and marine environments. The program was created to help conserve important species, habitats, and ecological processes in areas recognized for high biodiversity value. A central idea behind the funding is not only to address urgent conservation problems on the ground, but also to build long-term local capacity so that Caribbean individuals and institutions can continue effective conservation work after a project ends. The Service is running this opportunity in collaboration with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which signals an emphasis on practical conservation outcomes paired with durable institutional strengthening.

Projects supported under this opportunity are expected to reduce threats to key coastal and marine species and ecosystems in the Caribbean. In practice, that typically means proposals should be oriented toward measurable threat reduction, such as improving protection or management of sensitive habitats, reducing human-driven pressures that harm species, supporting science-based management and monitoring, or strengthening compliance and conservation governance where relevant. At the same time, the program explicitly seeks efforts that increase the ability of local partners to sustain biodiversity conservation actions over time, which may include training, technical assistance, institutional development, and other capacity-building approaches that leave lasting skills, systems, and partnerships in place.

The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00102 and is issued as a grant. It is associated with CFDA Number 15.640 and spans several activity categories reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of conservation work, including environment, natural resources, science and technology/research and development, and related areas such as education and training. The expected scale of support includes an award ceiling of $100,000 per award, with an estimated 10 awards anticipated under this announcement, suggesting a competitive process intended to fund multiple targeted projects rather than a single large initiative.

Eligibility is broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status), individuals, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses). This wide eligibility pool indicates the program is open to a range of implementers, from universities conducting applied conservation research, to nonprofits running field-based conservation programs, to local experts or organizations positioned to deliver training and capacity building. The opportunity was created on February 14, 2019, with an original application closing date of April 15, 2019, meaning it was time-bound to that 2019 funding cycle as published, although similar programs sometimes reappear in later years under new announcements.

Overall, this grant opportunity targets practical, field-relevant conservation in Caribbean coastal and marine landscapes, with proposals expected to pair direct biodiversity benefits (threat reduction for priority species and ecosystems) with investments in people and institutions to ensure conservation gains can be maintained and expanded locally over the long term.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, employment, labor and training, environment, law, justice and legal services, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Western Hemisphere Program (Caribbean Regional Program)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.640.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 14, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 15, 2019 04/15/2019. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses.

Apply for F19AS00102

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