Shorebird Conservation Project | F18AS00318

Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00318

The Shorebird Conservation Project (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00318) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary grant under CFDA 15.664 focused on protecting migratory shorebirds along Colombia's Pacific coast by strengthening local, community-led conservation. This posting is not a typical open competition. It is a notice of intent to make a single-source award, meaning the Service planned to fund one specific organization and did not release a full public announcement for broader applicants to compete. The agency identified this work as important because Colombia's Pacific coast includes habitat used by shorebirds that migrate through the United States, so conservation outcomes in Colombia directly support U.S. migratory bird conservation goals.

The project centers on two high-value shorebird areas: the Iscuande River Delta and Sanquianga National Park. These places are highlighted because they form the only Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) designated site in Colombia, underscoring their international importance for shorebirds and the broader migratory flyway. The core approach is not just ecological research, but community engagement paired with science and capacity-building. The intent is to improve understanding of the threats shorebirds face in coastal and mangrove ecosystems and then translate that knowledge into practical, locally supported management decisions. In plain terms, the project is built around the idea that durable shorebird conservation in this region depends on local people having the tools, information, and organizational capacity to manage mangrove forests and coastal habitats wisely.

The intended recipient is Asociacion Calidris, selected because of its unique qualifications and established on-the-ground relationships with communities in the Iscuande River Delta and Sanquianga National Park. The Service points to Calidris' experience developing locally derived conservation solutions that account for human dimensions, meaning the project is designed to reflect the realities of livelihoods, local governance, and community priorities rather than relying only on external technical plans. Calidris is also described as an active partner in shaping the Pacific Americas Shorebird Conservation Strategy, and this project is positioned as directly advancing a key strategic theme: conserving existing shorebird habitat by empowering partners and stakeholders and increasing their capacity to deliver measurable conservation outcomes.

A notable element included in the rationale for selection is Calidris' "Wings of the Rice" initiative, which promotes environmentally friendly rice cultivation practices as a way to conserve waterbirds while aligning with local production and community needs. By referencing this initiative, the notice signals that the project values solutions that integrate conservation with sustainable use and practical incentives, rather than conservation that depends solely on restrictions. The grant is also framed as supporting Department of the Interior Secretarial priorities, particularly Priority 3 (restoring trust with local communities) through deep community engagement, and Priority 1 (creating a conservation stewardship legacy) by backing conservation organizations that promote balanced natural resource management grounded in science and best practices, with mangrove conservation and migratory shorebird habitat protection as explicit benefits.

Administratively, the opportunity was issued by the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with an estimated single award (Expected Awards: 1) and an award ceiling of $33,880. The eligible applicant category listed is nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), but because this is a single-source notice of intent, that eligibility language functions more as standard catalog information than an invitation for others to apply. The posting shows a creation date of August 20, 2018, and an original closing date of August 27, 2018, reflecting the short timeline typical of notices that are documenting an intended award rather than soliciting full proposals.

The funding authority cited combines several core U.S. fish and wildlife conservation statutes and appropriations authorities that support migratory bird and habitat work, including the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and relevant provisions in the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act (2017). Taken together, the notice describes a relatively small, targeted grant aimed at improving shorebird conservation outcomes in a globally important Colombian coastal region by investing in community-based science, training, and stakeholder capacity, delivered through a specialized local partner with demonstrated experience in that exact landscape.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Shorebird Conservation Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.664.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 20, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 27, 2018. (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 $33,880.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

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