R7 Alaska - FY20 Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program- State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Only | F20AS00029

Opportunity Information: Apply for F20AS00029

The R7 Alaska - FY20 Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program (State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Only) is a mandatory federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service under the Sport Fish Restoration Act of 1950, also known as the Dingell-Johnson Act (16 U.S.C. 777-777n, with certain exceptions noted in the statute). The program was designed as a sport fish-focused counterpart to the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, creating a dedicated, long-running funding mechanism to support the management, conservation, and restoration of sport fishery resources across eligible state programs, including Alaska under Region 7.

Funding for this program does not come from general appropriations in the typical sense. Instead, it is supported by user-pay, user-benefit revenues collected through excise taxes on sport fishing equipment and electric outboard motors, along with import duties on fishing tackle, yachts, and pleasure craft, plus a portion of the federal gasoline tax tied to motorboats and small engines. Those revenues flow into the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and the money is then apportioned out each year to eligible participants using a formula established in law. In practical terms, states receive annual allocations and then use grant awards to carry out approved work that aligns with the purposes of the Act.

The core purpose of the Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program is to restore, conserve, manage, or enhance sport fish populations and to improve the public use and benefits associated with those resources. That includes work that directly supports fish populations and aquatic habitats, as well as efforts that increase public access and participation. The opportunity specifically highlights several eligible or typical outcomes: improving or sustaining sport fish resources, educating the public about aquatic resources, and providing boating access to public waters. This makes the program broader than fish biology alone, since it can also support boating infrastructure and education that help the public safely and responsibly enjoy aquatic resources.

Eligibility is limited to state governments, specifically state fish and wildlife agencies. The opportunity is explicitly labeled for "State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Only," which means other entities such as universities, tribes, local governments, nonprofits, or private organizations are not eligible to apply as the direct applicant under this listing (though states sometimes partner with other organizations to implement work, depending on program rules and state procurement or contracting practices). The associated CFDA number is 15.605, and the funding instrument is a grant. The activity categories tied to the listing include education, natural resources, and science and technology and other research and development, reflecting the mix of on-the-ground management, public-facing education, and technical assessment that these projects often require.

From an administrative standpoint, the listing identifies the opportunity number as F20AS00029, created on November 12, 2019, with an original closing date of August 31, 2021. The award ceiling shown is $15,000,000, and the listing anticipates a large number of awards (expected awards: 99), which is consistent with a formula-apportioned program where multiple grants and subprograms may be funded across eligible agencies and project types.

The opportunity is also framed within the broader mission and priorities of the Fish and Wildlife Service program office responsible for these funds (Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration, or WSFR). WSFR emphasizes partnership-driven conservation and management of fish and wildlife and their habitats for current and future generations, with a vision of healthy, diverse, and accessible populations that provide recreation, economic activity, and other public benefits while maintaining sustainable ecological functions. The grant program is presented as supporting that mission and aligning with Department of the Interior priorities such as building a long-term conservation stewardship legacy, responsibly utilizing natural resources, and restoring trust with local communities. For additional program background, the listing points readers to the WSFR Sport Fish Restoration page (http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SFR/SFR.htm).

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "R7 Alaska - FY20 Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program- State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Only" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.605.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 12, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2021. (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 $15,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 99 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F20AS00029

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