Opportunity Information: Apply for F20AS00009
The R2 Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F20AS00009) is a mandatory federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service under the Wildlife Restoration Grant Program authorized by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. Originally enacted in 1937 and operational beginning in 1938, this law was designed to support core, long-term wildlife conservation work in the United States by providing dedicated funding to select, restore, rehabilitate, and improve wildlife habitat, to conduct wildlife management research, and to share and distribute information developed through funded projects. In practice, this means the program is aimed at strengthening the scientific and on-the-ground capacity of state wildlife agencies to manage wildlife populations and the habitats they depend on, and to communicate results and best practices to the public and partners.
A central feature of this opportunity is that it is specifically limited to state governments, with the title making clear that it is intended for state game and fish agencies only. The funded activities align with the program's listed activity categories of natural resources and education, reflecting the Act's conservation mission as well as its later expansions into hunter education. The program was amended in 1970 to explicitly allow funding for hunter safety programs and for the development, operation, and maintenance of firearm and archery ranges. That expansion is important because it recognizes hunter education and safe, well-managed shooting facilities as part of the broader wildlife restoration framework, both by supporting responsible hunting practices and by providing controlled venues that can reduce unsafe or environmentally damaging informal shooting.
The opportunity also reflects a more recent statutory change: the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act (Public Law 116-17), passed on May 10, 2019, which further facilitated the use of these funds to acquire land for, expand, or construct public target ranges, including ranges located on federal land. This update is meant to reduce barriers that can make it difficult for states to develop safe public shooting infrastructure, especially in areas where land access and permitting can be complicated. By allowing greater flexibility around land acquisition and development for public target ranges, the amendment supports both hunter education goals and broader public marksmanship training needs, while still operating within the conservation-focused structure of Pittman-Robertson.
From the posted source details, this is a grant instrument (not a contract), with an award ceiling listed as $10,000,000. The listing shows an expected awards field of 0, which often indicates that awards are not projected in the same way as competitive discretionary opportunities, or that award forecasting is not provided in the posting, especially for mandatory/apportionment-style programs. The opportunity was created on October 3, 2019, and the original closing date is shown as August 31, 2021. The CFDA (now commonly referenced as Assistance Listing) number associated with this program is 15.611, which corresponds to Wildlife Restoration, a long-standing federal assistance program category used by states for eligible wildlife restoration and related activities.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a key funding pathway for state fish and wildlife agencies to carry out habitat and wildlife restoration work, wildlife research and management activities, and the education and infrastructure elements tied to hunter safety and public target shooting ranges. It is rooted in a durable federal-state conservation framework that has evolved over time to include not just habitat and wildlife science, but also the practical education and facilities that support safe, ethical hunting and shooting sports in ways that align with wildlife management and public benefit.Apply for F20AS00009
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "R2Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education-State Game and Fish Agencies Only" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.611.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 03, 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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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FAQs: R2 Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education (F20AS00009)
What is the R2 Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education opportunity (F20AS00009)?
It is a mandatory federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) under the Wildlife Restoration Grant Program authorized by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.
Is this funding a grant or a contract?
This opportunity uses a grant instrument (it is not a contract).
Who administers this program?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
What law authorizes this funding?
The program is authorized by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act.
When was the Pittman-Robertson Act enacted, and when did it begin operating?
The Act was originally enacted in 1937 and became operational beginning in 1938.
What is the overall purpose of the program?
The program supports core, long-term wildlife conservation work in the United States by providing dedicated funding to select, restore, rehabilitate, and improve wildlife habitat; conduct wildlife management research; and share and distribute information developed through funded projects.
What kinds of activities does the program support?
Based on the description provided, supported activities include wildlife habitat restoration and improvement, wildlife management research, wildlife management activities, and distributing information and results developed through funded projects. It also includes hunter education and related safety and infrastructure elements.
How does this program strengthen state wildlife management capacity?
In practice, it is aimed at strengthening the scientific and on-the-ground capacity of state wildlife agencies to manage wildlife populations and the habitats they depend on, and to communicate results and best practices to the public and partners.
Which applicants are eligible for this opportunity?
This opportunity is specifically limited to state governments, and it is intended for state game and fish agencies only.
Is this opportunity open to local governments, tribes, nonprofits, universities, or private entities?
Based on the information provided, eligibility is limited to state governments (state game and fish agencies only), so other entity types are not included as eligible applicants in this listing.
What are the activity categories associated with this opportunity?
The funded activities align with the listed activity categories of natural resources and education.
How does hunter education fit into the Wildlife Restoration framework?
The program was amended in 1970 to explicitly allow funding for hunter safety programs, recognizing hunter education as part of the broader wildlife restoration framework.
Can funds be used for firearm and archery ranges?
Yes. The 1970 amendment explicitly allows funding for the development, operation, and maintenance of firearm and archery ranges.
Why would shooting ranges be included in a wildlife restoration program?
As described, the inclusion reflects an approach where hunter education and safe, well-managed shooting facilities support responsible hunting practices and provide controlled venues that can reduce unsafe or environmentally damaging informal shooting, while aligning with broader conservation goals.
What is the Target Practice and Marksmanship Training Support Act, and why is it mentioned?
It is a statutory change (Public Law 116-17) passed on May 10, 2019. It is noted because it further facilitated the use of these funds to acquire land for, expand, or construct public target ranges, including ranges located on federal land.
Does this opportunity allow land acquisition for public target ranges?
Yes. The description notes that Public Law 116-17 facilitated use of funds to acquire land for public target ranges, as well as to expand or construct them, including on federal land.
Can public target ranges supported by this funding be located on federal land?
Yes. The 2019 statutory update described specifically includes ranges located on federal land.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed in the posted source details is $10,000,000.
The listing shows "expected awards: 0." What does that mean?
As described, this often indicates that awards are not projected in the same way as competitive discretionary opportunities, or that award forecasting is not provided in the posting, especially for mandatory/apportionment-style programs.
Is this a competitive opportunity?
The description characterizes it as a mandatory federal grant program and notes that forecasting (such as expected awards) may not be provided in the same way as competitive discretionary opportunities. No competitive process details are provided in the text.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on October 3, 2019.
What closing date is shown for the opportunity?
The original closing date shown is August 31, 2021.
What CFDA/Assistance Listing number is associated with this program?
The CFDA (now commonly referenced as the Assistance Listing) number associated with this program is 15.611, which corresponds to Wildlife Restoration.
What does Assistance Listing (CFDA) 15.611 refer to in this context?
It corresponds to Wildlife Restoration and is described as a long-standing federal assistance program category used by states for eligible wildlife restoration and related activities.
What is the core conservation focus of the funding?
The core focus is long-term wildlife conservation through habitat selection/restoration/rehabilitation/improvement, wildlife management research, and information sharing from funded work, with later expansions that also support hunter education and safe shooting infrastructure.
What is meant by "sharing and distributing information developed through funded projects"?
Based on the description, the program supports communicating project results, information, and best practices to the public and partners as part of the overall conservation and management mission.
How should this opportunity be understood at a high level?
It is described as a key funding pathway for state fish and wildlife agencies to carry out habitat and wildlife restoration work, wildlife research and management activities, and the education and infrastructure elements tied to hunter safety and public target shooting ranges, within a durable federal-state conservation framework.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| R2 Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety Program (Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program)-State Game and Fish Agencies Only Apply for F20AS00010 Funding Number: F20AS00010 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Region 3 Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY) Apply for F20AS00002 Funding Number: F20AS00002 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $30,000,000 |
| Region 6 Wildlife Restoration Grant Program Apply for F20AS00038 Funding Number: F20AS00038 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Region 6 Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program Apply for F20AS00039 Funding Number: F20AS00039 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $7,000,000 |
| Region 6 Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety Program Apply for F20AS00040 Funding Number: F20AS00040 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Lyndon B. Johnson Environmental Legacy Apply for P20AS00090 Funding Number: P20AS00090 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $23,760 |
| Monarch Conservation Apply for F16AS00396 Funding Number: F16AS00396 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $22,000 |
| Wildlife Restoration Grant Program Apply for F17AS00050 Funding Number: F17AS00050 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program Apply for F17AS00049 Funding Number: F17AS00049 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| State Wildlife Grant Program Apply for F17AS00051 Funding Number: F17AS00051 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program (Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program) Apply for F17AS00047 Funding Number: F17AS00047 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| FY17 Region 7 Section 10 Hunter Education Grant Program - Open to State Fish and Game agencies only Apply for F17AS00075 Funding Number: F17AS00075 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $85,000 |
| R3 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY) Apply for F17AS00095 Funding Number: F17AS00095 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| R8 (CA/NV) Wildlife Restoration Grant Program for State Fish and Game Agencies Apply for F16AS00077 Funding Number: F16AS00077 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| R3 WR Hunter Ed Section 10 (TO STATE F&G AGENCIES ONLY) Apply for F16AS00076 Funding Number: F16AS00076 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| R8 (CA/NV) Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program for State Fish and Game Agencies Apply for F16AS00078 Funding Number: F16AS00078 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| R8 (CA/NV) Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program for State Fish and Game Agencies Apply for F16AS00080 Funding Number: F16AS00080 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $180,000 |
| R6 Firearm and Bow Hunter Safety and Education Program TO STATE FISH & GAME AGENCIES ONLY Apply for F16AS00057 Funding Number: F16AS00057 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Education, Natural Resources Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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