F26AS00062: Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act FY 2026

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) requests interested entities to submit research, restoration, and Regional Project proposals for the restoration of the Great Lakes Basin fish and wildlife resources, as authorized under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (16U.S.C. 941c). The purpose of the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (GLFWRA) is to provide assistance to States, Indian Tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration, research, and management of the fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Supported in part by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, we expect approximately $3.5 million to support proposals this fiscal year. Available funding and proposal awards are subject to final Congressional appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026. Up to 33 and one-third percent of the total Congressional appropriation to the GLFWRA is eligible to fund Regional Project proposals. Expected award funding for Regional Project proposals is between $200,000 to $500,000. Successful restoration and research proposals have ranged from $2,000 to $500,000 with the average proposal at $217,843. Expected award funding for restoration and research proposals is between $10,000 and $250,000. Selected restoration and research proposals and Regional Project proposals will be awarded funding for the duration of the proposal via a grant or cooperative agreement between the recipient and the Service. Funding will be made available once the official award letter has been received by the successful applicant and the performance period has started. Continuation of proposals funded in previous fiscal years are eligible but will be considered and reviewed as a new proposal. Restoration and research proposals will be awarded a grant agreement and Regional Project proposals will be awarded a cooperative agreement under this announcement. Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners that submit Regional Project proposals that qualify as CESU proposals will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap. Regional Projects are authorized activities of the Service related to fish and wildlife resource protection, restoration, maintenance, and enhancement impacting the resources of multiple States or Indian Tribes with fish and wildlife management authority in the Great...

The proposal activities (e.g., habitat restoration and barrier removal) must be within the Great Lakes Basin or impact a fish or wildlife species (e.g., research, assessment) present in the Great Lakes Basin to be eligible for funding.

The Proposal Review Committee (PRC) is comprised of two representatives (one fishery expert and one wildlife expert) of each of the State Directors (New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pennsylvania) and Indian Tribes (Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Seneca Nation, Oneida Nation, and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) in the Great Lakes Basin. They are appointed by the State Director or Indian Tribe to serve on the PRC. The PRC is responsible for review of research, restoration and Regional Project proposals and makes funding recommendations to the Service�s Midwest Regional Director. The PRC operates under the guidance of the Service. For restoration and research projects, applicants must submit pre-proposals and based or PRC ranking some are invited to submit full proposals, which are peer reviewed and summary of those are sent to the PRC. The PRC them makes final funding recommendations to the Service�s Midwest Regional Director. For Regional Projects, proposals are scored and ranked by the PRC. Applicants are invited to give a presentation on their proposal to the PRC. The PRC makes recommendations to the Midwest Region Director on how much of the annual appropriations should be allocated to Regional Projects and which projects should be developed into final Service work plans for funding.

This program has no statutory formula. Per the requirements and exceptions in 16 U.S.C. �941 et seq., 25% of project costs shall be paid in cash or in-kind contributions by non-Federal sources.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Fiscal Year2025: Provided funding for research and restoration projects in the Great Lakes Basin.Fiscal Year2026: Funding not yet available.