Fish and Wildlife Service · Department of the Interior
FY2026 Implementation of the Quagga and Zebra Mussel Action Plan (QZAP) in the Western United States
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Oct 24, 2026 · 17 days left
- Award size
- $50K – $600K
- Total available
- $1.9M · about 10 awards
- Match ?
- Not required · Work out your budget and match
- Buildings & equipment
- Not allowed: the official notice rules out construction or equipment costs
- Who can apply
- Anyone (unrestricted)
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Loudon County (nationwide program)
- No match required
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 11
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/87725f0b-9a13-4ea5-9b33-275226cbf015 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/d2d040be-5607-47cf-9275-23e21ca4e923
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
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- F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round · Due Oct 31, 2026 · 24 days left
- F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round · Due Oct 31, 2026 · 24 days left
- F26AS00030 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program · Due Nov 20, 2026 · 44 days left
- F26AS00023 FY2026 Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program · Due Nov 30, 2026 · 54 days left
About this grant
Quagga and Zebra Mussels are aquatic invasive species that are rapidly expanding their range in the Western United States. Popular recreational reservoirs on or connected to the lower Colorado River are one major source of invasive mussels, which are easily transported via trailered watercraft to areas that have not yet been invaded. This funding opportunity will fund projects in the listed principal areas towards the fulfillment of the top priorities in the Quagga/Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters (QZAP 2.0) and will be limited to states within the boundaries of the Western Regional Panel within the United States.
Who can apply, from the official notice
All legal entities are eligible to apply. While all legal entities are eligible to apply, project must be focused on Western waters (ND, SD, NE, KS, OK, TX, MT, WY, CO, NM, ID, UT, AZ, AK, WA, OR, NV, HI, CA).Program will not fund land acquisition.All projects will be reviewed using the described Merit Review Criteria. Please review these criteria to ensure proposals are appropriate for this announcement.
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct7
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Oct3
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment (already past: do it now)
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct19
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct21
Submit
Suggested: submit a few days early. Agency portals can slow down near deadlines. - Oct24
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Loudon County facts with citations.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice REVISED_Foa_Content_of_F26AS00107_1.pdf (14 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.
Award size and project length
Project period: 18 months · p. 5
“Conducting Research that benefits the priorities listed above, including (but not limited to) social science research to evaluate the effectiveness of invasive species prevention messaging, and research on non-target species Project performance periods are…” Open page 5
Registrations you need first (4)
SAM.gov, Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 4
“No GET READY TO APPLY Required System Registrations Unique Entity Identifier and SAM.gov Registration Before applying, all applicants except individuals applying as a natural person must be registered in SAM.gov.” Open page 4
GrantSolutions · p. 4
“GRANTSOLUTIONS This program accepts applications through GrantSolutions.gov.” Open page 4
Grants.gov · p. 6
“For instructions on completing form fields, see the form instructions on the Grants.gov Forms Repository.” Open page 6
Login.gov · p. 9
“GrantSolutions requires users to log in through Login.gov.” Open page 9
The deadline is in 17 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Get-ready checklist
What to submit
Form SF-424 · p. 6
“Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Note:” Open page 6
Budget narrative / justification · p. 7
“Anticipated future funding needs Budget Narrative Applicants must describe and justify items and costs listed in their budget.” Open page 7
Form SF-LLL · p. 13
“If the Federal share of the award is more than $100,000 and the recipient makes or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection to the award, disclose those activities using the Disclosure of Lobbying (SF-LLL) form per…” Open page 13
Dates in the notice
10/24/2026 · p. 8
“Barak Shemai barak_shemai@fws.gov (505) 366-9565 Submission Dates and Times Closing Date for Applications: 10/24/2026 Closing Date Explanation Notice of Funding Opportunity will be open for 60 days.” Open page 8
Mistakes that get applications rejected (2)
Unresolved civil-rights or legal findings: We are prohibited from making an award if a recipient or any key personnel are found ineligible,... · p. 10
“We are prohibited from making an award if a recipient or any key personnel are found ineligible, prohibited, restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving or participating in an award, as their ineligibility condition applies to this program.” Open page 10
Outside what the program funds: If an applicant fails to meet the requirements or objectives of the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient... · p. 12
“If an applicant fails to meet the requirements or objectives of the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient information for review, the applicant will be considered nonresponsive and eliminated from further review.” Open page 12
Who in Tennessee has won this program
9 awards to Tennessee groups in 3 counties since 2016 · 0 in Loudon County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.3M | 2024 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency | Nashville, Davidson County | $3.3M | 2025 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | $1.9M spent that year | 2025 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency | Nashville, Davidson County | $1.8M | 2022 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency | Nashville, Davidson County | $1.7M | 2021 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency | Nashville, Davidson County | $901K | 2016 |
| Ducks Unlimited, Inc. | Memphis, Shelby County | $349K spent that year | 2025 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency | Nashville, Davidson County | $192K | 2018 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Putnam County | $118K | 2025 |
Source: USAspending.gov, Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 2 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Loudon County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission | $33K spent that year | 2024 |
| Tennessee Wildlife Resource Foundation, Inc. | Nashville, Davidson County | State of Tennessee | $7,600 spent that year | 2024 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
About the federal program
Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species, also called “Aquatic Invasive Species”
Program number 15.608 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Project grant
How applications are judged
1 - Regional Panels of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANSTF) - These six grants are sole source awards (directed announcements) to fund the host organizations of the six Regional Panels that were chosen by the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force.
2 - State/Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Management Plans - Funding is divided as evenly as possible among all eligible States that successfully apply for funding.
Match
For State/Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Management Plan grants, Section 4724 (b)(3)(a) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 as amended (16 U.S.C. 4701-4741), requires those entities applying for funds under this Program to provide a 25% cost share (25% of total project costs). Applicants may attribute some or all of their allowable indirect costs as voluntary committed cost-share or match.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: Regional Panels of the ANSTF � Funding was used to support the host organizations of the 6 Regional Panels of the ANSTF. The ANSTF Regional panels assist the ANSTF with coordinating regional activities, identifying regional priorities, providing advice pertinent to regional issues, and making recommendations and reporting to the Task Force.
State/Interstate ANS Mgmt Plans � The program anticipates providing support for the 47 State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plans, including a wide range of activities such as: state coordinator positions, watercraft inspection and decontamination, early detection surveillance, education and outreach on aquatic invasive species, small control projects, coordination, and purchase of field equipment.
Fiscal year 2026: Regional Panels of the ANSTF � Funding will be used to support the host organizations of the 6 Regional Panels of the ANSTF. The ANSTF Regional panels assist the ANSTF with coordinating regional activities, identifying regional priorities, providing advice pertinent to regional issues, and making recommendations and reporting to the Task Force.
State/Interstate ANS Mgmt Plans � Program...