Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00273
The Adaptive Science grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00273) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) notice of intent to make a single-source cooperative agreement award to the University of Chicago. The core purpose is to strengthen the Services access to timely, defensible scientific information and to build collaboration around high-impact questions involving threats to fish and wildlife resources. The emphasis is on situations where management actions and/or mitigation are needed to keep species at healthy, sustainable, and otherwise desired population levels, especially in contexts where the Service must justify decisions to regulators, courts, land managers, and other stakeholders.
A key driver behind the award is the Services requirement to base regulatory decisions, biological opinions, and conservation recommendations on the best available science. In practice, that means supporting work that can improve the evidence base for decisions affecting species and habitats, reduce uncertainty, and clarify how different actions or environmental changes are likely to affect wildlife populations. The opportunity is framed around producing information that can stand up to scrutiny and meaningfully inform real-world management and policy choices.
The work is aligned with the Services Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) framework, which is described as a science-based, adaptive approach to setting and achieving broad-scale conservation objectives. SHC draws on adaptive management principles and relies on population and habitat data, ecological modeling, and targeted monitoring and assessment. The intent is to move beyond general conservation goals toward strategies that can be implemented, measured, and adjusted over time based on outcomes, with a focus on measurable fish and wildlife population results rather than activities alone.
Within this framework, the Service aims to use the best available scientific information to predict how fish and wildlife populations will respond to environmental change. That predictive capacity is important because it helps the Service prioritize where habitat conservation and other management actions will have the greatest impact. In other words, the funding supports science that improves decision-making efficiency: identifying which interventions are most likely to work, where to deploy them, and how to track whether they are actually producing the intended biological outcomes.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by the Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, using a cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically implies substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project. The activity area is natural resources under CFDA 15.670. The opportunity lists eligibility as private institutions of higher education, but the announcement explicitly states it is a single-source intent to award to the University of Chicago, with one expected award and an award ceiling of $89,477. The opportunity was created on June 21, 2017, with an original closing date of June 26, 2017, reflecting a short window consistent with a targeted, non-competitive single-recipient intent.Apply for F17AS00273
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Adaptive Science" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.670.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 21, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 26, 2017. (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 $89,477.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Adaptive Science (F17AS00273)
What is the Adaptive Science grant opportunity (F17AS00273)?
The Adaptive Science grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00273) is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Notice of Intent to make a single-source cooperative agreement award. The stated purpose is to strengthen the Service's access to timely, defensible scientific information and to build collaboration around high-impact questions involving threats to fish and wildlife resources.
Which agency is offering this funding?
The funding opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
What is the primary purpose of the award?
The core purpose is to improve USFWS access to scientific information that is timely and defensible, especially for high-impact questions tied to threats affecting fish and wildlife resources. The opportunity emphasizes science that can directly inform management actions and/or mitigation needed to keep species at healthy, sustainable, or otherwise desired population levels.
Why is USFWS pursuing this work?
A key driver described in the opportunity is the Service's need to base regulatory decisions, biological opinions, and conservation recommendations on the best available science. The goal is to support work that improves the evidence base, reduces uncertainty, and clarifies likely population responses to actions or environmental change.
What types of decisions is the science expected to support?
Based on the description, the work is intended to support regulatory decisions, biological opinions, and conservation recommendations. The opportunity also notes that decisions may need to be justified to regulators, courts, land managers, and other stakeholders.
What does "defensible scientific information" mean in this context?
In the context provided, "defensible" refers to information that can stand up to scrutiny and meaningfully inform real-world management and policy choices. The opportunity highlights producing scientific information that helps justify decisions and improves the credibility of decision-making.
How does the opportunity define the conservation approach it aligns with?
The opportunity states that the work aligns with the Service's Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) framework, described as a science-based, adaptive approach to setting and achieving broad-scale conservation objectives.
What is Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) as described in the announcement?
SHC is described as a science-based, adaptive approach that draws on adaptive management principles and relies on population and habitat data, ecological modeling, and targeted monitoring and assessment. The intent is to focus on measurable fish and wildlife population results, not activities alone, and to adjust strategies over time based on outcomes.
What kinds of scientific activities are mentioned as part of SHC?
The announcement explicitly references population and habitat data, ecological modeling, and targeted monitoring and assessment as components used within the SHC approach.
What is the role of predictive science in this opportunity?
The opportunity emphasizes improving the Service's ability to predict how fish and wildlife populations will respond to environmental change. This predictive capacity is presented as important for prioritizing where habitat conservation and other management actions will have the greatest impact.
How is success framed: activities or outcomes?
The announcement frames success around measurable fish and wildlife population results rather than activities alone. It emphasizes implementable strategies that can be measured and adjusted over time based on outcomes.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement mechanism.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
As described in the announcement, a cooperative agreement mechanism typically implies substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project.
Is this a competitive funding opportunity?
The notice is explicitly described as a single-source intent to award to the University of Chicago, with one expected award. That indicates a targeted, non-competitive intent rather than an open competition.
Who is the intended recipient?
The announcement states it is a single-source intent to award to the University of Chicago.
How many awards does USFWS expect to make?
The opportunity lists one expected award.
What is the maximum funding amount (award ceiling)?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $89,477.
What is the activity area and CFDA number?
The activity area is natural resources, and the CFDA number listed is 15.670.
What type of funding opportunity is this?
Administratively, it is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.
When was the opportunity created and what was the closing date?
The opportunity was created on June 21, 2017, and the original closing date is listed as June 26, 2017.
Why is the application window so short?
The provided description notes the short window is consistent with a targeted, non-competitive single-recipient intent (a single-source notice of intent with one expected award).
What eligibility is listed, and how does that relate to the single-source intent?
The opportunity lists eligibility as private institutions of higher education, but it also explicitly states it is a single-source intent to award to the University of Chicago.
What management context does the opportunity emphasize?
The announcement highlights situations where management actions and/or mitigation are needed to keep species at desired population levels, especially where USFWS must justify decisions to regulators, courts, land managers, and other stakeholders.
How does this funding aim to improve decision-making efficiency?
According to the description, the funding supports science that helps identify which interventions are most likely to work, where to deploy them, and how to track whether they produce intended biological outcomes.
What is the overarching goal regarding uncertainty and evidence?
The opportunity emphasizes improving the evidence base for decisions, reducing uncertainty, and clarifying how actions or environmental changes are likely to affect wildlife populations.
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