Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00083
The Sigma 2017 Conclave grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00083) is a discretionary education-focused grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.649). It was created on December 22, 2016, with an original closing date of January 20, 2017. The Service planned a single award with a maximum federal funding level (award ceiling) of $25,000.
A defining feature of this opportunity is that it was intended to be issued as a single-source award without competition. Rather than soliciting proposals broadly, the Fish and Wildlife Service stated its intent to award a grant agreement directly to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to sponsor the fraternity's 2017 Conclave. In practical terms, that means the agency viewed this as a targeted partnership where the named organization was considered uniquely qualified to deliver the outcomes the Service wanted, instead of an open, competitive funding round.
The purpose of the sponsorship was to expand outreach and engagement around outdoor recreation and conservation within African-American communities. Specifically, the Service sought to use the Conclave as a platform to raise awareness about the positive impacts of outdoor recreation, encourage greater access to and enjoyment of federal lands and waters, and increase participation in outdoor recreation opportunities connected to Fish and Wildlife Service sites. The opportunity also emphasized relationship-building at the local level, aiming to develop more targeted engagement between Phi Beta Sigma chapters and Fish and Wildlife Service facilities across the country, with particular attention to urban areas where exposure to federal recreation lands and conservation programming may be less direct.
Another central objective was workforce and career pipeline development. The grant description highlights an intent to help build a stronger cadre of young African Americans who are interested in careers in wildlife conservation, including biological sciences. In effect, the Conclave sponsorship was positioned not only as a public-awareness and recreation-access effort, but also as a way to connect students and young professionals to conservation pathways, professional networks, and the idea of public service careers related to wildlife, habitat, and natural resources.
The justification offered for selecting Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. centered on its community reach and infrastructure. The Service described Sigma as uniquely positioned to support these goals because it functions as a national community leader and service organization with longstanding ties to influential community networks. Those ties include local African-American churches, civil rights organizations, and the African-American press, along with a broad network of collegiate chapters, including chapters at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The agency’s rationale is that these connections provide a direct and credible channel for engagement, making Sigma an effective partner for building sustained relationships between communities and Fish and Wildlife Service facilities and programs.
Eligibility, as listed in the source data, indicates that the eligible applicant type was a nonprofit that does not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education). However, because the opportunity was explicitly framed as a single-source, non-competitive award to a named recipient, the eligibility listing is less about inviting a pool of applicants and more about categorizing the recipient type within standard federal grant taxonomy. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a small, targeted sponsorship grant designed to leverage a major national convening to increase outdoor recreation participation, strengthen community ties to federal lands and waters, and support long-term diversity and inclusion goals within conservation careers.Apply for F17AS00083
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sigma 2017 Conclave" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.649.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 22, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 20, 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 $25,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Sigma 2017 Conclave (F17AS00083)
What is the Sigma 2017 Conclave grant opportunity?
The Sigma 2017 Conclave opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00083) was a discretionary, education-focused grant offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.649. It was designed as a sponsorship grant agreement connected to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.'s 2017 Conclave.
Which federal agency is associated with this grant?
The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is F17AS00083.
What CFDA program number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.649.
When was the opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?
The opportunity was created on December 22, 2016, and had an original closing date of January 20, 2017.
How many awards did the Fish and Wildlife Service plan to make?
The Fish and Wildlife Service planned a single award.
What was the maximum federal funding amount (award ceiling)?
The maximum federal funding level (award ceiling) was $25,000.
Was this a competitive grant opportunity?
No. The Fish and Wildlife Service indicated it intended to issue this as a single-source award without competition, rather than soliciting proposals through an open, competitive process.
Who was the intended recipient of the single-source award?
The Fish and Wildlife Service stated its intent to award a grant agreement directly to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to sponsor the fraternity's 2017 Conclave.
What does "single-source award without competition" mean in this context?
It means the agency did not plan to invite applications broadly or compare multiple applicants. Instead, it identified a specific organization (Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.) as uniquely qualified to carry out the goals of the sponsorship and intended to award directly to that organization.
What was the main purpose of sponsoring the 2017 Conclave?
The sponsorship was intended to expand outreach and engagement around outdoor recreation and conservation within African-American communities, using the Conclave as a platform for awareness-building and connection to Fish and Wildlife Service-related recreation opportunities.
What community audience was a major focus of the outreach effort?
A central focus was outreach and engagement within African-American communities.
How did the Fish and Wildlife Service expect the Conclave to support outdoor recreation goals?
The Conclave was positioned as a venue to raise awareness about the positive impacts of outdoor recreation, encourage greater access to and enjoyment of federal lands and waters, and increase participation in outdoor recreation opportunities connected to Fish and Wildlife Service sites.
What role did relationship-building play in the objectives of this opportunity?
Relationship-building was a key theme. The opportunity emphasized developing more targeted engagement between Phi Beta Sigma chapters and Fish and Wildlife Service facilities nationwide, with particular attention to local-level connections.
Why was there particular attention to urban areas?
The description highlighted urban areas where exposure to federal recreation lands and conservation programming may be less direct, and where targeted engagement could help strengthen awareness and participation.
Did the opportunity include workforce or career development goals?
Yes. Another central objective was workforce and career pipeline development, with the intent to help build a stronger cadre of young African Americans interested in careers in wildlife conservation, including biological sciences.
How was the Conclave sponsorship intended to support conservation career pathways?
It was framed as a way to connect students and young professionals to conservation pathways, professional networks, and the idea of public service careers related to wildlife, habitat, and natural resources.
What justification was provided for selecting Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.?
The justification centered on Sigma's national reach and infrastructure as a community leader and service organization, along with longstanding ties to influential community networks. The Fish and Wildlife Service described Sigma as uniquely positioned to support the outreach and relationship-building goals of the sponsorship.
What kinds of networks did the Fish and Wildlife Service cite as part of Sigma's reach?
The description referenced ties to local African-American churches, civil rights organizations, and the African-American press, as well as a broad network of collegiate chapters including chapters at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
How did the listed eligibility category describe the applicant type?
The source data listed the eligible applicant type as a nonprofit that does not have 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education).
If eligibility was listed, does that mean multiple organizations could apply?
Not in practical terms for this opportunity. Although an eligibility category was included in the source data, the opportunity was explicitly framed as a single-source, non-competitive award to a named recipient, rather than an open call inviting a pool of applicants.
How would you summarize the grant in plain terms?
It was a small, targeted federal sponsorship (up to $25,000) designed to leverage a major national convening (the 2017 Conclave) to increase outdoor recreation participation, strengthen community ties to federal lands and waters, and support long-term diversity and inclusion goals within conservation careers.
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