F25AS00223 FY 2025 Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program
This grant provides funding to U.S.-based marine mammal rescue organizations to support the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of stranded marine mammals, while enhancing their operational capacity and training.
The FY 2025 John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), supports efforts to rescue, treat, rehabilitate, and release stranded marine mammals. Additional goals include responding to stranding events requiring emergency assistance, collecting data from living or dead stranded marine mammals, and supporting facility operations tied to these efforts. Development of stranding network capacity, including training and infrastructure upgrades, is also prioritized. The program’s funding ceiling is $150,000 per award, with a total funding allocation of $1,121,364 anticipated for 12 awards. The program mandates a minimum cost share of 25% of the total project cost from non-federal sources. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based marine mammal stranding network participants authorized under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). These include federal, state, or local government employees acting in an official capacity. Participants must be in good standing, with relevant permits and approvals in place. Activities must not overlap with ongoing projects funded by the program unless 75% of the prior award balance has been spent. Proposals should address one or more species-specific priorities for animals like West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears. Applications must be submitted through GrantSolutions.gov by March 14, 2025, 11:59 PM ET. The application package must include forms such as SF-424, project abstracts, a detailed narrative, and a budget narrative. Proposals should outline clear objectives, participant qualifications, project management plans, and detailed descriptions of methods, milestones, and expected outcomes. Environmental impact assessments, stakeholder coordination, and sustainability plans are also required. Supporting documents like permits, facility histories, and literature citations may be included in appendices. Evaluation criteria focus on the project's importance to the program’s goals (40 points), technical soundness (20 points), applicant qualifications (20 points), budget adequacy (10 points), outreach and education efforts (5 points), and partnerships (5 points). The review process includes eligibility screening, merit review by subject-matter experts, and final selections based on regional distribution, conservation needs, and funding equity among stranding regions. Grant awards are anticipated to begin on October 1, 2025, with performance periods of up to three years. Post-award requirements include compliance with federal policies, reporting on financial and performance metrics, and adherence to environmental and legal standards. Recipients must also manage funds and activities transparently, including adherence to Buy America requirements for infrastructure projects. Questions can be directed to program contacts provided in the funding opportunity documentation.
Award Range
Not specified - $150,000
Total Program Funding
$1,121,364
Number of Awards
12
Matching Requirement
Yes - Cost Sharing: Section 408(f)(1) of the MMPA states that the “non-Federal share of a project conducted with funds awarded under the grant program under this section shall be not less than 25 percent of such project”. Section 408(f)(2) further states that the FWS “may apply to the non-Federal share of a project conducted with a grant under this section the amount of funds, and the fair market value of property and services, provided by non-Federal sources and used for the project.” Third-party in-kind contributions means the value of non-cash contributions (i.e., property or services) that: (a) benefit a federally assisted project or program; and (b) are contributed by non-Federal third parties, without charge, to a non-Federal entity under a Federal award. (see 2 CFR 200.96)
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
Eligible Prescott Grant Program applicants must be a U.S. eligible marine mammal stranding participant that is not an employee of the Department of the Interior or Department of Commerce. The term eligible marine mammal stranding participant means a person who is authorized under MMPA section 104(c) for response to injured or distressed marine mammals or for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, or under MMPA section 112(c) to take marine mammals as described in MMPA section 109(h) in response to a stranding. To be eligible for Prescott Grants under this Funding Opportunity, such authorizations must have been issued by the FWS. Eligible entities also include Federal, state, or local government employees operating in the course of their official duties as indicated under MMPA section 109(h). Applicants may reach out to the FWS for technical assistance to clarify and/or document applicability of the exemption under MMPA section 109(h). For marine mammals that are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), eligibility includes authorization under ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) (except for polar bears as long as authorization has been provided under the MMPA), or exemptions to take prohibitions under 50 CFR 17.21 or 50 CFR 17.31. Applicants may be eligible without the MMPA or ESA authorizations detailed above depending on the nature of the project (see 1. f. below).Specifically, applicants must satisfy either #1 or #2 below1. A participant in a marine mammal stranding network (which is not an entity of a state, local, or eligible federal government employee) and in good standing. To be in good standing means: a. The applicant has authorization issued by the FWS under MMPA section 104(c) for response to injured or distressed marine mammals or for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, or under MMPA section 112(c) to take marine mammals as described in MMPA section 109(h) in response to stranded marine mammals (live or dead animal response). For marine mammals, other than polar bears, that are listed under the ESA, the applicant also has authorization under ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) or is otherwise exempt through 50 CFR 17.21 or 50 CFR 17.31.b. All the Principal Investigators associated with the Prescott Grant Program application who hold or have held authorizations under the MMPA and, if listed, the ESA have fulfilled all requirements, including but not limited to, reports and publications and have fulfilled the terms of any enforcement actions. Noncompliance with MMPA/ESA permit or MMPA cooperative agreement actions will be considered on a case-by-case basis in terms of meeting this requirement.c. All stranding participants have complied with the terms and conditions of any permit or cooperative agreement issued under the MMPA and, if listed, ESA.d. The responsible stranding participant cooperates with the FWS regarding the timely submission of data and materials collected, when requested.e. The stranding participant is not under current enforcement investigation for activities involving the take of marine mammals contrary to MMPA and ESA regulations and do not have a notice of violation pending resolution.f. If no take will occur from the actions (e.g., strictly training, education, outreach) and therefore authorization is not required under the MMPA and/or ESA (if listed) applicant must clearly state why take will not occur.Or,2. The entity is a state, local, or eligible federal government employee (but not an employee of the Department of the Interior or Department of Commerce) participating pursuant to MMPA section 109(h) (16 U.S.C. 1379(h)) and, if listed, exempt by 50 CFR 17.21 or 17.31. Unsatisfactory performance under prior or current Federal awards may result in your application not being considered for funding for this fiscal year in this program. The FWS evaluates the risk posed by applicants as required in
Geographic Eligibility
All
Application Opens
January 13, 2025
Application Closes
March 14, 2025
Grantor
Patrick McKenney
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