Environment Grants

The principle objective of the Traditional Conservation Grant Program is to support the development and implementation of States programs to conserve and recover threatened and endangered species under the Services jurisdiction. Financial assistance, provided in the form of grants, can be used to support projects that have direct benefits for federally listed species, candidate and at-risk species, and recently delisted species. States may apply for funding to conduct conservation work on federally-listed resident species that are included in the States cooperative agreement. States may also apply for funding to monitor candidate, at-risk, and recently delisted species. Projects proposed for funding may involve management, research, monitoring, and outreach activities or any combination thereof. Applications should include clear and specific information about how the proposed work would contribute to species recovery or prevent the need to list a species under the Endangered Species Act. Successful applications will be those that clearly demonstrate a direct benefit to the species or its habitat.

The principle objective of the Traditional Conservation Grant Program is to support the development and implementation of States programs to conserve and recover threated and endangered species under the Services jurisdiction. Financial assistance, provided in the form of grants, can be used to support projects that have direct benefits for federally listed species, candidate and at-risk species, and recently delisted species. States may apply for funding to conduct conservation work on federally-listed resident species that are included in the States cooperative agreement. States may also apply for funding to monitor candidate, at-risk, and recently delisted species. Projects proposed for funding may involve management, research, monitoring, and outreach activities or any combination thereof. Applications should include clear and specific information about how the proposed work would contribute to species recovery or prevent the need to list a species under the Endangered Species Act. Successful applications will be those that clearly demonstrate a direct benefit to the species or its habitat.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to community-based organizations partnering with local governments or educational institutions to implement projects that address environmental and climate challenges in disadvantaged communities across the U.S.

EELP launched in the fall of 2010 with the purpose of establishing a low interest revolving loan fund to assist commercial and industrial businesses in implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements, which, in turn, reduce operating costs, improve productivity, and make Tennessee businesses more competitive. In January 2016, EELP was expanded to offer financing to local government entities, including municipalities, counties, school districts, and other public agencies.

LPRF provides matching grants to local governments for purchase of land for parks, natural areas, greenways and recreational facilities and capital projects for recreation in those areas. The Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) provides grants to eligible local government entities for the purchase of lands for parks, natural areas, greenways, and recreation facilities. The funds may also be used for trail development and capital projects in parks, natural areas, and greenways. At least 60 percent of the funds allocated will go to municipal governments as authorized by TCA 67-4-409. All grant projects must be on publicly owned land.

LWCF is a federal matching grant supporting acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. The LWCF program provides matching grants to states to administer to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreation areas and facilities. Recreation Educational Services administers the LWCF grants in Tennessee. These grants require a 50% match.

DWSRF funds drinking water and water supply projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness available for qualifying small/disadvantaged/ rural communities for planning, design, and construction. Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loans are available for the planning, design, and construction phases of public water systems. DWSRF provides low-interest loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and water authorities for drinking water infrastructure. Small, economically disadvantaged communities are eligible for principal forgiveness, which can cover a portion of the SRF loan, and will significantly reduce the amount owed. Eligibility for principal forgiveness is restricted to communities with a population of 10,000 or less combined with an ATPI of 50 or less.

CWSRF funds water quality and wastewater treatment projects as well as storm water projects, including "green" projects. Principal forgiveness for qualifying small/disadvantaged/rural communities. The CWSRF program is a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing to communities for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection, and water reuse. CWSRF provides low-interest, infrastructure loans to cities, counties, utility districts, and stormwater authorities.

This funding opportunity supports non-profit organizations and educational institutions in engaging young people and veterans in conservation projects across national parks, promoting job skills and environmental stewardship.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Pakistan is in the process of designing the new Climate Resilient Water Governance activity. By issuing this Request for Information (RFI), USAID/Pakistan aims to consult with the broad community of private sector actors, public institutions, development partners, non-governmental organizations, industry associations, civil society, think tanks, and academia to expand our knowledge about key areas of programming. Your response will be used to develop a design document for the activity.This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Notice of Funding Opportunity, a Request for Applications, an Annual Program Statement, a Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an Invitation for Bids, a Solicitation, or an indication that USAID/Pakistan will make an award from this RFI. Therefore, responses to this RFI shall not be portrayed as applications and will not be accepted by the U.S. Government (USG) to form a binding agreement. Responding to this RFI will not give any advantage to any firm or organization in any subsequent procurement and will not lead to an organizational conflict of interest. Responses will strictly be held confidential. Issuance of this RFI does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparation or submission in response to this RFI.

Pursuant to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, the United States Government, as represented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation (DDI) , Natural Environment Branch, Biodiversity Division, (DDI/NE/Biodiversity) and supporting Bureaus, is announcing the Biodiversity Annual Program Statement (APS), hereafter known as the Biodiversity APS. Through this APS, USAID aims to implement the vision and goals of the Biodiversity Policy (2014) to: 1. Conserve biodiversity in priority places, and 2. Integrate biodiversity as an essential component of human development. The Biodiversity APS disseminates information to prospective Applicant(s) so they may develop and submit Concept Note(s) in response to individual Addenda issued under this APS and ultimately to be considered for USAID funding. This APS describes and provides information on: the type of activities for which Concept Note(s) will be considered; available funding, process and requirements for submitting Concept Note(s) and Full Application(s); the merit review criteria for evaluating Concept Note(s); and refers prospective Applicant(s) to relevant documentation and resources. USAIDs DDIs NE/Biodiversity Division and supporting Bureaus anticipate awarding multiple assistance awards as there is no predefined minimum or maximum number of awards expected to be issued under this APS. Issuance of the Biodiversity APS does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S Government (USG) to make an award, nor does it commit the U.S. Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a Concept Note and/or Full Application(s). The actual number of assistance awards, if any, is subject to the availability of funds and the interests and requirements of Mission/Bureau/Independent Office (M/B/IOs), as well as the viability of eventual Full Application(s). The Biodiversity APS is not a Request for Applications (RFA). Rather, the Biodiversity APS requests Concept Notes in response to Individual Addenda published to this APS. Based on the submitted Concept Note(s) to specific Addenda opportunities, USAID will determine whether to request a Full Application from an eligible organization. To be competitive under an Addendum to this umbrella APS, Concept Notes and Full Applications must be fully responsive to all directions under this APS except when specifically noted otherwise in the Addendum.

USAID/Philippines Sources Sought Notice Market Research for USAID/Philippines Biodiversity and Climate Change Activity ISSUING DATE: May 26, 2023 CLOSING DATE: June 26, 2023, 2:00 PM (Philippine time) The United States Agency for International Development's Mission to the Philippines (USAID/Philippines) is developing a new five-year Activity on biodiversity conservation that will address the related issues of biodiversity loss and climate change. The Activity will improve enabling environments for strengthening key institutions, and leveraging private sector investments and financing for nature-based conservation, adaptation, and mitigation. Subject to availability of funds, USAID/Philippines anticipates this activity will be implemented for five (5) years. Through this Sources Sought Notice (SSN), USAID/Philippines is seeking to learn the capabilities, interest, and recommendations from all relevant parties within the Philippines and internationally, e.g., US or non-US nongovernmental organizations, universities, consortia, and for-profit entities. Respondents from all sectors including non-government, non-profit, for profit, academic and research institutions, and civil society are encouraged to respond to this SSN. IMPORTANT: Please open the "Related Documents" tab for the full Sources Sought Notice.

The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the USAID Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta Activity. Eligibility for this award is not restricted. The authority for the NOFO is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. In June 2022, USAID/Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed a Limited Scope Grant Agreement, entitled Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta. The Agreement lays out how USAID and MARD intend to collaborate to increase climate resilience, reduce methane emissions from the agriculture sector, increase sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions in the Mekong Delta, and protect biodiversity through four approaches: (1) expand low methane emission agricultural development; (2) build climate resilience for vulnerable communities; (3) promote nature-based solutions; and (4) develop climate-resilient and low-emission development policies. The purpose of the USAID Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta Activity is to support implementation of the Limited Scope Grant Agreement with MARD. The goal of the Activity is to advance low-emissions, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods combined with biodiversity conservation to support carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and resilience of vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta. This Activity will build capacity of and develop tools for the related stakeholders at national and subnational level to help the most vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta adapt to climate change impacts, protect and restore natural ecosystems, and reduce methane emission from agriculture practices. This Activity’s interventions will be implemented over a period of five years starting from the award date.The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gather inputs for an upcoming funding opportunity for the activity that aims to advance low-emissions, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods combined with biodiversity conservation to support carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and resilience of vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta.

The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) is seeking applications for a Cooperative Agreement from qualified entities to implement the USAID Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta Activity. Eligibility for this award is not restricted. The authority for the NOFO is found in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. In June 2022, USAID/Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) signed a Limited Scope Grant Agreement, entitled Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta. The Agreement lays out how USAID and MARD intend to collaborate to increase climate resilience, reduce methane emissions from the agriculture sector, increase sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions in the Mekong Delta, and protect biodiversity through four approaches: (1) expand low methane emission agricultural development; (2) build climate resilience for vulnerable communities; (3) promote nature-based solutions; and (4) develop climate-resilient and low-emission development policies. The purpose of the USAID Climate Resilient Agriculture in the Mekong Delta Activity is to support implementation of the Limited Scope Grant Agreement with MARD. The goal of the Activity is to advance low-emissions, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods combined with biodiversity conservation to support carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and resilience of vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta. This Activity will build capacity of and develop tools for the related stakeholders at national and subnational level to help the most vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta adapt to climate change impacts, protect and restore natural ecosystems, and reduce methane emission from agriculture practices. This Activity’s interventions will be implemented over a period of five years starting from the award date.The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to gather inputs for an upcoming funding opportunity for the activity that aims to advance low-emissions, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods combined with biodiversity conservation to support carbon sequestration, healthy ecosystems, and resilience of vulnerable communities in the Mekong Delta.

USAID/Kenya and East Africas Environment Office seeks to gather information to inform an activity design in support of a potential Marine Biodiversity Conservation Activity for the Western Indian Ocean. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to 1) solicit feedback on the attached draft concept and 2) identify qualified organizations capable of implementing the activity. This RFI intends to offer the opportunity for interested individuals and organizations (private or non-profit) to provide comments and recommendations to help promote the recovery and resilience of marine biodiversity and coastal communities in the Western Indian Ocean. The level of funding anticipated to be allocated for this activity is anticipated to be between $5 and $20 million over a 5-year implementation period.This RFI is an attempt to reach out to the market in an effort to determine the scope of industry capabilities and interest and will be treated as information only. Responses (comments, suggestions and enhancements) to this notice are not considered as applications and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding agreement. This is not a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Request for Applications (RFA) and therefore should not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government or USAID to issue any solicitation or Notice of Funding opportunity, or ultimately award a contract or assistance agreement on the basis of this RFI. Respondents should not submit any proposal/application at this time in response to this RFI.

This funding opportunity is designed to support collaborative research and resource management projects among universities, federal agencies, and conservation organizations within specific biogeographic regions of the United States.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations working to reduce plastic pollution in Vietnam through innovative waste management practices, policy development, and community engagement.

USAID Kenya and East Africa (USAID/KEA) is interested in scaling-up landscape-level biodiversity conservation in targeted areas which fall outside nationally protected areas. USAID intends to partner with one organization to work with communities, private sector, local government institutions, and civil society organizations in conserving biodiversity and livelihood improvement in targeted landscapes. Through a co-creation process, USAID intends to develop one award which will support one activity in the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem (GAE), and one activity for the larger Tsavo Conservation Area (TCA). USAID reserves the right to develop and issue multiple awards.

The United States Agency for International Development in Vietnam (USAID/Vietnam) is seeking applications from qualified entities to implement the "USAID Reducing Pollution" activity. The overall objective of this activity is to reduce environmental pollution in targeted areas through a collective impact approach. The USAID Reducing Pollution project supports Vietnam’s efforts to address environmental pollution challenges in targeted areas through a collective impact approach. Working in close partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA), the project will demonstrate clear connections between environmental benefits and other social benefits, including public health, employment, and sustainable economic growth. COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACH A collective impact approach addresses complex challenges by mobilizing diverse actors to collaborate, identify ways to solve a shared problem, and take action based on their roles and comparative advantages. The USAID Reducing Pollution project will follow the collective impact framework to strengthen networks of local organizations, government, private sector, and academic institutions working together to prevent, mitigate, and reduce environmental pollution. SUPPORTING A PORTFOLIO OF COLLECTIVE IMPACT INITIATIVES The project will facilitate a broad consultative process with local government officials, community leaders, local organizations, and motivated businesses to identify 5-7 priority collective impact initiatives that reflect strong political will, community leadership, and engagement from private sector partners to address environmental pollution challenges. Preliminary consultations have identified air pollution and ocean plastics as areas of focus. GRANT-MAKING TO VIETNAMESE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS To foster Vietnamese leadership in addressing environmental pollution, the project will make grants to a local organization to serve as the “backbone” for each collective impact initiative. These backbone organizations will serve as the local leaders for each initiative by building public support, advancing policy, leveraging additional funding, and designing and implementing targeted awareness and behavior change campaigns. Additional small grants to local research institutions and community-based organizations will provide targeted support for complementary research and advocacy efforts. EXPECTED RESULTS Through the Reducing Pollution project, USAID expects to attain the following results: 1) 5-7 collective impact initiatives launched, including air pollution and ocean plastics; 2) Grants awarded to one backbone organization to lead each initiative; 3) Capacity of backbone organizations and local actors strengthened to advance collective impact initiatives; 4) Sustainable funding mechanisms identified to strengthen long-term effectiveness of collective impact initiatives; and 5) New policies and guidance developed to support the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection and create a stronger enabling environment for addressing environmental pollution challenges.

Amendment No. 01 Issuance Date: January 15, 2021 Subject: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) No. 72044021RFA0001 Activity Title: USAID Counter Wildlife Trafficking The purpose of Amendment No. 01 to the NOFO No. 72044021RFA0001 is to provide responses to the questions received during the questions-answers period, as specified in Attachment 1 of this Amendment. All information in the original NOFO remains unchanged and in full effect. Thank you for your interest in USAID programs. Sincerely, s/ Bruce Gelband Agreement Officer