NAWCA How to leverage a million bucks and do great things for wetland conservation

What is NAWCA? North American Wetlands Conservation Act

What is NAWCA?  Public Law (December 13, 1989) Originally a funding mechanism for the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, NAWCA’s goals have expanded to support Partners in Flight, the U.S. Shorebird Management Plan, and the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan.

 Voluntary What is NAWCA?  Non-regulatory  Public-private leveraging of funds  Competitive grant program

What is NAWCA?  Landscape approach (Wetlands & wetland- associated habitats and migratory birds)

What is NAWCA?  Habitat protection, restoration and enhancement (U.S., Canada and Mexico)

NAWCA Accomplishments Standard Grants Program: (US, Canada, & Mexico)  More than 2,793 partners  1,332 projects  $820+ million NAWCA  Partner nearly $1.5+ billion  About 23.7 million acres Standard Grants Program: (US, Canada, & Mexico)  More than 2,793 partners  1,332 projects  $820+ million NAWCA  Partner nearly $1.5+ billion  About 23.7 million acres Small Grants Program:  961 partners  359 projects  $16.3 million NAWCA  Partners $79.5 million  136,586 acres acres Small Grants Program:  961 partners  359 projects  $16.3 million NAWCA  Partners $79.5 million  136,586 acres acres

Who are the NAWCA players?  FWS Director (Dale Hall)  Director NFWF (Jeff Trandahl)  4 Flyways (Duane Shroufe, AZ, Pacific; Terry Steinwand, ND, Central; Scott Henderson, AR, Mississippi; Wayne MacCallum, MA, Atlantic)  3 NGOs (Mary Pope Hutson, LTA; Dennis Nomsen, PF; Alan Wentz, DU) Council Coordinator, Mike Johnson, DBHC, FWS Council Staff NAWCA Council selects projects

Who are the NAWCA players?  2 Senators (Blanche Lincoln, AR and Thad Cochran, MS)  2 Representatives (John Dingell, MI and Wayne Gilchrest, MD)  DOI (Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior, Chair)  USDA (Mike Johanns, Secretary of Agriculture)  EPA (Stephen Johnson, Administrator) Ranking officer or authorized representative of the State department that administers game laws, as an ex officio member, to consider and vote on all questions relating to acquisition of areas in that State. Migratory Bird Conservation Commission approves projects

Who are the NAWCA players?  Council Coordinator  Division of Bird Habitat Conservation  Joint Venture Coordinators U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service awards projects

Who are the NAWCA players?  Landowners  Non-profit conservation organizations  Land Trusts  State, local and tribal governments  Other federal agencies Partners

Funding Sources % 21% 5%

Match Ratio U.S. Standard Grants to date NAWCA Match $489,519,108$1,247,936,359

NAWCA Process  Announcement  Project Planning  Application  Selection  Agreement  Implementation

Who are the NAWCA players?  FWS Director (Dale Hall)  Director NFWF (Jeff Trandahl)  4 Flyways (Duane Shroufe, AZ, Pacific; Terry Steinwand, ND, Central; Scott Henderson, AR, Mississippi; Wayne MacCallum, MA, Atlantic)  3 NGOs (Mary Pope Hutson, LTA; Dennis Nomsen, PF; Alan Wentz, DU) Council Coordinator, Mike Johnson, DBHC, FWS Council Staff NAWCA Council selects projects

Technical Questions 1. Waterfowl Resources: 15 points 2. Other Wetland Bird Resources: 15 points 3. Location: 15 points 4. Wetland Types: 10 points 5. Long-Term Conservation: 15 points 6. Endangered Species: 10 points 7. Partnerships: 20 points

Announcing NAWCA

Announcing NAWCA  DBHC website

Applying for NAWCA Funds Which grant program?  U.S. small – up to $75,000, 1:1match  U.S. standard - $75,001-$1,000,000, 1:1match  Foreign – Canada or Mexico

Applying for NAWCA Funds Deadlines

Applying for NAWCA Funds 6 – 9 Months Before Deadline: Define habitat goal. Define project area. Read current NAWCA instructions. Contact your Joint Venture office.

Applying for NAWCA funds Working with your joint venture coordinator is critical to the success of your application.

Applying for NAWCA funds US Joint Ventures

Applying for NAWCA Funds 6 – 9 Months Before Deadline: Identify sources of information for wetland- dependent bird numbers, especially NAWCA priority species. Identify wetland-associated migratory bird species in your project area, and develop projects that will benefit them.

Applying for NAWCA Funds 6 – 9 Months Before Deadline: Identify partners who can complete projects. Establish communication strategy with partners (and stick to it).

Applying for NAWCA Funds Make sure your partners read it too! Read the Grant Administration Standards before you write one word of your proposal. Standards

Knowing the Grant Administration Policy before you write your proposal will help you improve your project, reduce problems, and better understand the entire grant process. Applying for NAWCA Funds

6 months before deadline: Identify tracts where work has been done, and were work should be done. Develop cost breakdown of completed projects, and an estimate of planned projects. Make sure no funds are Federal or used as Federal match elsewhere.

Applying for NAWCA Funds Your proposal can be rejected if NAWCA or match funds are used for ineligible costs.

Applying for NAWCA Funds 6 months before deadline: Develop an all-encompassing budget of the match and proposed work. Present to all partners at one of your REGULAR PARTNER MEETINGS. Ask JV staff to review budget/proposal thus far.

Applying for NAWCA Funds 3 months before deadline: Request partner letters. 2 months before deadline: Write the proposal, assemble attachments. Ask JV to review proposal. Follow up on partner letters.

Applying for NAWCA Funds Start with the budget and tract table to help organize your thoughts and writing. Look at the examples. Pay attention to the details. Allow plenty of time to write the proposal and collect partner letters. Get expert help with the technical questions. Make sure all acreage and budget figures are consistent throughout the proposal and match letters.

 DBHC review of eligibility  Council Staff review of technical content and concept  Council Staff scoring and slate  Council review/recommendation  MBCC approval Proposal selection

Selection Calendar The length of time from proposal submission to approval is 6 to 8 months for U.S. Standard grants.

Grant Agreement While you are waiting, your Joint Venture Coordinator will be helping you get NEPA, NHPA, and Contaminants clearances

Grant Administrators Sarah Mott Anna-Marie York Leakhena Au Andrea Grosse

Project Implementation After MBCC approval: Your Grant Administrator will contact you Set up or confirm your Smartlink account Receive your Grant Agreement within 60 days of MBCC

Project implementation  Report  Drawdown  Modify  Communicate! Accomplish

Even though unforeseen changes will occur, we will hold you to two things… Project Changes

Acres Conservation value of the project

Match Economic value of the project

Project Changes Without prior approval and agreement modification, accomplishing less than 100 percent of match dollars and acres will result in a reduction of the award amount. Grantees are held accountable for both match dollars and acres, as defined in the proposal and grant agreement.

Project Changes Fair, consistent with partners Responsible for federal interests Help protect the integrity of NAWCA Conserve wetlands

We are here to assist you and your partners accomplish important wetlands conservation. Please let us know how we can help you. DBHC and NAWCA

DBHC Contacts U.S. Standard Proposals: David Buie 301/ Bonnie Gaukler 703/ U.S. Small Grant Proposals: Rodecia McKnight 703/ Branch Chief: Clint Riley 703/

DBHC Contacts Grants Administration: Sarah Mott 703/ Anna-Marie York 703/ Leakhena Au 703/ Andrea Grosse 703/ Rodecia McKnight 703/

A Grantee’s Perspective Glenn Lamb Executive Director Columbia Land Trust

DBHC Mission Statement We support partnerships that deliver national and international management plans that conserve habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.

Coming up next… Advanced NAWCA Fear of Forms…