Synopsis

The goal of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem by funding and implementing projects that address these problems. As part of this initiative, the two bird habitat joint ventures that operate in the Great Lakes watershed – the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture and the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture – will work with the Office of Conservation Investment program in the Midwest and Northeast Regions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to competitively fund partner projects for long-term habitat protection, restoration, or enhancement, to conserve habitats that support native Great Lakes fish and wildlife populations, particularly migratory birds. Proposed activities must align with the operating principles of GLRI Action Plan IV and meet the objectives of GLRI Action Plan IV Focus Area 4 (https://www.glri.us/action-plan-iv/habitats-and-species). Proposed actions should address the habitat goals of the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture Implementation Plan (https://umgljv.org/planning/joint-venture-plans/) or the Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain (BCR 13) Bird Conservation Region Plan (https://acjv.org/planning/bird-conservation-regions/bcr-13/), and/or other relevant bird conservation plans including tribal plans and/or State Wildlife Action Plans (https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-informs/state-wildlife-action-plans and https://www.mlimidwest.org/midwest-regional-species-of-greatest-conservation-need/) and should clearly describe how proposed activities will benefit bird species identified in the above plan(s).Proposed projects must address declining or at-risk habitat types including wetlands, grasslands, and forests, and projects must fall within the Great Lakes coastal zone, as defined by NOAA (https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/act/sections/#304). Projects that lie adjacent to or in close proximity (within 15 miles) of Great Lakes coastal waters will be viewed favorably. Additionally, proposed projects should describe how activities or outcomes will use existing science and decision support tools to inform proposed activities and how proposed activities will benefit habitats and identified species in the future.Eligible applicants are any organization, except for-profit entities or businesses, who can demonstrate the importance of their project for wildlife habitat and Great Lakes conservation and be able to justify that the GLRI investment property will be managed properly for wildlife habitat into the future.
Response Date	Jul 06, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Posting Date	May 06, 2026 12:00:00 AM EDT
Archive Date	Oct 01, 2027 12:00:00 AM EDT
Award Ceiling	300,000
Award Floor	25,000
Cost Sharing	Yes

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Private institutions of higher education, Independent school districts, County governments, Special district governments, Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), State governments, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

Additional Info on Eligibility:

Applicants who are not conservation-based organizations must demonstrate how their organizational priorities can satisfy the objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the priorities of the Joint Ventures, and how GLRI investments in the proposed project will be maintained and ensured into the future.

Additional Information

Agency Name	Fish and Wildlife Service
Link to Additional Information:	N/a
Grantor Contact Information:	If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: GrantSolutions Help Desk Phone: 22041-3803

CFDA Program(s)

• 15.637: Migratory Bird Joint Ventures