Deadline: 2-Feb-24
The Department of Commerce has launched the Alaska Native Organization Co-Management Funding Program to promote conservation and recovery of marine mammals.
Program Objective
- The objective of the FY24 Alaska Native Co-Management Funding Program (ANCFP) is to provide technical and financial assistance for the development and implementation of programs that:
- Encourage local participation supporting marine mammal science and management;
- Provide for sustainable use of marine mammals for subsistence purposes.
Program Priorities
- Applicants should ensure that their applications address one or more of the following priorities, which are listed in no particular rank order of preference (i.e., no one factor carrying a higher priority than any other). Proposals should list all priorities being addressed. The Marine Mammal Co-Management priorities for Fiscal Year 2024 are as follows:
- Harvest Monitoring: Collect and disseminate subsistence harvest monitoring information to describe what marine mammals are harvested and how the harvest occurs.
- Indigenous Knowledge: Convey indigenous knowledge to support co-management research and goals.
- Research Projects: Design and implement research projects on subsistence marine mammal species (e.g., bio-sampling projects, tagging projects) that improve or inform management decisions.
- Food Security: Work collaboratively with NMFS and others to protect the food security for Alaska Native communities by ensuring the availability of marine mammals for subsistence use in light of climate change and threats from development and commercial activities.
- Subsistence Use Management: Manage subsistence use with Alaska Native hunters to address regional or local differences in the use of marine mammals and, when practical or necessary, develop measures to reduce the number of marine mammals struck and lost.
- Education and Outreach: Develop education, outreach, and mentoring programs and materials related to marine mammals and associated research, subsistence harvest, and/or co-management.
- International Obligations: Provide information to support the US Government in any international reporting efforts and negotiations directly related to subsistence harvest quotas, cooperate in the execution of programs required to support international efforts to secure subsistence harvest quotas, and collaborate with NMFS to fulfill US treaty obligations pertaining to marine mammals.
- Cooperative Management: Initiate and promote projects and exchanges between Alaska Native hunters/harvesters and NMFS for the cooperative management and conservation of marine mammals in Alaska, consistent with signed co-management agreements, and refine existing co-management agreements as needed.
Funding Information
- Total funding available under this notice is anticipated to be approximately $1,500,000 per year. Actual funding for this program is contingent upon FY24 Federal appropriations.
- A project period will be at minimum 12 months in duration and extend up to a maximum of three years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants are limited to Tribally-Authorized or in-process of becoming tribally authorized Alaska Native Organizations (ANOs) with an existing marine mammal agreement for co-management with NMFS. Submitted proof of tribal authorization paperwork should be less than 10 years old.
- In a case where an ANO has authorized another entity to serve as the fiduciary agent of the organization, a copy of the agreement between the ANO and fiduciary agent must be provided with the application. This agreement must outline a thorough description of the relationship and responsibilities of both parties. The ANO will be listed as the lead entity/organization on the application as reflected in the agreement.
- Any ANO not holding an existing agreement for co-management with NMFS may collaborate with and be listed on the application as a sub-recipient under an eligible applicant. The legal status of the ANO must be identified and a copy of the sub-recipient agreement between the ANO and sub-recipient must be provided with the application. This agreement must outline a thorough description of the relationship and responsibilities of both parties. Eligibility must be met at the time of application.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.