Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00146
The Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00146) is a discretionary Department of the Interior award administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is structured as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the Service expects to be substantially involved in planning, coordination, or oversight as the project is carried out, rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The program sits under CFDA 15.676 and is framed around connecting young people to conservation-related education, hands-on service, and work-based experiences tied to Fish and Wildlife Service missions and public lands stewardship.
Legally, the opportunity is supported by several long-standing statutes that guide the Fish and Wildlife Service and related conservation programs. These include the Fish and Wildlife Act and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, which broadly authorize and shape conservation and wildlife-related activities; the National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act, which supports volunteer engagement connected to hatchery and fisheries work; and the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, which governs management and public use of National Wildlife Refuges. It also cites the Public Lands Corps Act and Youth Conservation Corps provisions, which are commonly used to justify youth-focused conservation service and employment pathways on public lands. Taken together, those authorities signal a project emphasis on engaging youth in meaningful conservation service, education, and workforce development activities associated with refuges and other Fish and Wildlife Service-managed resources.
In terms of who could apply, eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status that are not institutions of higher education. In this specific notice, however, the agency states it is a Notice of Intent to Single Source to the Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge. That wording matters because it indicates the Fish and Wildlife Service intended to make a sole-source cooperative agreement to a particular nonprofit partner rather than running an open competition among many applicants. The notice also specifies that applications must address the activities and stipulations laid out in Section I (Description of Funding Opportunity) and follow an application checklist referenced in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, meaning the proposal would need to closely track the agency-defined scope and compliance requirements rather than proposing an entirely new, unrelated concept.
The award details show a relatively small, targeted project: an anticipated single award (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling of $49,500. The opportunity was created on May 22, 2018, and had an original closing date of May 29, 2018, reflecting a short turnaround consistent with a single-source intent announcement. The activity categories listed span arts/cultural affairs, community development, education, environment, natural resources, and transportation, which suggests the project could blend environmental education and conservation service with broader community engagement needs such as getting youth to and from project sites, delivering interpretive or educational programming, and strengthening community ties to public lands.
Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as a small, mission-specific cooperative agreement designed to support youth-centered programming connected to a National Wildlife Refuge setting (in this case, Valle de Oro NWR) through a designated nonprofit partner. The core theme is using structured conservation and public lands work experiences to promote youth engagement, build environmental knowledge, and create pathways toward employment or continued participation in natural resource and conservation fields, all under the statutory authorities that govern refuge operations, volunteer engagement, and youth conservation corps-style service.Apply for F18AS00146
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the arts (see cultural affairs in cfda), community development, education, environment, natural resources, transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.676.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 22, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 29, 2018 This is a Notice of Intent to Single Source to the Friends of Valle de Oro NWR. Applications must address all activities amp stipulations in Section I, Description of Funding Opportunity amp the Application Checklist (via Notice of Funding Opportunity).. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $49,500.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Youth Engagement, Education, and Employment."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F18AS00146.
Which federal agency is offering and administering this funding?
This is a discretionary award under the Department of the Interior, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
It is structured as a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this opportunity is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically means the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expects to be substantially involved in the project as it is carried out, such as through planning, coordination, and/or oversight, rather than only issuing funds with minimal involvement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program sits under CFDA 15.676.
What is the overall purpose of this opportunity?
The opportunity focuses on connecting young people to conservation-related education, hands-on service, and work-based experiences tied to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service missions and public lands stewardship.
What kinds of youth activities are emphasized?
The notice frames activities around conservation-related education, hands-on service projects, and work-based experiences that align with Fish and Wildlife Service mission needs and stewardship of public lands.
Is this opportunity tied to a specific location or site?
Yes. The notice indicates the project is connected to a National Wildlife Refuge setting, specifically Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge.
Who is eligible to apply for this funding?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status that are not institutions of higher education.
Is this an open competitive funding opportunity?
No. The agency states this is a Notice of Intent to Single Source to the Friends of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, indicating an intended sole-source cooperative agreement to a specific nonprofit partner rather than an open competition.
What does "Notice of Intent to Single Source" mean in this context?
It indicates the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service intended to make a sole-source cooperative agreement to a particular nonprofit organization, rather than soliciting and comparing proposals from multiple applicants.
How many awards did the agency expect to make?
The opportunity anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1).
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling) for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $49,500.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on May 22, 2018.
What was the original closing date for this opportunity?
The original closing date was May 29, 2018.
What does the short application window suggest about the opportunity?
The short turnaround (from May 22 to May 29, 2018) is consistent with a single-source intent announcement for a targeted project rather than a broad, open competition.
What activity categories are associated with this funding opportunity?
The listed activity categories include arts/cultural affairs, community development, education, environment, natural resources, and transportation.
Why are categories like transportation included?
The categories suggest the project could blend environmental education and conservation service with practical community engagement needs, such as getting youth to and from project sites, delivering programming, and strengthening community ties to public lands.
What legal authorities support this funding opportunity?
The opportunity cites several statutes, including the Fish and Wildlife Act, the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act, the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, the Public Lands Corps Act, and Youth Conservation Corps provisions.
What do the cited legal authorities imply about the focus of funded projects?
Taken together, the cited authorities signal an emphasis on engaging youth in meaningful conservation service, education, and workforce development activities associated with National Wildlife Refuges and other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-managed resources, including volunteer engagement and youth corps-style service and employment pathways.
What is expected of the applicant in terms of proposal alignment and requirements?
The notice specifies that applications must address the activities and stipulations laid out in Section I (Description of Funding Opportunity) and follow an application checklist referenced in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, indicating the proposal should closely track the agency-defined scope and compliance requirements.
Can applicants propose an unrelated or entirely new concept outside the described scope?
Based on the notice language, the application is expected to address the activities and stipulations in Section I and follow the referenced checklist, suggesting the project should align closely with the defined scope rather than proposing an unrelated concept.
How should this opportunity be understood overall?
It is best understood as a small, mission-specific cooperative agreement intended to support youth-centered programming connected to a National Wildlife Refuge setting (Valle de Oro NWR) through a designated nonprofit partner, using structured conservation and public lands work experiences to promote youth engagement, build environmental knowledge, and support pathways toward employment or continued participation in conservation fields.
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