Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00171
The grant opportunity titled "Great Lakes Piping Plover Salvage Captive Rearing" (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00171) is a discretionary grant issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, under CFDA 15.662, within the broader funding activity area of environment and natural resources. It supports a specialized conservation effort aimed at helping the critically endangered Great Lakes population of piping plovers, a shorebird group that has historically faced severe declines and requires intensive management to recover and persist.
The core purpose of the project is "salvage captive rearing," a hands-on conservation technique used when eggs are abandoned in the wild and would otherwise fail. Under this approach, abandoned eggs are collected and transported into a controlled captive setting where they can be properly incubated. Once hatched, the chicks are raised in captivity through their most vulnerable early life stages until they fledge, meaning they develop the feathers and strength needed for flight and can survive more independently. After fledging, the birds are released back into the wild, where they contribute directly to the wild population. The practical focus of the work is therefore not just research or monitoring, but direct intervention designed to prevent the loss of individual birds and improve overall recruitment into the breeding population.
This notice is not a typical competitive grant announcement. The agency explicitly states there is no application process for this opportunity because it is a notice of intent to make a single-source award to one organization: the Detroit Zoological Society. The award is justified under the Department of the Interior’s policy provisions cited as 505 DM 2.14B, specifically sections 2 and 4, which are used to support noncompetitive awards when competition is not feasible or would not serve the public interest given the circumstances. In plain terms, the agency is saying that running an open competition is not practical here because the Detroit Zoological Society has been performing these salvage and captive rearing activities for many years and is uniquely positioned to continue them without loss of continuity, efficiency, or conservation value.
The rationale for selecting the Detroit Zoological Society centers on demonstrated capacity and established infrastructure. The organization has a long track record with this exact conservation method for Great Lakes piping plovers and has been operating out of existing facilities at the University of Michigan Biological Station for many years. That matters because the work requires more than general wildlife husbandry; it depends on specialized protocols, experienced staff, and tight coordination with partners involved in plover recovery. The notice emphasizes that the Detroit Zoological Society has the experience, professional contacts, and unique expertise needed to carry out the activities efficiently while delivering the greatest benefit to the plovers, which is a key point when working with a critically endangered population where timing, handling, and release practices can directly affect survival outcomes.
Administratively, the opportunity was created on May 4, 2017, with an original closing date of May 11, 2017, though that date functions more as a public posting window than a deadline for applicants, since the award is intended to be made without competition. The expected number of awards is one, and the award ceiling listed is $30,000. Overall, this grant notice is best understood as a formal public announcement that the Fish and Wildlife Service plans to continue funding an established, highly specialized conservation partnership that focuses on rescuing abandoned eggs, rearing chicks to fledging, and releasing them to strengthen the Great Lakes piping plover population.Apply for F17AS00171
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Great Lakes Piping Plover Salvage Captive Rearing" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.662.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 04, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 11, 2017 There is not an application process for this funding opportunity. This is a notice of intent to award a single source grant to the Detroit Zoological Society under justification 505DM 2.14B. 2 and 4.. (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 $30,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Great Lakes Piping Plover Salvage Captive Rearing."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F17AS00171.
Which federal agency is offering this grant?
This is a discretionary grant issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
What CFDA program is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.662.
What is the broader funding activity area for this grant?
The broader funding activity area is environment and natural resources.
What conservation issue does this funding address?
The funding supports a specialized conservation effort for the critically endangered Great Lakes population of piping plovers, a shorebird group that has experienced severe historical declines and requires intensive management to recover and persist.
What is the main purpose of the project described in the notice?
The core purpose is "salvage captive rearing," a direct conservation intervention focused on rescuing abandoned eggs that would otherwise fail in the wild.
What does "salvage captive rearing" mean in this context?
It refers to collecting abandoned piping plover eggs from the wild and transporting them to a controlled captive setting for proper incubation. After hatching, chicks are raised in captivity through their most vulnerable early stages until they fledge, and then they are released back into the wild.
What problem is this technique intended to solve?
It is intended to prevent the loss of individual birds when eggs are abandoned and would otherwise not survive, thereby improving recruitment into the breeding population.
Is this grant focused on research or monitoring?
No. The practical focus described is direct intervention (rescued egg incubation, captive rearing of chicks, fledging, and release) rather than research or monitoring alone.
What does it mean when the notice says chicks are raised until they "fledge"?
In the notice, fledging is described as the stage when chicks develop the feathers and strength needed for flight and can survive more independently.
What happens to the birds after fledging?
After fledging, the birds are released back into the wild so they can contribute directly to the wild population.
Is this a competitive grant opportunity?
No. The agency states this is not a typical competitive grant announcement and explicitly indicates there is no application process.
Is there an application process for other organizations to apply?
No. The notice states there is no application process because it is a notice of intent to make a single-source award to one organization.
Who is the intended recipient of the award?
The intended recipient is the Detroit Zoological Society.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The expected number of awards is one.
What is the maximum funding amount listed for this award?
The award ceiling listed in the notice is $30,000.
Why is the award being made as a single-source (noncompetitive) award?
The notice explains that running an open competition is not practical because the Detroit Zoological Society has been performing salvage and captive rearing activities for many years and is uniquely positioned to continue the work without loss of continuity, efficiency, or conservation value.
What policy provisions are cited to justify the noncompetitive approach?
The notice cites the Department of the Interior policy provisions 505 DM 2.14B, specifically sections 2 and 4, as the basis for the single-source award justification.
What reasons are given for selecting the Detroit Zoological Society?
The notice highlights demonstrated capacity and established infrastructure, including a long track record with this specific method for Great Lakes piping plovers, specialized protocols, experienced staff, strong coordination with recovery partners, and unique expertise needed to conduct the work efficiently for maximum conservation benefit.
Where has the Detroit Zoological Society been operating this work?
The notice states the organization has been operating out of existing facilities at the University of Michigan Biological Station for many years.
Why does continuity matter for this project?
The notice emphasizes that this work involves specialized protocols and time-sensitive practices where handling, timing, and release methods can directly affect survival outcomes for a critically endangered population. Continuity helps avoid disruptions that could reduce efficiency or conservation benefit.
When was this grant opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on May 4, 2017.
What is the closing date listed in the notice?
The original closing date listed is May 11, 2017.
Does the closing date function like a typical deadline for applicants?
No. The notice indicates the date functions more as a public posting window than an applicant deadline, since the award is intended to be made without competition.
How should this grant notice be understood overall?
It is best understood as a formal public announcement that the Fish and Wildlife Service plans to continue funding an established, highly specialized conservation partnership focused on rescuing abandoned eggs, rearing chicks to fledging in captivity, and releasing them to strengthen the Great Lakes piping plover population.
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