Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00008
The R8 (CA/NV) Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program for State Fish and Game Agencies is a mandatory federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, under CFDA number 15.605. It is designed to provide funding to state-level fish and wildlife agencies to restore, conserve, and manage sport fish populations while also improving the public's ability to access fishing and boating resources. Although the title references Region 8 (California and Nevada), the program description reflects the broader Sport Fish Restoration framework used to support eligible state, commonwealth, and territorial agencies.
This program funds a wide range of on-the-ground and programmatic activities tied directly to sport fish restoration and recreational fisheries management. Eligible projects can include acquiring land that supports fisheries and public use, developing or improving boating access sites (such as ramps, docks, and related facilities), conducting fisheries research projects that inform management decisions, and supporting the operations and maintenance of public fishing areas. It can also cover hatchery and lake construction as well as ongoing maintenance, which may include infrastructure needs that sustain fish production or fishery resources over time. Additional eligible uses include sport fish population management work (for example, monitoring, stocking strategies where appropriate, and science-based management actions), fishing habitat improvement projects that enhance aquatic ecosystems, coordination projects that align partners and efforts across jurisdictions or programs, and aquatic resource education initiatives that help the public understand and responsibly engage with fisheries and aquatic habitats.
The program is specifically aimed at practical outcomes: restoring or maintaining healthy sport fish populations and ensuring the public can access and benefit from these resources. In other words, it is not just about conservation in the abstract; it also supports the infrastructure, planning, and education that make recreational fishing possible and sustainable. Because the activity categories include both Natural Resources and Education, projects may range from construction and habitat work to training, outreach, and educational programming, as long as those efforts clearly connect to aquatic resource education rather than general agency marketing.
Only state governments are listed as eligible applicants, meaning the intended applicants are state fish and game or fish and wildlife agencies rather than local governments, nonprofits, universities, or private entities applying directly. Those other organizations may still be involved as partners, contractors, or subrecipients depending on state agency plans and applicable grant rules, but the primary applicant and recipient is expected to be the state agency.
There are also clear limits on what the grant will not pay for. Ineligible activities include law enforcement related to fish and game regulations, which means projects focused on patrol, enforcement staffing, citations, or policing activities are outside the scope of this funding. The grant also does not support public relations efforts intended to promote the fish and wildlife agency itself, so communications work must be educational and resource-focused rather than agency promotional campaigns.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is a grant (not a cooperative agreement), and it was created on October 11, 2018, with an original closing date of August 30, 2020. The listed award ceiling is $5,000,000. The posting shows "ExpectedAwards: 0," which can occur in mandatory or formula-driven programs where awards are determined through allocations and apportionments rather than a competitive forecasted number of awards. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a structured federal funding channel that helps state fish and wildlife agencies maintain strong recreational fisheries programs, improve aquatic habitats, and expand or maintain public access for anglers and boaters, while avoiding enforcement and agency self-promotion as funded activities.Apply for F19AS00008
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "R8 (CA/NV) Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program for State Fish and Game Agencies" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.605.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 11, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 30, 2020. (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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the R8 (CA/NV) Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program?
The R8 (CA/NV) Sport Fish Restoration Grant Program for State Fish and Game Agencies is a mandatory federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), under CFDA number 15.605. It supports work to restore, conserve, and manage sport fish populations and to improve public access to fishing and boating resources.
Who administers this grant?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 15.605.
Is this a competitive grant?
The opportunity is described as a mandatory federal grant. The listing also shows "ExpectedAwards: 0," which can happen in mandatory or formula-driven programs where funding is determined by allocations and apportionments rather than a competitive forecasted number of awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Only state governments are listed as eligible applicants. The intended applicants are state fish and game agencies or state fish and wildlife agencies (including eligible state-level agencies in states, commonwealths, and territories under the broader Sport Fish Restoration framework described).
Can local governments, nonprofits, universities, or private entities apply directly?
No. Local governments, nonprofits, universities, and private entities are not listed as eligible direct applicants for this opportunity. They may still be involved as partners, contractors, or subrecipients depending on the state agency's plans and applicable grant rules, but the primary applicant and recipient is expected to be the state agency.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The program funds practical, outcomes-focused work that restores or maintains healthy sport fish populations and ensures the public can access and benefit from fishing and boating resources. It supports both resource management and the infrastructure, planning, and education that make recreational fishing possible and sustainable.
What types of projects can be funded?
The program can fund a wide range of on-the-ground and programmatic activities tied directly to sport fish restoration and recreational fisheries management. Examples listed include:
- Acquiring land that supports fisheries and public use
- Developing or improving boating access sites (ramps, docks, and related facilities)
- Conducting fisheries research that informs management decisions
- Supporting operations and maintenance of public fishing areas
- Hatchery construction and maintenance
- Lake construction and maintenance
- Sport fish population management (monitoring, stocking strategies where appropriate, science-based management actions)
- Fishing habitat improvement projects that enhance aquatic ecosystems
- Coordination projects that align partners and efforts across jurisdictions or programs
- Aquatic resource education initiatives that help the public understand and responsibly engage with fisheries and aquatic habitats
Does the grant support construction and infrastructure projects?
Yes. The eligible activities described include construction and infrastructure-related work such as boating access site development/improvements, hatchery and lake construction, and ongoing maintenance of these types of facilities and public fishing areas.
Can funds be used for land acquisition?
Yes. Acquiring land that supports fisheries and public use is listed as an eligible project type.
Can funds be used for boating access improvements?
Yes. Developing or improving boating access sites (including ramps, docks, and related facilities) is specifically listed as an eligible use.
Does the program fund fisheries research?
Yes. Fisheries research projects that inform management decisions are listed as eligible.
Can the program support operations and maintenance at public fishing areas?
Yes. Supporting the operations and maintenance of public fishing areas is included among eligible activities.
Are hatchery projects eligible?
Yes. Hatchery construction and ongoing maintenance are listed as eligible, including infrastructure needs that sustain fish production or fishery resources over time.
Are lake construction and maintenance eligible?
Yes. Lake construction and ongoing maintenance are included among the eligible uses described.
What does "sport fish population management" mean in this program?
The description provides examples such as monitoring, stocking strategies where appropriate, and other science-based management actions intended to restore, conserve, or manage sport fish populations.
Are habitat improvement projects eligible?
Yes. Fishing habitat improvement projects that enhance aquatic ecosystems are listed as eligible.
Does the program fund coordination across partners or jurisdictions?
Yes. Coordination projects that align partners and efforts across jurisdictions or programs are identified as eligible.
Is education eligible, and what kind of education is allowed?
Yes. Aquatic resource education initiatives are eligible when they help the public understand and responsibly engage with fisheries and aquatic habitats. The description notes that education and outreach should clearly connect to aquatic resource education rather than general agency marketing.
What kinds of activities are not eligible for funding?
The description lists two clear categories of ineligible activities:
- Law enforcement related to fish and game regulations (for example, patrol, enforcement staffing, citations, or policing activities)
- Public relations intended to promote the fish and wildlife agency itself (communications must be educational and resource-focused rather than agency promotional campaigns)
Can the grant pay for fish and game law enforcement efforts?
No. Law enforcement related to fish and game regulations is explicitly listed as ineligible, including patrol, enforcement staffing, citations, and policing activities.
Can the grant pay for public relations or marketing for the agency?
No. The program does not support public relations intended to promote the fish and wildlife agency itself. Outreach must be educational and focused on aquatic resources rather than agency promotion.
Is this award a grant or a cooperative agreement?
It is a grant (not a cooperative agreement).
What is the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling is $5,000,000.
What does the Region 8 (CA/NV) label mean?
The title references Region 8 (California and Nevada), but the description indicates the program reflects the broader Sport Fish Restoration framework used to support eligible state, commonwealth, and territorial agencies.
When was this opportunity created, and what closing date is listed?
The opportunity was created on October 11, 2018, and the original closing date listed is August 30, 2020.
What does "ExpectedAwards: 0" mean here?
The posting shows "ExpectedAwards: 0." The description explains this can occur in mandatory or formula-driven programs where awards are determined through allocations and apportionments rather than a competitively forecasted number of awards.
What broad topic areas does this program cover?
The activity categories include both Natural Resources and Education, meaning supported work may range from construction, habitat improvement, and fisheries management to training, outreach, and educational programming, as long as it aligns with aquatic resource education and sport fish restoration goals.
What outcomes is the program trying to achieve?
The program is aimed at restoring or maintaining healthy sport fish populations and ensuring that the public can access and benefit from fishing and boating resources through improved infrastructure, management, habitat work, coordination, and aquatic resource education.
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