Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00081
The Transportation Technical Assistance and Related Services grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00081) is a discretionary award from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) focused on improving how people access and move within units of the National Wildlife Refuge System. USFWS oversees the conservation and management of fish, wildlife, and habitat resources nationwide, and its refuge system is large and heavily visited, with more than 560 refuges and thousands of waterfowl production and nesting sites spanning roughly 150 million acres. With tens of millions of annual visitors engaging in recreation and education, refuges face ongoing practical challenges related to transportation planning and operations, including getting visitors safely to refuge destinations, managing internal road networks and visitor circulation, and supporting transportation needs that align with resource protection and visitor experience goals. This opportunity is designed to help USFWS address those transportation-related needs through specialized technical assistance.
The core purpose of the award is to support and mentor transportation scholars who will assist refuge complexes and individual refuges across the United States. The description indicates a partnership approach centered on Montana State University (MSU), specifically the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at MSU, which would provide expertise and mentorship capacity to help build transportation knowledge and problem-solving ability tied to refuge settings. In practical terms, this kind of work typically fits the intersection of transportation and natural resource management: applying transportation planning, safety, visitor use management, and systems thinking in environments where ecological protection, cultural resources, and recreation all have to be balanced. The stated intent is not simply to fund construction, but to strengthen planning and technical support capabilities that can be applied across multiple refuge locations.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is structured as a grant, with an anticipated single award and an award ceiling of $212,468. The original posting date is December 21, 2016, and the listing notes that the recipient has already been selected, meaning it is not currently open for competitive applications. Even so, the eligibility language is broad in the source data and includes state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); and individuals. The activity categories attached to the opportunity reflect its cross-cutting nature, spanning education, environment, natural resources, and transportation, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.654.
The legal authorities cited for the program reflect the refuge system mission and the transportation and recreation context in which that mission is carried out. These include long-standing wildlife and refuge management statutes such as the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1934, the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, the Refuge Recreation Act of 1962, and the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as well as authorities addressing youth engagement, archaeological resource protection, refuge system modernization and stewardship, volunteer and community partnership support, and federal-aid highways provisions. Together, these statutes establish the basis for USFWS to fund work that supports refuge operations and visitor use, including transportation-related planning and assistance, while ensuring that access improvements are consistent with wildlife conservation, habitat protection, cultural resource safeguards, and public enjoyment of refuges.
In short, this grant opportunity funds targeted transportation technical assistance for the National Wildlife Refuge System, implemented through a partnership with MSU and WTI to mentor transportation scholars who can help refuges and refuge complexes address transportation access, mobility, and related planning needs. It is a small, single-award discretionary grant intended to build capacity and provide specialized support rather than operate as a broad, open-ended infrastructure construction program, and it is listed as already awarded and closed to new applicants.Apply for F17AS00081
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, environment, natural resources, transportation sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Transportation Technical Assistance and Related Services" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.654.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 21, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by RECIPIENT HAS BEEN SELECTED.. (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 $212,468.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Individuals.
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Transportation Technical Assistance and Related Services (F17AS00081) - FAQs
What is the Transportation Technical Assistance and Related Services grant opportunity?
It is a discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) focused on improving how people access and move within units of the National Wildlife Refuge System through transportation-related technical assistance and planning support.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F17AS00081.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
What part of USFWS does this opportunity support?
It supports transportation-related needs within units of the National Wildlife Refuge System, including individual refuges and refuge complexes across the United States.
What is the main purpose of this award?
The core purpose is to support and mentor transportation scholars who will assist refuge complexes and individual refuges with transportation planning and operations challenges, helping build transportation knowledge and problem-solving capacity in refuge settings.
Is this grant intended to fund construction projects?
No. The stated intent is not simply to fund construction. It is intended to strengthen planning and technical support capabilities that can be applied across multiple refuge locations.
What kinds of transportation issues in refuges does the grant focus on?
It focuses on practical transportation planning and operations challenges such as getting visitors safely to refuge destinations, managing internal road networks and visitor circulation, and supporting transportation needs that align with resource protection and visitor experience goals.
How does this opportunity relate to visitor use and refuge operations?
Refuges receive tens of millions of annual visitors for recreation and education. This opportunity is designed to help address transportation-related needs that arise from that visitation while balancing access, safety, and the protection of natural and cultural resources.
What partnership approach is described in the opportunity?
The description indicates a partnership approach centered on Montana State University (MSU), specifically the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at MSU, which would provide expertise and mentorship capacity for transportation scholars supporting refuge transportation needs.
What role do Montana State University (MSU) and the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) play?
MSU, through WTI, is described as providing expertise and mentorship capacity to help build transportation knowledge and problem-solving ability tied to National Wildlife Refuge System settings.
How many awards were anticipated under this opportunity?
The opportunity indicates an anticipated single award.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $212,468.
When was the opportunity originally posted?
The original posting date listed is December 21, 2016.
Is this opportunity currently open for applications?
No. The listing notes that the recipient has already been selected, meaning it is not currently open for competitive applications.
What type of funding instrument is used?
It is structured as a grant.
Who is listed as eligible to apply (per the source eligibility language)?
The eligibility language is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); and individuals.
What activity areas or categories are associated with this opportunity?
The activity categories reflect a cross-cutting scope spanning education, environment, natural resources, and transportation.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 15.654.
Why is transportation technical assistance important in the National Wildlife Refuge System?
The refuge system is large (more than 560 refuges and thousands of waterfowl production and nesting sites spanning roughly 150 million acres) and heavily visited. Managing access, internal circulation, and transportation operations is an ongoing need, especially where safety, visitor experience, and habitat and resource protection must be balanced.
What legal authorities are cited as the basis for this program?
The opportunity cites multiple authorities, including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1934, the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, the Refuge Recreation Act of 1962, the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, and other authorities related to youth engagement, archaeological resource protection, refuge system modernization and stewardship, volunteer and community partnership support, and federal-aid highways provisions.
How do the cited authorities relate to transportation work on refuges?
Together, the cited statutes establish the basis for USFWS to fund work that supports refuge operations and visitor use, including transportation-related planning and assistance, while ensuring access improvements remain consistent with wildlife conservation, habitat protection, cultural resource safeguards, and public enjoyment of refuges.
What is the geographic scope of the work described?
The work is described as assisting refuge complexes and individual refuges across the United States.
What is meant by "specialized technical assistance" in this context?
Based on the description, it refers to transportation planning and operational support in refuge settings, drawing on expertise and mentorship (via MSU/WTI) to help develop practical solutions for access, safety, internal circulation, and related transportation needs aligned with refuge mission requirements.
Is this opportunity described as a large, open-ended infrastructure funding program?
No. It is described as a small, single-award discretionary grant intended to build capacity and provide specialized support rather than operate as a broad infrastructure construction program.
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