OpportunityTitle: F26AS00014 National Outreach and Communications Program
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Eligible applicants are those with experience in addressing one or more of the five primary purposes of the NOCP (see Program Description) and experience with the following: planning and executing local, state, regional, or national marketing campaigns or outreach programs, and  identifying and engaging audiences to increase awareness, participation, and behavior change in outdoor recreation, aquatic conservation, or fishing and boating activities.   Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, those involving fishing and boating marketing campaigns, marketing and social science research and surveys, influencer and other social media campaigns, information and awareness signage or print materials, web-based or app-based tools, instructional videos, hands-on learning, training workshops and toolkits, and events.  Applications may request funding for equipment only to the extent that such equipment is necessary, reasonable and cost-effective for accomplishing project objectives. Equipment is defined under 2 CFR 200.1 as tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the recipient or subrecipient for financial statement purposes, or $10,000. Ineligible activities include, but may not be limited to, the following:  Applications requesting funding for projects involving non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and paddle boards, are ineligible unless they are directly associated with fishing activities. Any application proposing the use of unmotorized watercraft must demonstrate a purpose and objectives with a clear connection to fishing activities to be considered for funding.  Applications requesting funding for land acquisition or construction or renovation of infrastructure are ineligible for funding.  Applications that have a primary purpose or objectives that involve generating revenue from, for example, the sale of fishing licenses or boat registrations, are ineligible for funding. However, numbers of licenses, permits or registrations issued may be used as a surrogate measure of participation. For example, increasing participation of anglers and boaters may be the purpose of a proposed project, and participation may be measured by tracking fishing licenses and motorboat registrations issued over a defined time period. In this case, the purpose of project is not increasing revenue generated by registration fees or license sales. Rather, the purpose of the project is to increase participation in fishing and boating.
Description: Healthy waters and abundant fisheries are the foundation of America&quot;s outdoor traditions and give everyone the freedom to fish, boat, and enjoy the benefits of outdoor recreation. Participation in recreational boating and fishing are important to our nation&quot;s economy, generating revenue for local communities and small businesses as well as larger retailers and manufacturers of boating and fishing equipment. State fish and wildlife agencies obtain revenue from the sale of fishing licenses and use these to leverage the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund to accomplish fisheries research and management, aquatic resource education, and boating and fishing access construction and maintenance. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is seeking applications from eligible entities (eligible applicants) to implement the National Outreach and Communications Program (NOCP) through innovative programs that may be conducted at various geographic scales, ranging from local or state to regional or national levels. Applications must address one or more of the five purposes of an outreach and communications program, which are defined in the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C.777c-777g) as programs that: improve communications with anglers, boaters, and the general public regarding angling and boating opportunities;reduce barriers to access and participation in angling and boating activities;advance the adoption of sound angling and boating practices in the U.S.;promote conservation and the responsible use of the nation&quot;s aquatic resources; andfurther safety in angling and boating. Funded efforts are expected to support at least one of the following key outcomes: increased participation in fishing and boating; enhanced public awareness and education about how and where to engage in these activities; targeted outreach using research-driven messaging; strengthened capacity among stakeholders to deliver effective outreach; and improved awareness of access to fishing and boating opportunities.Applications should also consider the needs of potential stakeholders such as state and federal agencies, industry, non-governmental organizations, and the angling and boating community. Applications should align with resource management priorities of state, tribal and federal agencies and include collaboration with those agencies when appropriate.Applications should demonstrate a clear alignment with relevant research and Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) best practices while advancing innovative approaches to public engagement. Activities should be evidence-based and designed to produce measurable outcomes. Expected outputs will vary by project but may include the creation and dissemination of outreach materials; digital and in-person engagement; participation in stakeholder training or technical assistance events; and findings from research or campaign evaluations. Funded efforts should build on existing knowledge, test new models, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of fishing and boating participation and aquatic resource stewardship.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: FWS Fish &amp; Wildlife Biologist
GrantorContactText: Karen Bennett&lt;br/&gt;Karen_Bennett@fws.gov
CloseDateExplanation: Electronic applications must be submitted in GrantSolutions.gov no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on August 17, 2025.Incomplete or partial applications will not be considered. To be accepted for consideration, complete applications must be submitted in GrantSolutions.gov by the stated deadline and must include all required forms and supporting material. Applications that are received late or lacking any of the required elements will not be considered. However, applicants may revise and resubmit their application up until the identified application deadline.