Synthesizing Socioeconomic Information, Data and Values in the Aleutians and Bering to Inform Large Scale Planning | F17AS00463

Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00463

The grant opportunity titled "Synthesizing Socioeconomic Information, Data and Values in the Aleutians and Bering to Inform Large Scale Planning" is a Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 7 funding action focused on improving how large-scale land and resource planning is informed in the Aleutians and Bering Sea region. The core idea is to bring together and synthesize socioeconomic information, existing data, and community-held values so that conservation and management decisions better reflect the realities of the people who live in and depend on the region, alongside the natural and cultural resources that make the area unique.

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, which generally signals an arrangement where the federal agency anticipates substantial involvement in the project rather than simply providing funds and stepping back. The activity category is listed under education, environment, and natural resources, reflecting the project blend of community engagement, knowledge organization, and practical application to conservation and planning. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number associated with the opportunity is 15.669, tying it to Fish and Wildlife Service assistance programming.

A key feature of this notice is that it is not competitive. The USFWS explicitly states the intent to make a single-source award to the Aleut International Association (AIA) under the authority of 505 DM 2.14(B). In plain terms, the agency is announcing that it plans to fund one specific organization because it views that organization as uniquely positioned to carry out the work, and it is not asking the public to submit proposals. Although the eligible applicant type is broadly described as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (other than institutions of higher education), the practical reality here is that the government does not intend to accept applications from other entities.

The partnership rationale is centered on shared conservation and community benefit goals between the Aleutian and Bering Sea Islands Landscape Conservation Cooperative (ABSI LCC), the USFWS, and AIA. The notice emphasizes that communities in the Aleutians and Bering Sea depend on both natural resources (such as wildlife, fisheries, habitats, and ecosystems) and cultural resources (including heritage sites, traditional practices, and community identity). The proposed joint venture is designed to leverage each partner's strengths: the federal agency and the regional conservation collaborative bring planning needs, management context, and program resources, while AIA brings regional credibility, relationships, and on-the-ground knowledge that can improve trust and participation.

The main deliverable implied by the title and description is a synthesis product or set of products that consolidate socioeconomic information and values in a form that can be used directly in land and resource planning. That typically means gathering existing studies and datasets, identifying gaps, organizing information by geography or community, and translating it into planning-relevant insights. Just as importantly, it points to increased stakeholder engagement, meaning more deliberate involvement of local residents, tribes and tribal entities where applicable, local organizations, and other regional stakeholders so their priorities and concerns are incorporated rather than treated as an afterthought. The end use is decision support: helping USFWS and partner organizations make better-informed choices about conservation actions, land management strategies, and long-term planning across the region.

In terms of scale and timing, the award ceiling is $99,000, with one expected award. The opportunity was created on September 15, 2017, with an original closing date of September 20, 2017, which is consistent with single-source notices that function more as a public transparency step than an open call. Overall, the opportunity reflects a targeted investment in organizing and elevating socioeconomic and cultural knowledge, paired with community engagement, to strengthen how large-scale conservation and resource planning is carried out in the Aleutians and Bering Sea.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Synthesizing Socioeconomic Information, Data and Values in the Aleutians and Bering to Inform Large Scale Planning" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.669.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 15, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 20, 2017. (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 $99,000.00 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.

Apply for F17AS00463

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: