TPWD: Wildlife Research Grant

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is inviting proposals for its Wildlife Research Grant program, offering over $1,000,000 to support critical wildlife conservation research. Eligible applicants include universities and non-profit organizations, with a required 25% matching funds. Proposals must address specific research priorities, including Javelina Ecology and Wild Turkey Recruitment. Projects should align with federal aid guidelines, focusing on restoring and managing native wildlife and habitats. Unsolicited proposals outside the specified topics will not be considered.

Project Scope
The Wildlife Research Program of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is requesting proposals from universities and non-profit organizations/agencies interested in partnering with TPWD to investigate important wildlife conservation and/or management questions through grant funded research opportunities. The source of this funding is the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (WR) program, which is a federal assistance program for state wildlife conservation agencies. The purpose of the WR Grants program is to restore, conserve, manage and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitats. During this funding cycle, TPWD plans to make well over $1,000,000 in funds available to support cooperative, cost-share projects specifically for the project topics listed below. Unsolicited proposals for topics other than those explicitly listed within this RFP will not be considered for funding. Additionally, proposals for law enforcement, education, recreation, non-birds or mammals and plant conservation activities are not eligible for WR Grant funding.
Background
The WR program is a federal cost-share program that supports proactive conservation and management activities that benefit native bird and mammal species and their habitat.
Because of the federal granting requirements that are passed along to TPWD, all grants must be administered as cost-share agreements through the grant applicant’s agency or institution. All grants require a non-federal (i.e. private, municipal or state funding) match of 25% of the total grant cost (funds are available on a 75:25 cost-share ratio). The grant applicant’s institution/organization must provide the matching funds (25% of the total project costs), and the source of these matching funds must be identified in the grant proposal. Grant funds will be provided to the grantee on a reimbursement basis; the grantee's institution or organization will receive reimbursement of up to 75% of their eligible invoiced expenses.
Statement of Work
This solicitation calls for proposals to address the specific research needs listed below which have been identified by TPWD Wildlife Division staff as research priorities for this funding cycle. These topics are listed in order of their relative priority for funding with the first topic having the highest priority for funding progressing down to the last having the lowest. All proposals submitted must directly address one of the following topics to be considered for funding. TPWD reserves the right not to select a proposal due to funding limitations, insufficient proposal quality, or any other factors deemed appropriate.
Research topic of interest for this funding cycle in order of priority for funding:

• Javelina Ecology within the South Texas Ecoregion
• Evaluating Recruitment of Wild Turkey Brood Stock Sources in Restored Populations

Eligibility

Research proposals on these topics are encouraged from university personnel and other qualified researchers from public (governmental) and nonprofit organizations. Primary applicants may include U.S. city, county, state or federal government agency, public institution of higher education or nonprofit organizations. Primary applicants must be in good standing with the Texas Comptroller and TPWD Accounting, regarding business and contracting practices. Partners (secondary applicants, cooperators or collaborators) include private individuals, corporations, organizations or foundations. Partners are considered subcontractors of the primary applicant.

Ineligibility

Unsolicited proposals for topics other than those explicitly listed within this RFP will not be considered for funding.Additionally, proposals for law enforcement, education, recreation, non-birds or mammals and plant conservation activities are not eligible for WR Grant funding.Contracts will not be awarded to performing agencies (principal investigators) who are delinquent or deficient in providing deliverables or an approved final report from any previously awarded research contract.