Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Who has received this funding
Organizations awarded under CFDA 15.611 (USAspending.gov).
- Game And Fish, Arizona Dept Of 3 awards $117,384,703
- Department Of Environmental Conservation New York 2 awards $81,767,585
- Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee 2 awards $71,594,081
- Alabama Department Of Conservation And Natural Resources $39,006,377
- Alaska Department Of Fish & Game $34,253,344
- Oklahoma Department Of Wildlife Conservation $34,187,455
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
The Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act provides grants to State, Commonwealth, and territorial fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. Projects also include providing public use and access to wildlife resources; hunter education and safety; the development and management of shooting ranges, and the promotion of hunting and recreational shooting.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Department/Agency of U.S. State
- Department/Agency of U.S. Territorial Gov
State governments, U.S. Territories, and Commonwealths
Participation is limited to State, Territory, or Commonwealth agencies (excluding the District of Columbia) with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources in the United States of America. These entities must pass laws (assent legislation) for the conservation of fish and wildlife. The law(s) must require that revenue from hunting and fishing licenses be only used for the administration of the fish and wildlife agency.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
The Regional Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service or his designee approves or disapproves proposed grants. Regional Offices are responsible for notification of grant approval to the grantee.
Average 30 days.
Program details & compliance
Description
The Wildlife Restoration Grant Program provides funding to the States to aid in wildlife-restoration projects. The Basic Hunter Education Program teaches the skills and knowledge to be responsible and safe shooters, offers shooting skills development programs, constructs/operates public target ranges, and supports programs to recruit/retain/reactivate hunters and recreational target shooters. Participation is limited to State agencies (excluding the District of Columbia) with lead management responsibility for fish and wildlife resources in the United States of America that have passed assent language. These programs are funded by revenues collected from excise taxes on certain firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. Revenues are deposited into the Wildlife Restoration Trust Fund and apportioned annually following a legislatively established formula to each of the State agencies.
Mission Categories
Primary: Fish and Wildlife Preservation
Other categories:
Recreation
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Program funds the selection of projects for restoration, rehabilitation, and improvement of wildlife habitat; wildlife management research; wildlife population surveys and inventories; land acquisition; coordinating, developing, operating, and maintaining facilities, acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges (up to 10 percent); provisions for public use of wildlife resources, and public relations activities as well as provides training in the safe handling and use of firearms and archery equipment, hunter responsibilities, ethics, and survival; construction, operation, and maintenance of public target ranges; recruiting, retaining, and reactivating hunters and recreational shooters; and basic wildlife management and identification.
Required Documentation
Each year within 60 days of the apportionment notice, States, Commonwealths, and territories must notify the Secretary of the Interior that they want to participate in the program for the year. The State, Commonwealth, or territorial fish and wildlife Director must furnish a certification of the number of paid hunter license holders. Allocable costs are determined in accordance with 2 CFR 200.
Matching Requirements
Eligible State agencies (including Puerto Rico) may be paid up to seventy-five percent (75%) of project costs through the program. States are required to provide the remaining twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs from a non-Federal source, which can include license fees. In accordance with an October 12, 2022 Policy Advisory Notice from the Department of the Interior (Reference No. 2023-001) and 48 U.S.C. 1469(a), Amendment of Subsection (d), the Service's Regional Directors shall waive cost sharing requirements described in this announcement in any grant to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Matching and cost-share requirements are discussed in 50 CFR 80.84, 50 CFR 80.85, and 2 CFR 200.306.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements