Marine Turtle Conservation Fund | F18AS00378

Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) - FAQs

1) What is the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund?

The Marine Turtle Conservation Fund is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Department of the Interior) funding opportunity that supports on-the-ground marine turtle conservation projects in countries outside the United States and its territories.

2) What is the purpose of this funding opportunity?

The program provides financial assistance for practical, conservation-focused work intended to improve the status of marine turtle nesting populations, protect and restore key habitats, and reduce major threats affecting marine turtles across their international range.

3) What law is this program based on?

The fund is rooted in the Marine Turtle Conservation Act of 2004, which was created in response to global declines in marine turtle populations and increasing pressures that threaten their long-term survival.

4) Where must projects take place to be eligible under this opportunity?

Projects are intended to support conservation work in countries outside the United States and its territories.

5) Which marine turtle species are intended to benefit from this program?

The notice identifies six marine turtle species that projects may benefit: green turtle (Chelonia mydas), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii).

6) What types of conservation activities are supported?

The opportunity emphasizes conservation actions that directly address survival challenges for marine turtles in foreign countries. Examples described in the notice include protecting nesting beaches, improving hatchling success, reducing illegal take and trade, lowering bycatch and fisheries interactions, safeguarding feeding and migratory habitats, and strengthening local capacity for long-term management and enforcement.

7) Is this program focused on measurable conservation outcomes?

Yes. The program is described as being oriented toward measurable conservation outcomes where funding helps stabilize or recover populations and reduces human-driven impacts affecting marine turtle survival.

8) What funding mechanisms are used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The opportunity may be offered as either a grant or a cooperative agreement. The notice indicates this can mean either standard grant funding or a closer working relationship with the federal agency during project implementation, depending on the arrangement.

9) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of organizations and entities can apply, subject to any additional eligibility language that may appear in the full notice.

10) What broad topic areas does the opportunity fall under?

The opportunity is categorized across environment, natural resources, science and technology, and related public benefit areas. This reflects that marine turtle conservation can include field conservation, research and monitoring, community engagement, and policy or management work.

11) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number listed in the notice is F18AS00378.

12) What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?

The CFDA listing provided is 15.645.

13) How many awards does the agency expect to make?

The agency expected to make about 30 awards for the cycle described in the notice.

14) What is the maximum award amount per project?

The award ceiling is $80,000 per project.

15) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on September 26, 2018.

16) What was the original application deadline listed in the notice?

The original application deadline was November 26, 2018.

17) What conservation results is the program trying to achieve?

Based on the notice, the fund is intended to support targeted international marine turtle conservation work that demonstrates clear benefits to nesting populations, habitat protection and restoration, and threat reduction, aligned with the goals established by the Marine Turtle Conservation Act.

18) Are projects expected to address human-caused threats?

Yes. The notice specifically references reducing human-driven impacts, including illegal take and trade and bycatch and fisheries interactions, as well as protecting key habitats that turtles rely on for nesting, feeding, and migration.

19) Does the program support capacity-building and enforcement efforts?

Yes. The notice includes strengthening local capacity for long-term management and enforcement as an example of the types of activities the program may support.

20) Is the funding limited to nesting beach work only?

No. While protecting nesting beaches and improving hatchling success are highlighted, the notice also references safeguarding feeding and migratory habitats and reducing other threats across turtles' international range.