Population Trends and Reproductive Success of Piping Plovers and other Beach Nesting Birds at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (2019) | F19AS00082

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00082

The grant opportunity titled "Population Trends and Reproductive Success of Piping Plovers and other Beach Nesting Birds at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (2019)" is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funding announcement under the Department of the Interior focused on hands-on monitoring of sensitive coastal bird species at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey. It is structured as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning the agency expects to stay involved in the work as it is carried out, rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The total anticipated funding is up to $60,000, with one award expected.

A key point of this notice is that it is not a typical open competition in practice. Although the eligibility field is listed as unrestricted, the description makes clear it is a single-source financial assistance award intended specifically for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey (CWF). The announcement is described as "for notification purposes only," which indicates the agency had already identified CWF as the partner organization for this project, likely because of existing expertise, capacity, or an established working relationship at the refuge.

The purpose of the project is to monitor nesting activity and measure reproductive outcomes for several beach-nesting bird species that are conservation priorities. The target species include the piping plover (Charadrius melodus), which is federally listed as threatened and also considered endangered at the state level in New Jersey, along with the least tern (Sterna albifrons), black skimmer (Rynchops niger), and American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus). These species rely on beach and barrier island habitats for nesting and are often vulnerable to disturbance, predation, habitat loss, flooding, and human recreation pressures, making consistent monitoring important for managing and protecting breeding populations.

The work described is intensive and field-based. CWF is expected to conduct monitoring on a near-daily schedule, at least five days per week, to track nesting attempts, nest fate, and brood survival through the breeding season. This level of effort supports the project goal of determining breeding success and identifying the primary causes of nest and brood loss. By documenting outcomes such as nest success rates, chick survival, and likely sources of failure (for example, predation events, overwash from storms or high tides, abandonment linked to disturbance, or other site-specific factors), the project is intended to produce a clearer picture of overall population status at the refuge and provide practical information that can guide refuge management actions.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is cataloged under CFDA 15.655 (now often referenced under assistance listings aligned with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs) and was published with a creation date of January 30, 2019, and an original closing date of February 13, 2019. The funding opportunity number is F19AS00082, and the activity category is Natural Resources. The legal authorities cited reflect the wildlife conservation and migratory bird management framework that supports this type of work, including the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (as amended), the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Collectively, those statutes provide the basis for federal support of monitoring and conservation actions that help protect migratory birds and at-risk wildlife species, especially on national wildlife refuges.

Overall, the grant is best understood as a targeted, partner-delivered monitoring effort designed to generate reliable, season-long data on nesting performance and threats affecting piping plovers and other beach-nesting birds at Forsythe. The expected outcome is a stronger empirical foundation for management decisions intended to improve breeding success and sustain or recover local populations over time.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Population Trends and Reproductive Success of Piping Plovers and other Beach Nesting Birds at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (2019)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.655.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 30, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 13, 2019. (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 $60,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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