R2 Wildlife Restoration Grant Program FOR STATE FISH AND GAME AGENCIES | F18AS00015

Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00015

The R2 Wildlife Restoration Grant Program for State Fish and Game Agencies is a mandatory federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service under the authority of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. Originally enacted as the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937 and put into operation in 1938, this program is designed to support long-term, practical wildlife conservation work led by state wildlife agencies. The central idea behind the program is to provide reliable funding that states can use to plan and carry out on-the-ground projects that conserve wildlife and the habitats wildlife depend on, while also improving how wildlife is managed through research and public-facing information.

At its core, the grant supports the selection, restoration, rehabilitation, and improvement of wildlife habitat. That can include activities such as restoring degraded ecosystems, enhancing habitat quality, and managing land or water resources in ways that sustain healthy wildlife populations. The program also funds wildlife management research, which can cover monitoring wildlife populations, studying habitat needs, evaluating management strategies, and collecting data that helps states make better decisions. Another key purpose is the distribution of information produced by these projects, meaning states can use funds to share findings, educate stakeholders, and communicate results that come out of restoration or research efforts.

A major expansion of the program occurred through a 1970 amendment, which added eligibility for hunter safety programs and for the development, operation, and maintenance of firearm and archery ranges. This broadened the program beyond habitat and research to include public safety and infrastructure that supports responsible hunting and shooting sports. In practice, that means the program can help states deliver hunter education courses, safety training, and related outreach, as well as build or maintain safe places for firearms and archery practice, which can reduce unsafe shooting in unmanaged areas and support structured training.

Eligibility is limited to state governments, reflecting the program's purpose of funding state fish and game agencies as the primary implementers. The opportunity is categorized as a grant and is listed under CFDA number 15.611, with activity areas tied to natural resources and education. For the specific funding opportunity record provided (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00015), it was created on November 2, 2017, and had an original closing date of August 31, 2018. The listed award ceiling is $4,000,000, indicating the maximum amount that could be awarded under this posting, although the record shows "Expected Awards: 0," which typically signals that awards were not projected in that particular listing or that funding is structured in a way not reflected as traditional competitive awards.

Overall, this grant program is a long-standing mechanism for channeling federal support into state-led wildlife conservation, combining habitat work, scientific management, public communication, and, since 1970, hunter safety and shooting range support. It is fundamentally geared toward practical outcomes: better habitat, stronger wildlife populations, better-informed management, and safer, more responsible hunting and shooting activities.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the education, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "R2 Wildlife Restoration Grant Program FOR STATE FISH AND GAME AGENCIES" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.611.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 02, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2018. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F18AS00015

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