[Coral-List] Coral Reef Conservation Fund - 2007 Request for Proposals

[Roger B. Griffis]

_*Coral Reef Conservation Fund - 2007 Request for Proposals
*_www.nfwf.org_*
*_
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is accepting proposals 
to the Coral Reef Conservation
Fund (CRCF) for projects that build public-private partnerships to 
reduce and prevent degradation of coral
reefs. The CRCF supports projects that target key threats to reef 
habitats in coastal watersheds, reef or
associated marine habitats. Proposals should support partnerships that 
provide solutions to specific problems,
mitigate or otherwise address specific threats to reef habitats and/or 
help prevent coral reef degradation
through one or more of the following activities:

    * Increase the effective management of coral reef/marine protected
      areas, including the development and implementation of management
      plans, assessment of management effectiveness, and improvements in
      effectiveness through capacity building, monitoring and
      assessment, strengthening enforcement through enhanced community
      participation and compliance, and other actions as needed;
    * Reduce impacts from land-based pollution and sedimentation, in
      particular hands-on activities within coral reef watersheds and
      watershed-wide approaches;
    * Reduce impacts from recreational uses, tourism, and boating, in
      particular impacts of anchoring (seeAnchor’s Away!
      [http://www.nfwf.org/programs/anchors_away.cfm]);
    * Reduce impacts from over-exploitation of coral reef resources,
      including monitoring and protection of critically important
      fisheries and associated habitats; reducing impacts from
      destructive fishing gear and bycatch; reducing over-exploitation
      of reef organisms for food fisheries and the aquarium trade;
      increasing compliance and enforcement of rules governing use of
      coral reef resources;
    * Promote recovery of reefs and associated habitats, including
      protected species (e.g., Acropora habitats in the Caribbean) that
      have been damaged by vessels, physical impacts, coral diseases,
      bleaching and other impacts;
    * Increase community awareness and participation in coral reef
      conservation through education and stewardship activities,
      including the involvement of local communities in management
      processes.

_*Priority projects will include those that:*_

   1. Build public-private partnerships, develop innovative
      partnerships, are community-based, and involve multiple stakeholders;
   2. Provide solutions to specific problems to prevent and reduce
      degradation of coral reefs in the above listed areas;
   3. Are coordinated and consistent with on-going coral reef
      conservation initiatives such as the International Coral Reef
      Initiative's Framework for Action
      (http://www.icriforum.org/router.cfm?show=secretariat/sec_home.html&Item=1)
      and Renewed Call to Action; the U.S. National Action Plan to
      Conserve Coral Reefs (U.S. Coral Reef Task Force
      [http://www.coralreef.gov]); state, territorial, or other coral
      reef management programs, including Local Action Strategies
      developed per the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force; and the U.S. All
      Islands Coral Reef Initiative (http://www.hawaii.edu/ssri/hcri/),
      NOAA-World Commission on Protected Areas-World Wildlife Fund
      methodology
      (http://www.effectivempa.noaa.gov/guidebook/guidebook.html) for
      assessment and improvement of protected area effectiveness, and
      Anchor’s Away! (http://www.nfwf.org/programs/anchors_away.cfm)
      Partnership as appropriate;
   4. Are focused on coral reef areas in U.S., and insular (territory,
      commonwealth), Freely Associated States (Federated States of
      Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of
      Palau), Caribbean, or Mesoamerica;
   5. Address an unmet need that will provide direct benefits to coral
      reefs;
   6. Target a specific audience and address specific threats with a
      hands-on approach.

_*Overall proposal evaluation criteria:*_
Proposal applications will be evaluated on the conservation impact, 
degree of conservation urgency, technical
merit and feasibility, fund priorities, appropriateness of applicant and 
budget for completing objectives and the
quality of statistical indicators for assessing project outputs and 
outcomes. Additional considerations will also
be made in the level of match and partnerships generated, degree of 
outreach and dissemination to
community and managers and the potential transfer of conservation 
methods and lessons learned to other reef systems/ communities.

_*Awards and Matching Funds*_
Most grants will be between $30,000 and $75,000. Proposals should 
describe projects or progress that can be
achieved in a 12-month time period, but may be part of a long-term 
effort. A limited number of multiyear (up to
2 years) grants will be awarded to exemplary projects that demonstrate a 
clear need and/or added value for
the extended period. Proposals should clearly describe the activities 
that will be accomplished using funds
requested from NFWF. All projects should include matching funding from 
project partners at a minimum ratio
of 1:1, although leverage ratios of 2:1 or higher are preferred. (The 
amount of leveraged funds will be taken
into account during proposal evaluation.) The grantee match may include 
in-kind (non-cash) contributions,
such as volunteer hours.

_*Eligible Applicants*_
Applications will be accepted from U.S. or international non-profit 
organizations, academic institutions, and
government agencies (except U.S. federal agencies). U.S. federal 
agencies are encouraged to work
collaboratively with non-federal project partners.

_*Partners*_
The Coral Reef Conservation Fund is supported through a variety of 
sources including funding from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef 
Conservation Program
(http://www.coralreef.noaa.gov), USDA/Natural Resource Conservation 
Service (NRCS) and the Harold K.L.
Castle Foundation (http://www.castlefoundation.org).

_*To Apply*_
Complete our online pre-proposal application located at
https://collective.nfwf.org/new_pre_proposal/Preproposal.php by 
midnight, EST, January 31, 2007 (no
exceptions). Be sure to select “Coral Reef Conservation Fund” from the 
“Select the appropriate program”
pull-down menu at the end of the application form. (It is highly 
recommended that applicants avoid the
last-minute rush and apply several days in advance of the deadline.)
Applicants will be notified after March 15, 2007, as to the status of 
their preliminary application and whether they are invited to submit a 
full proposal. Full proposals will be due by April 30, 2007 and will be 
accepted by invitation only. Award announcements will be made in August, 
2007 and are contingent upon Foundation receipt of funding from
federal and private sector partners.

_*Questions*_
If you have any questions about the program, please contact Michelle 
Pico via email at pico at nfwf.org or (262-567-0601).

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation National Office
1120 Connecticut Ave., NW Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-857-0166 Fax: 202-857-0162
www.nfwf.org