F24AS00175- Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species | F24AS00175

Opportunity Information: Apply for F24AS00175

F24AS00175, the Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species, is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) discretionary grant opportunity (CFDA 15.608) designed to help agencies move quickly when a new aquatic invasive species (AIS) is detected in U.S. waters. The program is coordinated through the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANSTF), a federal partnership body created under the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (NANPCA). ANSTF is co-chaired by FWS and NOAA and brings together federal members, non-federal ex-officio members, regional panels, and issue-focused subcommittees to coordinate national efforts to prevent, monitor, control, and study aquatic nuisance species and to share information across jurisdictions.

The central idea behind this funding is that prevention is the cheapest and most effective approach, but it is not always enough. When prevention fails, Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) is meant to function as the backstop that stops a new introduction before it becomes permanently established. This grant aligns with the Department of the Interior's 2016 national EDRR framework, which emphasized better coordination and partnerships, stronger science and technology (including improved detection methods like molecular tools), and targeted on-the-ground action aimed at the highest-risk species and the most vulnerable locations. With Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding supporting implementation of EDRR priorities, DOI and its partners identified the need for dedicated rapid response capacity, including a pilot rapid response fund specifically for aquatic invasive species and improved information-sharing via an online clearinghouse.

In practical terms, this opportunity exists because rapid response is often delayed by the simple lack of immediately available funding. Even when managers know what needs to be done, they can lose the narrow window where eradication is feasible while they search for money, approvals, or contracting mechanisms. The Rapid Response Fund is meant to solve that problem by making resources available to assess and support swift actions that contain or eradicate a newly detected non-native aquatic species. The fund is also explicitly tied to ANSTF's Strategic Plan for 2020-2025, where it is identified as a priority need (Objective 3.3), reinforcing that this is intended to be a standing capability rather than an ad hoc reaction.

For this program, "rapid response" is narrowly defined: it is the process used to eradicate the founding population of a non-native, potentially invasive species in a specific location before the species reproduces or spreads so widely that eradication is no longer realistic. "Eradication" is defined as removing or destroying the entire population of the invasive species within a specified area. In other words, the fund is targeted at the earliest stage of invasion, when the goal is complete elimination in a defined location, not long-term suppression or ongoing control after widespread establishment. The program is meant to support actions in freshwater, estuarine, or marine waters of the United States, including U.S. territories, reflecting that new introductions can occur in any aquatic environment and that rapid response needs to work across those settings.

The structure and decision process for the fund follows a formal model developed by the ANSTF Rapid Response Fund Working Group, titled "The Model Process Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species" (published in 2023 and unanimously approved by ANSTF members on July 19, 2023). The notice indicates that applicants should look to that model process for definitions and additional eligibility details, and it also points to an FWS Rapid Response Fund webpage that includes general program information and frequently asked questions. The emphasis on a unanimously approved model process signals that the fund is intended to operate consistently across regions and agencies, with clear expectations for what qualifies as a rapid response situation and how proposals will be handled.

Eligibility is limited to public and intergovernmental entities that typically have the legal authority and operational responsibility to respond to aquatic invasive species incidents. Specifically, eligible applicants include federal and state agencies, U.S. territory agencies, interstate organizations (as defined in 16 USC 4702(10)), and federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments. Native American Organizations authorized by Indian tribal governments are also eligible, as recognized through the relevant Bureau of Indian Affairs federal register listing of eligible entities. While the opportunity listing also highlights state governments and federally recognized tribal governments, the full description makes clear that a range of governmental and intergovernmental partners involved in AIS management can apply, consistent with the ANSTF's cross-jurisdictional mission.

From the posted opportunity details, this is a grant (not a cooperative agreement) categorized under Natural Resources, with an award ceiling of $960,000. The opportunity was created on November 22, 2023, and the original closing date is July 15, 2024. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided listing. Overall, the program is best understood as a time-sensitive incident-response funding tool: it is meant to help managers act immediately after a new aquatic invader is found, with the explicit aim of rapid eradication while the population is still small, localized, and vulnerable to complete removal.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F24AS00175- Rapid Response Fund for Aquatic Invasive Species" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.608.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-22.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-15. (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 $960,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others.

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