SONORAN JOINT VENTURE
2012 AWARDS PROGRAM REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Version for Download

Application Checklist

Special Instructions
General Information
Project Considerations
2012 Funding Priorities
Timetable
Summary of Ranking Considerations
Proposal Format
Cover Sheet
Project Details
Budget
Other Required Forms
Example Forms
Compliance

Education, outreach, or ecotourism may be included in a proposal as one component of the project, but they should not be the main focus and the component(s) must show a direct, strategic contribution to accomplishing the bird or habitat conservation need described in the proposal.

Please send your application package in three separate files attached to the same email, if possible:

1. Cover sheet
2. Proposal and letters of support
3. Government forms

GENERAL INFORMATION
Awards Program Objective
The objective of the Sonoran Joint Venture (SJV) Awards Program is to support the investigation and conservation of birds and their habitats within SJV boundaries by providing funds through a competitive program.

Project Eligibility
Proposals for projects that support the SJV mission and objectives are eligible for funding. This includes:  habitat management, research, monitoring, education, community involvement, outreach, planning, ecotourism, and professional training.

Available Funding
The amount of funding available each year varies based on contributions from Congressional appropriations and partners. SJV Awards range from $1,000-$10,000, with an average of $5,000. Proposals with budget requests that exceed $10,000 will not be considered, although we will maintain the proposal on file in the event that an appropriate funding opportunity arises.

General Project Considerations

Proposals must…

1. Address the bird conservation goals, objectives, and recommendations of the SJV Bird Conservation Plan or Waterfowl Management Supplement. Refer to the priority birds in the SJV Conservation Plan and the specific 2012 Awards Program Funding Priorities for more information.
2. Have budgets of $10,000 or less.
3. Have a complete application package submitted via the SJV website.
4. Focus on work conducted in or having a direct impact on birds and habitats of the SJV region.
5. Include the submission of all resulting data to the Avian Knowledge Network.
6. Come from an applicant in good standing (i.e., no outstanding reports for projects from previous years).

Proposals should…

1. Be habitat-oriented;
2. Have funds leveraged and/or in-kind contributions;
3. Have binational cooperation and involvement;
4. Address threats that affect distribution and abundance of priority species and habitats;
5. Address multiple species over single species projects. However, we do encourage single species projects that address a specific SJV objective.
6. Address multiple SJV goals, especially in the areas of habitat, monitoring, research, education, outreach, planning, birding ecotourism, involvement of indigenous or local communities, and/or professional training;
7. Focus on monitoring work that is part of a long-term project or is part of a Coordinated Bird Monitoring project.
8. Be a segment of consensus-built larger project; and
9. Demonstrate a high likelihood of success.
10. Involve partnerships. New partnerships, as well as nontraditional partners, are especially encouraged. Partners may include those contributing funds, in-kind services, land base, technical assistance, coordination, etc.

2012 Awards Program Funding Priorities
In an effort to focus the Awards Program, the SJV Technical Committee has identified priorities by SJV ecological region for Awards Seekers. Proposals that address these priority habitats and project types are encouraged. Priority bird species can be found in the SJV Bird Conservation Plan.
 

For 2012 we are seeking proposals that specifically address the following 3 priority areas:

1. Habitat protection, management, enhancement, and restoration projects in the listed priority habitats;
2. Bird distribution data; and
3. Monitoring.

Habitat Protection, Management, Enhancement, and Restoration Priorities
Arid Borderlands
(1) riparian or coastal wetlands
(2) desert scrub

Mexican Highlands
(1) Desert grasslands
(2) Mixed conifer/pine-oak

California Coasts and Mountains
(1) coastal sage scrublands
(2) coastal or freshwater wetlands

Pacific Lowlands
(1) tropical deciduous forest
(2) coastal Wetlands

Bird Distribution Data
Our second priority area is compiling bird location and abundance data from various sources to be used in a climate change impact study that the SJV is funding. This could involve finding previously collected but un-entered data from individuals or programs and entering the data into a spreadsheet or eBird/aVerAves. It could also involve collecting bird location and abundance data from areas of the SJV that are under-sampled, including or in or near Natural Protected Areas in Mexico. 

Monitoring
Our third priority area is monitoring proposals (especially if a part of a coordinated bird survey effort that is regional, national, or international in scope) for the following groups:

1. Waterbird and shorebird breeding and wintering surveys; combine shorebirds with winter waterfowl when possible.
2. Landbird surveys, especially grassland surveys.
3. Colonial waterbird surveys, specifically for Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and Reddish Egret.
4. Projects designed to complement Arizona Bird Conservation Initiative’s Coordinated Bird Monitoring project.
5. Secretive marsh birds.
6. Pelagic bird surveys.
7. Training for surveys in any of these groups. 

Timetable

SUMMARY OF RANKING CONSIDERATIONS
The following outline describes the criteria by which the SJV will rank proposals. In order to rank high in the evaluation process, proposals should address all of the major headings listed below.

I.  Biological Value
            A.  Benefits priority bird species as identified by the SJV, secondarily benefit other taxa. 
            B.  Benefits priority habitats as identified by the SJV (including # of acres or miles impacted).
            C.  Benefits a focus area identified by the SJV.

II.  Partnerships
            A.  Includes partnerships (number and type).
            B.  Documents partner contributions and funds leveraged.
            C.  Describes opportunity–other funding that might be lost, partners’ needs, other opportunities             forgone.

III.  Plan Objectives and/or Recommendations

• Addresses a stated objective or recommendation in the SJV Bird Conservation Plan or Waterfowl Management Supplement.
• Demonstrates high likelihood of success.
• Addresses 2012 Funding Priorities.

IV.  Other Project Goals
            A.  Addresses a monitoring or research need.
            B.  Addresses an outreach or education need.
            C.  Involves an indigenous or local community (including the # of people to be contacted).
            D.  Addresses a professional training need.
            E.  Supports avitourism.
            F.  Addresses a planning or evaluation need. 

V.  Proposal Format

• Follows the required format and guidelines.
• Includes all required government forms, completed in full.

How to Apply
SJV Awards applications should be 3-5 pages in length, excluding cover sheet, maps, and letters of support. Applications must be submitted electronically to both Robert Mesta (Robert_Mesta@fws.gov) and Carol Beardmore (Carol_Beardmore@fws.gov) by 15 February 2012.

If you have further questions about the application process or the Awards Program, contact Carol Beardmore or visit the SJV website.

Format
All proposals must be submitted electronically in either PDF or Microsoft Word format. Use a font size no smaller than 11 point and margins of at least 3/4 inch.  Proposals may be submitted in English or Spanish. If submitted in Spanish, applicants must provide an abstract in English. The entire file should not be over 3 MB. 

All applications must include the following five parts:

I.          Application Cover Sheet

II.         Project Details

• Project Need: Explain how your project is important for bird conservation in the SJV region.
• Project Location: Identify where in the SJV region this project will take place.
• For monitoring, restoration, or habitat protection projects that have specific sites identified, please provide information on:
• Location and ownership of project site(s).
• Brief description of project site(s), including dominant habitat types.
• Number of acres that will be affected by this project (restoration and habitat protection projects)
• For communications, education, outreach, and ecotourism projects:
• Identify the primary audience(s) targeted by the project (including ages, ethnicity, and gender, if applicable). If the project targets a specific group (i.e., landowners, legislators, elementary schools, community members, etc.), please list.
• Describe the geographic area targeted by the project, if any.
• Project Objectives and Outcomes: Clearly state one-sentence project objectives in list format. For each objective, include a short description of expected outcomes. For all projects, explain how they address SJV and/or other bird initiative plan objectives.
• For monitoring, restoration, or habitat protection projects, please address the following:
• What are the project outcomes/benefits in terms of acres, or numbers of birds? Explain what species of birds are intended to benefit, in what way, and due to which actions.
• How does the project meet the SJV Bird Conservation Plan? Be specific in your answer (i.e., will provide habitat for eight pairs of Yellow-billed Cuckoos, will protect six acres of critical desert grasslands.)
• How will you incorporate your data into a National or International database (i.e., Avian Knowledge Network, eBird, aVerAves, etc.)?
• For research projects, please address the following:
• How will the proposed project add to the existing body of knowledge about habitats and/or species?
• What are the geographic scope and specific habitat type(s) where the results of your study will be applicable (i.e., riparian, tropical deciduous forest, Madrean pine-oak, etc.)?
• What are the management and/or planning applications of this project and how will you inform managers of your results?
• How will you incorporate your data into a National or International database (i.e., Avian Knowledge Network, eBird, aVerAves, etc.)?
• For communications, education, outreach, and avitourism projects, please address the following:
• How will this project directly support bird and habitat conservation and address a conservation priority within the SJV region?
• What is the projected number of people that will be reached?
• What tangible products will be produced as a result of the project (i.e., brochure, manual, website, teaching materials, etc.)?
• Methodology: What methods will you use to implement your project? This might include a brief description of survey methodology, restoration techniques, or education and outreach strategies.
• Timetable: When during the year will your project be implemented? What are projected start and end dates, as well as dates for Interim and Final Report submission?
• Map of Project Location: At a minimum, include a large scale map that places your project in the context of the SJV region. Monitoring, restoration, habitat protection, and research projects should also include a detailed map of the project site(s).
• Evaluation: How will you measure and evaluate success or effectiveness of project outcomes?
• List of partners and their contributions, letters of support: In addition to a complete list of partners and contributions, please submit letters of support from all partners. Partners may include those contributing funds, in-kind services, land base, technical assistance, coordination, etc.

III.        Budget
Please check and double-check your math to ensure that your numbers are correct.

• Projects that have little or no overhead or administrative costs are preferred. Funds requested for salaries must be tied directly to deliverable products, such as plans, databases, reports, or on-the-ground work that address SJV objectives. Salaries of permanent employees coordinating projects may be used for leveraged funds only.
• The SJV Awards Program does not require partner contributions but proposals that include leveraged funds and partner contributions are encouraged. They may be cash or in-kind contributions and originate from any source (federal or non-federal).
• Please note whether leveraged or partner funds are already secured or whether they pending. If still pending, when will you find out if you have been successful? How will you implement your project if you do not receive the pending funds?

The following is sample budget format:

 IV.       Other Required Forms
In addition to the coversheet, proposal, budget, and any letters of support from project partners, all Awards applicants must also submit the following forms:

• Standard Form 424
• Standard Form 424A
• Standard Form 424B
• Certifications for Federal Grants and Cooperative Agreements

NOTE:  A DUNS Number  is required to fill out SF 424 and all organizations and individuals applying for an SJV Award complete this process once. If you have not obtained a DUNS number in the past, click here to complete the process. You can also read the guide for obtaining a DUNS number here. A DUNS number is needed to complete Standard Form 424 and is required at the time your proposal is submitted.

See examples of how to fill out these forms: SF424 and SF424a.

Email a PDF or fax these forms to Carol Beardmore (602-242-2513) with your application. Applicants should keep the originals. All applicants must submit these four forms at the time the proposal is submitted even if they have previously received an Award from the Sonoran Joint Venture. 

V.        Compliance
What is needed for federal and state threatened and endangered species, environmental, cultural, archaeological, and legal compliance and what will be entailed in gaining compliance? Describe any possible impacts and avoidance measures. Every successful grantee is responsible for obtaining all necessary permits and permissions and complying with all state and federal environmental and cultural/archaeological regulations. This also includes state and federal permits for banding, handling, or disturbing wildlife. 

In the U.S. if a habitat project will impact or possibly impact vegetation, wildlife, structures, artifacts, soil, etc., the grantee is responsible for obtaining Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and any state permits or compliance. No funds will be dispersed for the project until all compliance has been successfully completed. The need for permits should be investigated before applying for an Award so there are no surprises. The SJV is not responsible for compliance and does not have funds to pay for it. The SJV can, however, provide successful applicants with contacts to initiate compliance. 

If your proposal is selected to receive an Award, you must provide bank account information to receive funds. All payments are on a reimbursable basis and will be made by electronic transfer to your bank.