Opportunity Information: Apply for F26AS00040
The Fiscal Year 2026 Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG) Notice of Funding Opportunity (F26AS00040) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that provides technical and financial support to federally recognized Tribal governments to design and carry out projects that benefit fish and wildlife and the habitats they depend on. The program is intentionally flexible so Tribes can pursue their own conservation priorities, including work focused on plants or animals that are culturally or traditionally important to the Tribe. Importantly, the species a Tribe chooses to focus on do not have to be hunted, fished, or gathered species, do not have to be listed as threatened or endangered, and do not have to be named in an existing conservation plan for a project to be eligible.
TWG funding can support a wide range of conservation-related activities across planning, research, management, and education. Examples of eligible work include developing wildlife and habitat conservation plans; implementing fish and wildlife conservation and management actions; conducting laboratory or field research tied to fish and wildlife; completing natural history studies; mapping habitat; performing field surveys and population monitoring; carrying out habitat protection and enhancement efforts; and delivering conservation education. The funding can be used for common project cost categories such as salaries and wages, equipment purchases, consultant services, subawards, materials and supplies, and travel, which makes it suitable for both capacity-building projects and on-the-ground conservation actions.
Eligibility to apply is limited to federally recognized Tribal governments included in the most current Federal Register Notice of Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. The NOFO cites the current listing as 89 FR 238 (December 11, 2024). While the applicant must be a federally recognized Tribe, Tribal organizations and other entities may still be involved through subawards or contracts under the Tribe’s award, and any subrecipient that receives TWG funds must follow the requirements laid out in the funding announcement and applicable federal grant rules.
A key compliance condition is that Tribes must be current on reporting for any previously awarded and still-active TWG awards before they can receive new FY 2026 funding. After a Tribe submits a new application, the program will notify the Tribe if any required reports are outstanding; the Tribe then has 30 days to submit the overdue reports. If the past-due reporting is not brought up to date within that 30-day window, the Tribe will be deemed ineligible and removed from consideration for the FY 2026 cycle.
The NOFO allows a Tribe to submit more than one application in the same fiscal year, but it sets a cap on how much a single Tribe can receive across multiple projects. No Tribe may be funded for multiple projects in a fiscal year if the combined federal request across those projects would exceed $200,000. If a Tribe submits multiple applications that, together, exceed that $200,000 threshold, only the highest-scoring application(s) will be considered for funding up to the cap, and the remaining application(s) will be ruled ineligible.
This opportunity is offered as a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) under the Natural Resources funding activity category and is associated with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 15.639. The award ceiling is $200,000, and the Fish and Wildlife Service anticipates making about 80 awards. The opportunity was created on June 12, 2026, and the original application closing date is August 14, 2026. Additional program background and general guidance are available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal Wildlife Grants webpage (https://www.fws.gov/service/tribal-wildlife-grants).
Finally, the NOFO includes a clear restriction: TWG funds may not be used to acquire real property interests. This prohibition covers acquisitions such as fee simple purchases, easements, water rights, mineral rights, and leaseholds, among other real property interests. This means projects should be designed around conservation planning, management actions, monitoring, restoration, education, and similar efforts rather than land or rights acquisition.Apply for F26AS00040
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F26AS00040_Fiscal Year 2026_Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG)_NOFO" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.639.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-14. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 80 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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Fiscal Year 2026 Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG) - FAQs
What is the Fiscal Year 2026 Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG) opportunity?
The Fiscal Year 2026 Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (F26AS00040) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It provides technical and financial support to federally recognized Tribal governments to design and carry out projects that benefit fish and wildlife and the habitats they depend on.
Who runs and administers the TWG program?
The program is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Department of the Interior).
What is the main purpose of TWG funding?
The purpose is to support projects that benefit fish and wildlife and the habitats they depend on. The program is intentionally flexible so Tribes can pursue their own conservation priorities, including projects focused on plants or animals that are culturally or traditionally important to the Tribe.
Do projects have to focus on threatened or endangered species to be eligible?
No. The species a Tribe chooses to focus on do not have to be listed as threatened or endangered for a project to be eligible.
Do projects have to focus on species that are hunted, fished, or gathered?
No. Species do not have to be hunted, fished, or gathered species for the project to be eligible.
Do selected species need to be named in an existing conservation plan?
No. Species do not have to be named in an existing conservation plan for a project to be eligible.
What kinds of activities can TWG funding support?
TWG funding can support conservation-related activities across planning, research, management, and education. Examples listed in the NOFO include:
- Developing wildlife and habitat conservation plans
- Implementing fish and wildlife conservation and management actions
- Conducting laboratory or field research tied to fish and wildlife
- Completing natural history studies
- Mapping habitat
- Performing field surveys and population monitoring
- Carrying out habitat protection and enhancement efforts
- Delivering conservation education
Can TWG funds be used for both planning and on-the-ground work?
Yes. The listed eligible activities cover planning (such as developing conservation plans), research (such as lab or field studies), management actions, habitat work (protection/enhancement), monitoring, and education, making it suitable for both capacity-building projects and on-the-ground conservation actions.
What project costs can TWG funds pay for?
The NOFO notes that TWG funding can be used for common project cost categories such as:
- Salaries and wages
- Equipment purchases
- Consultant services
- Subawards
- Materials and supplies
- Travel
Who is eligible to apply for FY 2026 TWG?
Eligibility is limited to federally recognized Tribal governments included in the most current Federal Register Notice of Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Which Federal Register list does the NOFO cite for eligible federally recognized Tribes?
The NOFO cites the current listing as 89 FR 238 (December 11, 2024).
Can Tribal organizations or other entities participate if they are not eligible applicants?
Yes. While the applicant must be a federally recognized Tribe, Tribal organizations and other entities may still be involved through subawards or contracts under the Tribe's award.
Do subrecipients have to follow federal grant requirements?
Yes. Any subrecipient that receives TWG funds must follow the requirements laid out in the funding announcement and applicable federal grant rules.
Is there a reporting compliance requirement tied to previous TWG awards?
Yes. Tribes must be current on reporting for any previously awarded and still-active TWG awards before they can receive new FY 2026 funding.
What happens if a Tribe has overdue reports on an active TWG award?
After a Tribe submits a new application, the program will notify the Tribe if any required reports are outstanding. The Tribe then has 30 days to submit the overdue reports.
What if overdue reports are not submitted within the 30-day window?
If past-due reporting is not brought up to date within that 30-day window, the Tribe will be deemed ineligible and removed from consideration for the FY 2026 cycle.
Can a Tribe submit more than one application in FY 2026?
Yes. The NOFO allows a Tribe to submit more than one application in the same fiscal year.
Is there a cap on how much a Tribe can receive across multiple TWG projects in one fiscal year?
Yes. No Tribe may be funded for multiple projects in a fiscal year if the combined federal request across those projects would exceed $200,000.
What happens if a Tribe submits multiple applications that together request more than $200,000?
If a Tribe submits multiple applications that, together, exceed the $200,000 threshold, only the highest-scoring application(s) will be considered for funding up to the cap. The remaining application(s) will be ruled ineligible.
What is the maximum award amount for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $200,000.
Approximately how many awards does the Fish and Wildlife Service expect to make?
The Fish and Wildlife Service anticipates making about 80 awards.
What is the funding instrument type for TWG?
The funding instrument type is a Grant.
What funding activity category is this opportunity associated with?
The opportunity is under the Natural Resources funding activity category.
What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for TWG?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 15.639.
What is the NOFO number for this funding opportunity?
The Notice of Funding Opportunity number is F26AS00040.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 12, 2026.
What is the application deadline for FY 2026 TWG?
The original application closing date is August 14, 2026.
Where can applicants find additional program background and general guidance?
Additional program background and general guidance are available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Tribal Wildlife Grants webpage: https://www.fws.gov/service/tribal-wildlife-grants
Can TWG funds be used to acquire land or other real property interests?
No. The NOFO includes a clear restriction that TWG funds may not be used to acquire real property interests.
What types of real property acquisitions are prohibited with TWG funds?
The prohibition covers acquisitions such as fee simple purchases, easements, water rights, mineral rights, and leaseholds, among other real property interests.
What does the real property restriction mean for project design?
It means projects should be designed around conservation planning, management actions, monitoring, restoration, education, and similar efforts rather than land or rights acquisition.
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