Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) Administration Assistance | F18AS00088

Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00088

The Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) Administration Assistance opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00088) is a discretionary funding program from the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, offered through a cooperative agreement. Its purpose is to fund the administrative backbone of AMBI work, with a clear emphasis on the Americas Flyway. AMBI is an Arctic Council initiative under the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group, and this award is meant to keep the initiative organized, coordinated, documented, and moving forward in a way that supports conservation outcomes for Arctic migratory birds and the people who depend on them for food, cultural practices, recreation, and inspiration.

The work being funded is less about doing a single field project and more about making sure the broader AMBI program is implemented effectively across partners and geographies. The agreement supports administration, implementation support, and reporting tied to established Arctic Council and CAFF mandates, specifically the AMBI Work Plan 2015-2019. At the same time, it is positioned as part of a new five-year program of work that both continues some existing AMBI activities and introduces new focus areas and targeted funding opportunities that align with U.S. priorities under the initiative. In practical terms, the recipient is expected to help translate the work plan into coordinated action, track what is happening, and keep diverse participants aligned so that the program produces usable outputs for conservation and management.

A central deliverable is flyway coordination. The funded coordinator is expected to convene regular meetings (the notice suggests monthly teleconferences) among flyway group participants, including observers. Responsibilities include organizing and hosting these meetings, documenting them through minutes, and providing timely reporting. Beyond scheduling and note-taking, the coordinator is expected to help drive accountability and performance by developing performance metrics and conducting evaluations related to work plan implementation. The grant also emphasizes follow-through: tracking action items that come out of implementation meetings, ensuring next steps are pursued, and helping maintain momentum among stakeholders who may have different roles, resources, and local priorities.

Another notable expectation is fundraising support for flyway activities. This means the recipient is not only managing coordination and reporting, but also helping identify or pursue additional resources to carry out flyway-related work and sustain implementation. Community-level and local engagement is also clearly valued, with the program framing success partly around cooperation with multiple stakeholders, including local communities, and around whether the funded activities improve understanding and management of Arctic migratory birds using the best available science and long-term sustainability principles.

The opportunity also anticipates program transition and planning beyond the existing 2015-2019 work plan. Recipients are expected to support development of a new AMBI work plan after 2019, working under the direction of the AMBI Steering Committee and the CAFF Working Group. In other words, the award supports both day-to-day coordination under the current plan and the planning and documentation needed to set up the next phase of AMBI work.

Administratively, the program was created March 27, 2018, with an original closing date of May 26, 2018. The award ceiling is $50,000, with an expected five awards. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full notice. Overall, selection and eventual success are framed around practical execution: timely and reliable reporting, strong collaboration across partners and communities, effective coordination across flyways, and demonstrable contributions to better-informed stewardship and management of Arctic migratory birds consistent with AMBI priorities.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Arctic Migratory Birds Initiative (AMBI) Administration Assistance" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.655.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 27, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 26, 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 $50,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

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