ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation 2023 RFP

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting ConocoPhillips SPIRIT of Conservation program proposals to advance bird species and habitat conservation. The purpose of this program is to help address the loss of 3 billion birds since 1970 by supporting projects that conserve, restore, or enhance grassland, wetland, sage-steppe, and coastal habitats for birds, or gather lacking bird population data with innovative methods, with an emphasis in focal geographies.

The program will award up to $1.1 million in grants in 2023. Funding is provided by ConocoPhillips and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Grant awards will typically range from $50,000 to $275,000. Funded projects should be completed within three years following finalization of a grant agreement. 

Project start and end dates should define the period during which all proposed work is accomplished, all requested funds are spent, and all matching funds are spent or applied. The project narrative should include a clear timetable or schedule for completion. The start date indicated in the proposal should not precede December 1, 2023.

All grant awards require a minimum 1:1 match of cash or contributed goods and services, of which at least 50% should be from non-federal sources. The ratio of matching funds offered by the applicant is one criterion considered during the review process. 

Funding is limited to the following states: Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

The program will primarily support projects that address the following strategies:

• Restore and/or improve grassland, sagebrush, wetland, or coastal habitats for birds:  Conduct restoration and/or enhancement activities for existing bird habitat that:
  • expand or improve habitat connectivity, quality, or patch size;
  • remove encroaching woody vegetation that negatively impacts grassland-nesting or sage-steppe nesting birds;
  • reduce invasive species’ impact on bird habitat;
  • restore wetland functions that benefit birds; and/or
  • restore important breeding, wintering, or stopover sites for birds.

• Conserve key habitats for birds: Support conservation easement acquisitions for parcels with important habitat connectivity functions or important breeding, wintering, or stopover sites for birds. Please carefully review NFWF’s Easement Guidance before submitting a proposal. Fee title acquisitions are generally not allowed for grant funding, but they may be included as match.

• Conduct research or monitoring on priority bird population(s): Increase the quality or quantity of bird population data that can be used to fill gaps and inform current and future habitat management decisions. Data should be useful at specific sites or in assessing bird use of habitats across breeding, wintering, or stopover ranges. Key data gaps can be found in the following USFWS report: Full Annual Cycle Conservation Strategy. 

Conservation Co-Benefits: Habitat restoration, enhancement, or conservation projects that benefit birds while also storing or sequestering carbon are encouraged. NFWF intends to calculate the estimated carbon outcome associated with each proposal, as applicable and appropriate. These calculations will not be used for carbon credits, but rather to demonstrate the potential carbon value of any project and conservation practice(s) supported through this program. Applicants should carefully follow the metrics instructions in order to provide sufficient information for NFWF to generate carbon estimates.

Community Impact and Engagement: The applicant organization partners and engages collaboratively with diverse local community members, leaders, tribal governments, community-based organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, as applicable and appropriate, to develop and implement the proposed project and deliver measurable conservation benefits and outcomes. This ensures long-term sustainability and success of the project, integration into local programs and policies, and community acceptance of proposed restoration actions. Non-traditional partners or communities are enlisted to broaden the sustained impact from the project.