To provide financial assistance to support projects that will enhance sustainable conservation programs to ensure effective, long-term conservation of African elephants.

The African Elephant Conservation Fund supports projects that promote conservation through: Applied research on elephant populations

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and their habitat, including surveys and monitoring; Development and execution of elephant conservation management plans; Compliance with applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of elephants or regulate the use and management of elephant habitat; Conservation education and community outreach; Enhanced protection of at-risk elephant populations; Efforts to decrease human-elephant conflict; Habitat conservation and management; Protected area/reserve management in important elephant range; Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs; Transfrontier elephant conservation; and Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills.

During FY 2007, the Service funded 25 African elephant conservation projects. A summary of each of those projects can be found at the program's webpage at http://www.fws.gov/international/afecf/afecf.htm.

Uses and Use Restrictions

Project work should occur within the range of the African elephant, or, if work is to be conducted outside of the range, the proposal should show a clear relevance to African elephant conservation.

Applied research projects should address specific management needs and actions.

Funds provided under this program will not be used for: the purchase of firearms or ammunitions; buying of intelligence information or paying informants; gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity; law enforcement operations that prompt suspects to carry out illegal activities so they may be arrested (entrapment); or any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws or regulations of either the U. S. or the country in which the activity would occur.

Funds may not be used to provide material support or resources to individuals, entities, or organizations of countries that have been identified by the U. S. Department of State as state sponsors of terrorism.

The countries currently identified are: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.

This program is administered in compliance with the Federal Grants and Cooperative Agreements Act of 1977, as amended.

These funds may not be used towards training U. S. Federal Government personnel.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by any African government agency responsible for African elephant conservation and protection and any other organization or individual with demonstrated experience in African elephant conservation.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Any African government agency responsible for African elephant conservation and protection and any other organization or individual with demonstrated experience in African elephant conservation.

Credentials/Documentation

None.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

None.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

The program announcement and application instructions for this program can be found at the Grants.gov website: http://www.grants.gov/search/basic.do. The Notice of Funding Availability and Application Instructions are also located on this program's website at http://www.fws.gov/international/afecf/afecf.htm. If you are unable to access the Internet, hard copies are available upon request from the Branch of Near East, South Asia and Africa, Division of International Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 100, Arlington, Virginia 22203. A proposal will not be considered complete if all required elements are not submitted as instructed. U.S. applicants must submit (among other elements) a complete, signed Standard Form 424 "Application for Federal Assistance."

Award Procedures

Projects are reviewed and competitively selected for funding using criteria developed on the requirements of the African Elephant Conservation Fund (16 USC et seq.) Review criteria can be found in the application information at http://www.fws.gov/international/afecf/afecf.htm. Once a proposal has been selected for funding, an Assistance Award between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Recipient is drafted by the Division of International Conservation. The draft Award is then submitted to the Division of Contracting and Facilities Management (CFM) where it is executed by an FWS Contracting Officer. Fully executed Awards are sent to the Recipient either electronically or through the mail. The Division of International Conservation then administers all other aspects of the Assistance Award.

Deadlines

This program has two annual deadlines. The first deadline is November 1 each year. The second deadline is April 1 each year.

Authorization

African Elephant Conservation Act, Title II Sec. 2001 et seq., Public Law 100-478, 102 Stat. 2315 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 4201 et seq., 4211 et seq., 4221 et seq., 4241 et seq., and 1538.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Decisions on funding of project proposals are made within 180 days after the receipt of the project proposal.

Appeals

Not applicable.

Renewals

None. However, at the discretion of the Division of International Conservation, active awards can be modified, e.g., time extensions or budget changes.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

To the extent possible, grant funds are matched by nonfederal funds. This program has no statutory formula. In determining whether to approve project proposals, preference is given to projects for which matching funds are available.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Awarded funds must be spent during the performance period that is approved for each Assistance Award, and in accordance with program financial and performance reporting procedures.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Progress and final reports are to be submitted in accordance with terms and conditions established in the Assistance Award.

Complete reporting requirements can be found at this program's web page at http://www.fws.gov/international/afecf/afecf.htm.

For financial reporting, Domestic Recipients with no program income to report shall use Standard Form 269a.

Domestic recipients with program income to report shall use Standard Form 269.

Non-domestic Recipients shall submit a financial status report that follows the same format of the original project proposal budget table, itemizes expenditures for the reporting period any describes any deviations from the approved project budget.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal Awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Recipients will maintain records in accordance with the provisions of 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments" and 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations."

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-8154-0-7-303.

Obigations

FY 07 $1,299,000; FY 08 $1,378,000; and FY 09 est $890,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Variable amounts. Due to the limited funding available and the desire to support diverse projects, preference will be given to proposals requesting $50,000 or less. Higher amounts may be requested with appropriate justification.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Awards will be administered in conformance with the "Assistance Award Guidelines" established by the Division of International Conservation, which uses as its sources the regulations found in 43 CFR part 12 and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Administration Manual. The "Assistance Award Guidelines" can be found on-line at http://www.fws.gov/international/grants/grants.html or in hard copy by contacting the Division of International Conservation. Telephone: (703) 358-1754.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Contact: Chief, Division of International Conservation, Room 100, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22203. Telephone: (703)358 1754. Fax: (703) 358-2115. E-mail: MSCF_AfricanElephant@fws.gov.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Proposals will be reviewed on the basis of criteria developed from the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 USC 4201 et seq.). Due to the limited funding available and the desire to support diverse projects, preference will be given to proposals requesting $50,000 or less. Additional details on the selection criteria can be found in the African Elephant Notice of Funding Availability and Application Instructions found on our website at http://www.fws.gov/international/afecf/afecf.htm. Hard copies are available upon request from the Division of International Conservation. Telephone: (703) 358-1754.