To implement the National Fire Plan and assist communities at risk from catastrophic wildland fires by providing assistance in the following areas: Implementation of community programs that develop and enhance local capability in the areas of risk assessment and planning, training, mitigation activities,

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and community and homeowner education and action;
Planning and implementation of hazardous fuels reduction activities aimed at mitigating the threat of catastrophic wildfire to communities and natural resources in high risk areas, including associated monitoring or maintenance, on federal land and/or on adjacent nonfederal land ;
Enhancement of local and small business employment opportunities for rural communities; and Providing education and training focused on increasing knowledge and fire protection capability of rural fire districts.

Projects that include a cost-share or service in-kind contribution will have priority for selection.

Fiscal Year 2012: 3 applications and issue 3 awards. Fiscal Year 2013: 4 applications and issue 4 awards. Fiscal Year 2014: The program anticipates 4 applications and 4 awards.

Uses and Use Restrictions

GIS analysis for HFR, support outreach and education efforts associated with HFR management and risk reduction activities; and increasing the effectiveness of wildland urban interface fire protection.

In addition, FWS staff may be involved in project activities.

FWS -involvement may include the provision of technical assistance, advising in the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans or equivalent .

All projects selected must meet all applicable National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) laws.

Funding levels vary across fiscal years.

For more information, please contact the announcing regional office fire program.

Hazardous fuel reduction (HFR) projects are restricted to those that protect both Federal lands and adjacent non-Federal land.

FWS will fund projects that support community-based efforts including, but not limited to: addressing defensible space and hazardous fuels management issues.

100 percent of discretionary funds is used for discretionary activities.

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

State and local governments and communities at risk and communities of interest, as published in the Federal Register/Vol.

66, No.

160 / Friday, August 17, 2001 or updated Governor-signed list, Indian Tribes, private land owners, public and private education institutions, and nonprofit organizations that manage lands.

All selectees must be identified as significant to FWS, deemed by a cooperative agreement, memorandum of understanding, and/or part of an interagency agreement that serves as a clearinghouse for HFR assistance monies.



Federal law mandates that all organizations applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR).

Individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company, state, local or tribal government, academia or other type of organization are exempt from the DUNS number and CCR requirements.

Beneficiary Eligibility

State and local governments and communities at risk and communities of interest, as published in the Federal Register or updated Governor-signed list, Indian Tribes, private land owners, public and private education institutions, and nonprofit organizations that manage lands. All selectees must be identified as significant to FWS. For mitigation activities (projects that are removing hazardous fuels) all work funded must be identified from a signed CWPP or CWPP/E or will be signed by expected funding date.

Credentials/Documentation

The applicant must provide evidence that they are: party to an agreement with the State Forester (or equivalent) or Tribe; party to a cooperative fire agreement/memorandum of understanding with a DOI USFWS; or is a cooperator, or in progress of being a cooperator, with the Department of the Interior (DOI) through a cooperative agreement with the DOI or their respective State, or equivalents such as Fire Safe Councils, Prescribed Fire Councils, etc. Applicants must reference the applicable CWPP or CWPP/E by name and community. Applicants must be in close proximity to DOI lands and communities within the wildland urban interface. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

All projects must meet Federal, State, and Local laws for environmental considerations.

This will vary between states and is site specific.

This is the responsibility of the applicant.

For mitigation activities (projects that are removing hazardous fuels), all parties must have a signed CWPP or CWPP/E or will be signed by expected funding date.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applicants must provide a detailed proposal including a completed and signed SF424 Application for Federal Assistance, a completed SF424A Budget Information (Non-construction) form, and a signed SF424B Assurances form. Detailed instructions for submitting aproposal will be posted on Grants.gov.

Award Procedures

The FWS reviews Wildland Urban Interface community projects at a Regional level and makes funding recommendations through each Region s annual work plan process. Applications are reviewed to ensure applicants meet the eligibility requirements and have the necessary documentation/credentials. The workgroup then establishes each applicant s level of significance (LOS). Factors to be considered in this assessment include: The applicants proximity to DOI managed lands and cooperation role for the Wildland/Urban Interface; how well the applicant s proposals would increase Service success for limiting damages from wildfire; Other local or regional criteria, disclosed in advance to grant applicants.

Favorable consideration will be directed to those applicants that are in compliance with environmental regulations; have promptly expended previous funds awarded; comply with monitoring and reporting requirements in timely fashion; and, have consistently maintained cost-share commitments. The workgroup will also evaluate the applicant s relationship in supporting initiatives, direction plans such as the 10-year Comprehensive Strategy and its Implementation Plan, State fire plans, community wildfire protection plans or equivalent(s), and fire management plans. USFWS staff will notify applicants of review results by either issuing a fully executed Award either electronically or through the mail, or by sending written notification to the applicant that the application will not be funded.

Deadlines

Not Applicable.

Authorization

Department of the Interior and Related Agencies: 42 U.S.C. 1856 et seq., Appropriations Act of 2001, Title IV, Public Law 106-291. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010, Division A, Department of the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, Department-wide Programs, Wildland Fire Management, Public Law 111-88.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

The approval time for financial assistance applications varies depending on the type and complexity of the project, funding levels, and expertise availability.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Recipients may request funding for a subsequent year/cycle of a currently funded or new project. However, these requests are subject to the same submission, review, and approval requirements as all new applications. This program will fund any approved renewal application as new award, not as an amendment to an existing award. Recipients may request approval for budget and project plan revisions of funded projects, including period of performance and reporting due date extensions, in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.
Matching Requirements: Matching contributions can be in-kind or cash. The applicant must demonstrate the capability to meet cost share requirements which may include in-kind services. Cooperator contribution may exceed, but not amount to less than 10 percent of the amount awarded. Examples of in-kind services may include, but are not limited to, facility use incurred by an applicant for hosting training courses; Funding or in-kind resources may not be derived from other federal funding programs.
This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Recipients request awarded funds as needed and in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, unless otherwise dictated by program-specific legislation/regulation or special award terms. Program will include any special award terms and conditions in the notice of award. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Program obligates funds and sends a notice of award to successful applicants.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required.

No cash reports are required.

Financial assistance recipients must submit a final performance report no later than 90 calendar days after the award end date.

Recipients of awards with performance periods longer than 12 months will be required to submit interim reports.

Program may require recipients to submit interim reports annually, semiannually, or quarterly.

Program will detail all performance reporting requirements, including frequency and due dates, in the notice of award letter.

Financial assistance recipients must report expenditures using the SF 425, Federal Financial Report form.

Recipients must submit a final report no later than 90 calendar days after the award end date.

Recipients of awards with performance periods longer than 12 months will be required to submit interim reports.

Program may require recipients to submit interim reports annually, semiannually, or quarterly.

Program will detail all financial reporting requirements, including frequency and due dates, in the notice of award letter.

Financial assistance recipients are responsible for monitoring performance for each award and sub-award under this program in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12.

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

Financial assistance recipients that are states and local governments will maintain records in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart C (section 12.82). All other recipient will maintain records in accordance with 43 CFR Part 12, Subpart F (section 12.953). Program-specific legislation/regulation may dictation additional records retention requirements. Program will detail all non-standard records retention requirements in the notice of award.

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-1125-0-1-302.

Obigations

(Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 12 $250,000; FY 13 est $150,000; and FY 14 est $150,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

No Data Available.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Per http://www.doi.gov/pam/TermsandConditions.html, acceptance of a Federal
Financial award from the Department of the Interior carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of the award. Acceptance is defined as starting work, drawing down or otherwise requesting funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by the Department of the Interior and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated in to the Award either directly or by reference to the following: Program legislation/regulation, assurances, special conditions, the Code of Federal Regulations, and other regulatory requirements, as applicable.

The Fish and Wildlife Service s wildland urban interface community assistance program is guided by the provisions of the National Fire Plan. A variety of public information on this plan is available by contacting the appropriate Regional Office Fire Management program or the National Interagency Fire Center"s web site at: http://www.nifc.gov.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Kimberly Van Hemelryck National Fuels Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Interagency Fire Center, 3833 South Development Avenue , Boise, Idaho 83705 Phone: 208-387-5957

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Criteria used to select assistance proposals are based on their State and local governments and communities at risk and/or communities of interest, as published in the Federal Register or updated Governor- signed list, Indian Tribes, private landowners, public and private education institutions, and nonprofit organizations that manage lands. All selectees must be identified as significant to FWS. For mitigation activities (projects that are removing hazardous fuels) all work funded must be identified from a have a signed CWPP or CWPP/E or will be signed by expected funding date on, and have the ability to reduce the risk from wildland fire to community values and resources, and to increase the capabilities of rural fire organizations, in the vicinity of Fish and Wildlife Service lands.