Fiscal Year 2023 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program | F23AS00003

Opportunity Information: Apply for F23AS00003

The Fiscal Year 2023 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program (Funding Opportunity Number F23AS00003) is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under CFDA 15.614. It was created under the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 3951-3956) to support on-the-ground coastal wetland projects through a competitive, matching-grant structure. The central purpose is to help conserve coastal wetland ecosystems over the long term by funding efforts that acquire, restore, or enhance wetlands in coastal areas, which in practice can include securing priority wetland parcels, rehabilitating degraded habitats, and improving ecological function and resilience in coastal landscapes.

A defining feature of this opportunity is how it is financed and why that matters. Instead of relying solely on general appropriations, the program is funded through user-based revenues tied to recreational boating and fishing, including excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, electric motors and sonar, import duties on fishing tackle and recreational vessels, and a portion of the federal gasoline tax associated with motorboats and small engines. These revenues flow into the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which is then appropriated to support programs like this one. In plain terms, the program is designed to reinvest recreation-based revenue back into conserving the coastal wetlands that support fish and wildlife populations and the broader coastal environments people depend on for recreation and ecosystem services.

Eligibility is narrow and aimed at state-level leadership. Only state governments can apply, specifically state agencies (or entities formally designated by a governor) in eligible coastal states, commonwealths, and territories. The intended applicant is typically a state natural resources agency or fish and wildlife agency. If an organization is unsure whether it qualifies or whether it has been designated by the governor, the opportunity directs applicants to confirm eligibility with their WSFR Regional Office. This structure keeps the program focused on state-led coastal conservation priorities and ensures applicants have the authority to carry out land acquisition and major restoration actions.

Geography is another key eligibility filter. Eligible applicants must be in coastal states bordering the Atlantic, Gulf, or Pacific coasts, as well as Great Lakes states. The Great Lakes states specifically called out are Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The full list of eligible states and territories included in the notice is: Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Louisiana is explicitly not eligible for this program due to a statutory exclusion in the Act (16 U.S.C. 3955(b)(1)), meaning otherwise similar coastal wetland work in Louisiana must be pursued through different federal programs.

From an award and timing standpoint, the opportunity is offered as a grant instrument with an award ceiling listed at $1,000,000. The posting shows an original closing date of 2022-06-24 and a creation date of 2022-01-27 for the FY 2023 cycle. While the notice references expected awards, the specific number is not provided in the source text you included. Because it is a competitive program and uses matching grants, applicants should expect that proposals are evaluated against other state submissions and that the applicant must bring non-federal match consistent with program rules (the notice emphasizes “competitive matching grants,” even though it does not state the exact match ratio in the excerpt provided).

In summary, this grant opportunity is a targeted funding stream for state-led conservation actions that permanently protect or measurably improve coastal wetlands. It is funded by sport-fishing and boating related revenues deposited into the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and limited to eligible coastal states and territories (with Louisiana excluded by law). The program’s throughline is long-term ecosystem conservation, using acquisition, restoration, and enhancement projects to maintain and rebuild coastal wetland functions that support fish and wildlife, coastal resilience, and public benefits tied to healthy coastal environments.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2023 National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.614.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-01-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-06-24. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

Apply for F23AS00003

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