Summary: South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) has set aside a portion of its State Wildlife Grants funds for fish and wildlife conservation proposals from outside the agency. State Wildlife Grants (SWG) funding is provided annually to states to address the needs of certain animal species and their habitats. The funding ratio for SWG projects is 50% federal, 50% nonfederal. This competitive grants program requires that the applicant provide at least 25% of the nonfederal match. SDGFP will provide the remaining nonfederal match, up to a maximum of 25%. The purpose of this competitive grant program is to assist in implementing the South Dakota Wildlife Action Plan, which can be viewed at the following website: http://www.sdgfp.info/Wildlife/Diversity/Comp_Plan.htm

What is the funding source?
State Wildlife Grants is an annual appropriation from Congress to state fish and wildlife agencies. Funding is not guaranteed beyond one year, although the State Wildlife Grants program has been funded each year since 2002.

Who may apply for this grant program?
Individuals, organizations, state and local entities, and educational facilities. Applications can be submitted from outside the state if the project will be conducted in South Dakota. For-profit entities may not apply for grants.

What kinds of projects are eligible?
Submissions must pertain to one of the topics listed below.

What are the funding and time limits?
A maximum of $50,000 in State Wildlife Grants funds can be requested for a project. A project can last a maximum of 3 years. Project starting and ending dates must be identified.

Ranking criteria: Only projects that meet the eligibility criteria will be ranked and considered for funding. Projects will be judged according to their relevance to the South Dakota Wildlife Action Plan and specifically to addressing one of the identified priorities. Projects that have clear and achievable objectives and the potential to build partnerships and visibility for wildlife diversity will be viewed favorably.

SDGFP reserves the right to award less than the total amount available if suitable projects are not submitted.

Application Process and Timeframes: Applicants must submit an electronic copy of the application using the format provided. Applications will be evaluated by SDGFP for compliance with program requirements and priorities. Successful applicants will be notified and must then complete a second, more detailed proposal that will meet the federal requirements for State Wildlife Grants funding. Successful applicants must also comply with reporting requirements during the project. This is a reimbursement program, and only eligible expenses incurred after federal approval can be submitted for reimbursement. Successful applicants must comply with all deadlines set by SDGFP or risk forfeiting the award.

Applications must be received by October 20, 2008

Successful applicants will be notified by December 15, 2008

PROPOSAL FORM

           5 pages maximum

           Proposal must follow this format and be submitted as an electronic copy to eileen.dowdstukel@state.sd.us. Paper or faxed copies will not be accepted.

           Microsoft Word or pdf files are preferred.

           It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide information that is complete and clear.

 Project Title:

Project Summary and Approach (provide a brief description of the project and how it will be conducted):

Objectives (describe specifically what will be accomplished during the project period):

Expected Results or Benefits (describe benefits to South Dakota’s species of greatest conservation need and how the project helps to implement South Dakota’s Wildlife Action Plan):

Project Urgency (describe why the project should be conducted at this time, including a brief description of relevant past work on this topic):

Deliverables and Dissemination (describe specific products that will result from the project, including how this information will be distributed):

Project Leader and Affiliation (you may include a short biography of the project leader and other key project personnel and their expertise related to the proposal):

Partners (list all entities involved in the project. Their roles should be described in the Project Summary and Approach section):

Project Duration:

            Start date:

            Ending date:

 Project Schedule (provide sequence of events, including deliverables, with associated timelines):

Project Location:

Funding:

            Total federal funds requested:        $

            Total nonfederal match provided:    $

            Source(s) of nonfederal match and whether match has been secured:

 BUDGET SHEET 

 ¹Total State Wildlife Grants request cannot exceed $50,000.

²Donated labor, materials, equipment, or housing necessary and reasonable for carrying out the proposed project may be used as a portion of the cooperator’s matching share. However, the value of in-kind contributions must be determined in accordance with state and federal guidelines so estimates reflect what the Department would pay for similar services on the open market. Use of in-kind labor is subject to other limitations as well, so a brief consultation with the Department’s Federal Assistance Coordinator is recommended prior to submitting proposals involving in-kind contributions.

³Total federal share (i.e., State Wildlife Grant funds plus any other federal funds to be used for this project) may not exceed 50% of the total project cost.

⁴Salaries and wages of senior personnel should not be the primary use of project funds.

⁵Equipment includes nonperishable items such computers, vehicles, boats, etc. Use of State Wildlife Grants to purchase equipment, including automation equipment that is not specific to fieldwork, is strongly discouraged.

⁶Indirect costs are not eligible for federal reimbursement. They may be contributed as qualified match only if the sponsor has a federally-approved indirect cost rate. Approved document must accompany application.

1.      Species or habitat: Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)

Project need: Burrowing Owl population status in western South Dakota

Desired project components: Identification of prairie dog towns that host multiple pairs of Burrowing Owls; descriptions of inhabited colonies, including approximate size, management status and poisoning/grazing regimes; nesting success evaluation at specific sites 

2.      Species or habitat: Franklin’s ground squirrel (Spermophilus franklinii), Richardson’s ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii) and spotted ground squirrel (Spermophilus spilosoma)

Project need: Identification of colony sites

Desired project components: Description of abundance, seasonal use patterns, and description of land use and habitat characteristics of colony sites and surrounding lands 

3.      Species or habitat: Western box turtle (Terrapene ornata) 

Project need: Identification of inhabited areas 

Desired project components: Abundance, seasonal use patterns, and description of land use and habitat characteristics of inhabited areas and surrounding lands 

4.      Species or habitat: Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) 

Project need: Identification of lek locations outside of traditional, known areas 

Desired project components: Abundance, seasonal use patterns, and description of land use and habitat characteristics of inhabited areas and surrounding lands 

5.      Species or habitat: Sandhills area of southcentral South Dakota 

Project need: Identification of native fish occurrence and abundance in lakes and streams of the sandhills region 

Desired project components: Species composition and abundance; description of inhabited areas and surrounding land use
 

6.      Species or habitat: Amphibian species in South Dakota  

Project need: Prevalence and monitoring of amphibian Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis [also known as Bd]) in South Dakota. 

Desired project components: Determine presence or absence of this disease in the state, design a long-term monitoring protocol compatible with other current and accepted Bd prevalence monitoring efforts (e.g. Global Bd Mapping Project). Desired outcomes include a GIS with database that, at minimum, includes sites monitored, species tested, methods used, and presence or absence of the disease. Recommended sampling intervals and methods and site selection should be included in the monitoring protocol. Project components also may include the creation of informational materials geared towards the pet trade and bait fish industries and wetland outdoor enthusiasts. 

7.      Species or habitat: Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius campestris) 

Project need: Subspecies endemic to the Black Hills area. Population status is unknown. It is likely that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be petitioned to list this subspecies at some point in the future and we need to have better information available.  

Desired project components: Sample habitats for presence/absence and evaluate habitat requirements and habitat status. This will entail intensive trapping in riparian habitats of the Black Hills. Prepare a status report, including historical accounts of the species occurrence and habitat.  

8.      Species or habitat: Native Bees  

Project need: Inventory of native bees in selected habitats across the state. There is almost no information available on native bees of South Dakota despite their tremendous importance to wildlife habitats and to agriculture.  

Desired project components: Survey selected habitats across the state and develop a database of native bee occurrences.

9.            Species or habitat: Delta habitat of upper Lewis and Clark Lake 

Project need: This large area of habitat has never been inventoried for fauna with the exception of some limited fisheries work. There is potentially habitat for several species monitored by the South Dakota Natural Heritage Program, such as king rail, northern water snake, false map and softshell turtles, and several species of freshwater mussels. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may be proposing major modification of the habitat, and biological information is needed.  

Desired project components: Survey of the delta habitat with an emphasis on birds, amphibians, reptiles, and freshwater mussels.  

10.       Species or habitat: Big Sioux River 

Project need: Big Sioux River riparian habitat mapping and characterization 

Desired project components: This project would utilize aerial imagery to delineate stands of native vegetation (minimum patch sizes to be determined) within the Big Sioux River floodplain from Sioux City to Watertown, and to conduct field evaluations in order to assign each delineated polygon to a vegetation type from the National Vegetation Classification. A minimum of five stands of each vegetation type are to be sampled using standardized methodology suitable for entry into the Ecological Society of America’s VegBank database. Products are to include GIS layers of vegetation polygons with attribute tables and plant community field data as entered into VegBank. 

11.       Species or habitat: Calcareous fens in eastern South Dakota 

Project need: Identification and characterization of calcareous fens in eastern South Dakota 

Desired project components: Calcareous fens are a specific type of saturated wetland formed primarily from active discharge of ground water rich in dissolved calcium and bicarbonate ions. The constant discharge of oxygen-poor, cold, calcareous water contributes to the accumulation of non-acidic peat deposits and other calcium-rich deposits which in turn support unique plant communities. Calcareous fens tend to be small and localized across a landscape because of the unique hydrological environments needed for their development. We are interested in proposals that would utilize soils and geologic maps, aerial imagery and field surveys to identify and characterize calcareous fens in eastern South Dakota. Products are to include locational information, physical measurements on water chemistry and peat depths, and vegetation composition.
 

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