Background

The National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) is pleased to announce that the competitive grant application period for the new Bass Pro Shops US Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team  Championships grants program is open effective, March 25, 2022. This grant program is  funded by proceeds from the Bass Pro Shops US Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team  Championships. To date, the championships have dedicated nearly $1.6 million to NFHP that  were earned through a combination of entrance fees and generous matching donations from tournament sponsors Bass Pro Shops and Toyota.

Grant Structure

The grant program funds will be administered by Beyond the Pond, the 501c3 organization  established to manage private NFHP financial donations.

Higher priority will be given for projects specifically designed to improve aquatic habitat  within reservoirs and by doing so support enhanced angling conditions and opportunities.  Funding may also be used to conserve natural lake habitats and interconnected tributary flows that also impact lake and reservoir habitat conditions and recreational fish production.  

Examples of on the ground conservation could include riparian and underwater vegetation  planting, shoreline native habitat planting, bank sloping and shaping in tributaries, and habitat  structure placement or other habitat conservation actions that insure adequate amounts of  clean water will be available to sustain aquatic productivity of and within these important  habitats.

Eligibility Criteria

To help applicants put forward the best possible projects, NFHP and Beyond the Pond have established a set of criteria that will be used to determine by which projects are eligible for  funding and prioritization. Applicants should address these criteria in their project applications. All grant projects meeting these criteria will be considered regardless of the amount of funding requested. There is no funding match requirement for grant eligibility. All funding request levels for eligible project proposals will be considered. Successfully funded projects must successfully  complete and use all grant funds allocated by 12/1/2023.

The deadline to submit a project application under this initial grant cycle for the Bass Pro Shops US Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championships Grants Program is May  16, 2022. We hope to receive some great competing projects to select and implement and hope to continue this grant program for future years. Incomplete applications will be returned.  Please feel free to contact Ryan Roberts, Program Manager at rroberts@fishwildlife.org with  grant application related questions.

Project Eligibility Screening* 

1. Does this project specifically benefit on-the-ground habitat conservation work? (Y/N)
2. Does this project conserve habitat in Reservoirs, Natural Lakes, or Tributaries that connect Reservoirs or Lakes? (Y/N)
3. Does this project support the objectives/measures below? (Y/N) If yes, which ones? a. fulfills a local or regional priority that is directly linked to the strategic plan of the Partnership, is consistent with the mission and goals for NFHP, and is consistent with the purpose of this grant program; 
4. addresses one of more of the national habitat conservation priorities established by the National Fish Habitat Board (Board); 
5. is supported by the findings of the habitat assessment of the Partnership or the Board, and aligns or is compatible with other conservation plans; 
6. identifies appropriate monitoring and evaluation measures; 
7. provides a well-defined budget linked to deliverables and scheduled outcomes; f. leverages other funds to implement the project; 
8. addresses the causes, factors, or processes behind the decline of fish or fish habitat; 
9. includes an outreach or education component that includes the local or regional community and other stakeholders; 
10. will increase fish populations in a manner that leads to improved recreational fishing opportunities; 
11. increases public access to land or water for both fish and wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities; Is this project implemented through one of the FHPs under the National Fish Habitat Partnership? (Y/N) If yes which ones
12. Will this project be completed within 18 Months of the funding being received? (Y/N) * If a project does meet all five stated criteria, it will not be considered for potential funding.

Application Process and Tips

Complete the application here: https://form.jotform.com/220734963436056

You may wish to use the budget template provided here.

Although the criteria are more general than specified by Reservoir Fish Habitat Partnership's grants, we recommend you provide more detail rather than less. Use the RFHP's grant guidelines to help develop your application materials. Consider the highlighted areas of the qualifying activities list here, which may especially apply to reservoirs.

• There are several criteria listed in the application that do not appear in the RFP. Be sure to look over the application form prior to working on the form.
• There does not appear to be anyway to save your work and continue later. We suggest that you answer the questions on a Word document and cut and paste your responses into the form when you have all questions answered.
• The upload area of the form for the project site does not seem to be working correctly on all browsers. We suggest you create the map; save as a .jpeg; and upload where it asks for pictures of the project site.
• The budget form separates the funding request by objective but there is no place on the application for objectives. We suggest that you put the objectives under the first box under "Conservation Benefits." Be sure to provide the information on the technical merits as well.
• Under the Partner Contributions on the Budget portion of the form, we suggest that you present it as Partner; Amount; Cash or Inkind; Federal or Nonfederal
• There is no upper limit of the grant request. Equipment purchases are eligible but I would encourage you to make sure that any equipment request is directly applicable to the habitat restoration efforts in the prop. This is NOT a Federally-sourced grant. The grant is privately funded and may be matched by any funding source you choose.