Influence of Ravens on Sage-grouse in Baker County, Oregon | F19AS00251

Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00251

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service announced a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Influence of Ravens on Sage-grouse in Baker County, Oregon" (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00251). The project was offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the Service expected to have substantial involvement during the work (for example, coordinating methods, sharing data, and aligning the research with management needs) rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal participation. The purpose of the effort was to help the Service better understand how common ravens affect greater sage-grouse in Baker County, Oregon, and to evaluate whether raven management actually improves conditions for sage-grouse.

The core focus of the opportunity was applied wildlife research and management evaluation. Common ravens can influence sage-grouse populations largely through nest predation, particularly in landscapes where human development, roads, landfills, livestock operations, powerlines, or other structures increase food availability and provide perches and nesting sites that can boost raven numbers. Because sage-grouse are a species of high conservation concern in the West, the Service was seeking work that would clarify the relationship between raven presence and sage-grouse reproductive outcomes, and then test whether management interventions make a measurable difference.

Two broad categories of raven management were highlighted: lethal removal and non-lethal techniques. "Raven removal" generally refers to targeted reduction of raven numbers in a defined area to reduce predation pressure, while "non-lethal raven management" can include approaches intended to discourage ravens or reduce subsidies that support them, such as limiting access to anthropogenic food sources, modifying or removing attractants, and reducing perch or nesting opportunities on human-made structures. The opportunity aimed to assess the effectiveness of these approaches, which implies collecting data that can connect management actions to outcomes that matter for sage-grouse, such as nest success, chick survival, adult survival, or changes in raven activity and distribution.

Administratively, the opportunity fell under funding activity areas that include environment, natural resources, science and technology, and research and development, and it was listed under CFDA number 15.678. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open to a wide range of potential applicants (such as universities, nonprofits, private entities, or government partners), subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that may have been provided in the full announcement. The award ceiling was $210,000, with one expected award, indicating a single, focused project rather than a large multi-recipient program.

Timing-wise, the opportunity was created on June 19, 2019, with an original closing date of June 26, 2019, reflecting a short application window. The posting indicates that a recipient was selected, so the competition is no longer open. Overall, the grant was designed to generate practical, management-relevant evidence about whether ravens are a significant limiting factor for greater sage-grouse in the Baker County area and whether lethal and/or non-lethal raven management can reduce negative impacts in a measurable, defensible way.

• The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, information and statistics, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Influence of Ravens on Sage-grouse in Baker County, Oregon" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.678.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 26, 2019 The recipient has been selected.. (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 $210,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for F19AS00251

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