Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00257

The grant opportunity titled "Early 20th Century Land Use and Environmental Conditions on Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska" (Funding Opportunity Number F17AS00257) is a Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service discretionary funding announcement focused on building a clearer historical record of how people used the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge area and what environmental conditions were like during the early to mid 1900s. The project is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the agency expects active involvement and collaboration rather than simply issuing funds with minimal interaction. The funding falls under CFDA 15.650 and is categorized under environment and natural resources.

At its core, the project supports the University of Alaska Fairbanks in documenting and analyzing land use patterns and ecological conditions from a period when subsistence practices and local economies were closely tied to wildlife populations, seasonal movements, and wetland productivity. The research scope specifically calls out traditional family settlements and seasonal camps, the historic distribution and abundance of key resources, and subsistence activities that shaped daily life and land use, with particular emphasis on muskrat hunting and trading. By centering these topics, the project aims to capture both the human geography of the refuge landscape (where people lived, traveled, and harvested) and the environmental context that made certain places important at specific times of year.

A key feature of the work is the combination of oral history and archival research. Oral history interviews with Northwest Alaska elders are intended to preserve community knowledge about past conditions, including where important resource areas were located, how harvest practices were organized seasonally, and what changes people observed over time in wildlife availability, habitat quality, travel routes, and settlement patterns. In parallel, archival research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and other repositories is expected to gather written, photographic, map-based, and historical documentation that can corroborate, contextualize, and add detail to the oral accounts. Together, these sources can help reconstruct a more detailed picture of historic environmental conditions and land use in a way that neither approach could accomplish alone.

The opportunity also emphasizes practical management value for the refuge. By identifying the locations of seasonal family settlements and linking them to "key resource areas," the project can highlight historic critical habitats and places that supported concentrated subsistence use, which is often a strong indicator of ecological productivity and reliable seasonal resources. The resulting information can inform understanding of changes in land use and shifts in resource distribution over time, which may be relevant for current refuge planning, habitat management, and interpretation of long-term ecological change. In addition, the focus on "important areas for cultural resources" signals that the outputs are meant to help identify and document culturally significant landscapes and sites, supporting better protection and consideration of those resources in refuge decision-making.

In terms of basic funding details, the award ceiling listed is $60,000, with one expected award. The opportunity was created on June 15, 2017, with an original closing date of June 20, 2017, indicating a short application window. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the original materials, but the description makes clear that the intended recipient and primary partner for carrying out the work is the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Overall, the grant is designed to produce a historically grounded, community-informed account of how people and the Selawik Refuge environment interacted in the early 20th century, using documented memories and archival evidence to better understand ecological conditions, subsistence patterns, and culturally important places.

  • The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early 20th Century Land Use and Environmental Conditions on Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.650.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jun 15, 2017.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 20, 2017. (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 $60,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
Apply for F17AS00257

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) What is the title of this grant opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled "Early 20th Century Land Use and Environmental Conditions on Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska."

2) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is F17AS00257.

3) Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

This is a Department of the Interior opportunity administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

4) What type of funding announcement is this?

It is a discretionary funding announcement.

5) What is the assistance listing / CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.650.

6) What topic area does this grant fall under?

It is categorized under environment and natural resources.

7) What is the main purpose of the project?

The purpose is to build a clearer historical record of how people used the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge area and what environmental conditions were like during the early to mid 1900s, using both oral history and archival sources.

8) What makes this award a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant?

The project is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the agency expects active involvement and collaboration with the recipient, rather than simply providing funds with minimal interaction.

9) Where is the project focused geographically?

The work is focused on the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge area in Alaska.

10) Who is the intended recipient or primary partner for carrying out the work?

The description indicates the project supports the University of Alaska Fairbanks as the intended recipient and primary partner for conducting the work.

11) What time period does the research cover?

The research focuses on the early to mid 1900s, described as the early 20th century in the opportunity title.

12) What kinds of land use information is the project trying to document?

The project aims to document traditional family settlements and seasonal camps, where people lived and traveled, and how land use related to seasonal harvesting and subsistence activities.

13) Which subsistence activities are specifically emphasized?

The research places particular emphasis on muskrat hunting and trading as a key subsistence activity shaping daily life and land use.

14) What environmental or ecological information is the project trying to reconstruct?

The project seeks information on historic distribution and abundance of key resources, wildlife availability, habitat quality, wetland productivity, and observed changes over time in environmental conditions and resource patterns.

15) What methods does the opportunity call for?

The opportunity emphasizes a combined approach using oral history interviews and archival research to reconstruct historic land use and environmental conditions.

16) Who are the oral history interviews intended to involve?

Oral history interviews are intended to involve Northwest Alaska elders, to preserve community knowledge about past conditions and land use.

17) What kinds of topics are oral histories expected to cover?

Oral histories are intended to capture where important resource areas were located, how harvest practices were organized seasonally, and what changes were observed over time in wildlife availability, habitat quality, travel routes, and settlement patterns.

18) What kinds of archival materials are expected to be used?

Archival research is expected to gather written documents, photographs, maps, and other historical documentation that can corroborate and add detail to oral accounts.

19) Where will archival research take place?

The opportunity notes archival research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and other repositories.

20) Why does the project combine oral history and archival research?

The intent is to reconstruct a more detailed and reliable picture of historic environmental conditions and land use than either oral history or archives could provide on their own, by corroborating, contextualizing, and enriching the historical record.

21) What is meant by linking seasonal settlements to "key resource areas"?

The project aims to identify the locations of seasonal family settlements and connect them to areas that supported important seasonal harvesting and subsistence use, helping show why certain places mattered at specific times of year.

22) How is this information expected to be useful for refuge management?

The opportunity emphasizes practical management value by helping identify historically important resource areas, highlighting places that may indicate ecological productivity, and improving understanding of changes in land use and resource distribution that can inform current refuge planning and habitat management.

23) Does the project address cultural resources as well as ecological conditions?

Yes. The opportunity highlights a focus on "important areas for cultural resources" and indicates the outputs are meant to help identify and document culturally significant landscapes and sites to support better protection and consideration in refuge decision-making.

24) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling listed is $60,000.

25) How many awards are expected to be made?

One award is expected.

26) When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on June 15, 2017.

27) What was the original closing date?

The original closing date was June 20, 2017.

28) What does the timeline suggest about the application window?

Based on the creation date (June 15, 2017) and the original closing date (June 20, 2017), the opportunity had a very short application window.

29) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the original materials. The description also makes clear that the intended recipient and primary partner is the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

30) What is the overall intended outcome of the grant?

The grant is intended to produce a historically grounded, community-informed account of how people and the Selawik Refuge environment interacted in the early 20th century, using documented memories and archival evidence to better understand ecological conditions, subsistence patterns, and culturally important places.

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