press release

AFWA Recommends 42 Priority Projects for the 2022 Multistate Conservation Grant Cycle

September 22, 2021

During the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies 111th Annual Meeting, held September 8-14, the members recommended the approval of 42 projects to be funded through the Multistate Conservation Grant Program (MSCGP).

All proposals responded to the Association’s strategic conservation priorities and were reviewed by subject matter experts from the Association’s Committees. Grants approved this year include:

  • $238,275 to the Wildlife Management Institute to advance implementation of the Fish and Wildlife Relevancy Roadmap;
  • $143,148 to Colorado State University to create best practices for cultivating diverse fish and wildlife agency workforces; and
  • $234,704 to the American Sportfishing Association for real-time license Data Dashboard improvement and expansion.

The total funding for the 42 projects is $9,117,093.88. Funding for the MSCGP comes from the 10-11 % federal excise tax paid by manufacturers and importers of fishing, hunting, and shooting-sports equipment.

The projects recommended are as follows:

  1. American Fisheries Society- Modernizing Fish Hatchery Management (aka the ‘Piper Manual’ or ‘Black Book’), the how-to manual for practicing fish culturists
  2. Michigan Department of Natural Resources- Utilizing A Novel Genetic Resource to Inform Management of CWD
  3. Michigan State University- Improve PKD diagnostics and assess the impact of Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae infection on North American salmonids
  4. Cornell University- Contaminant Loads in Waterfowl of the Northeast Atlantic Flyway: New Threats and Outdated Advisories
  5. University of Wisconsin-Madison- Burial Disposal of CWD-Infected Carcasses: Migration and Decontamination of Prions in Model Landfill Substrates
  6. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Advancing Implementation of the Fish and Wildlife Relevancy Roadmap
  7. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Ensuring the viability of the American System of Conservation Funding: Improving the understanding of excise-tax based funding for conservation
  8. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Social Listening for Relevancy
  9. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Modernize the Organization, Authority and Programs of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies Report
  10. Colorado State University- Best Practices for Cultivating Diverse Fish and Wildlife Agency Workforces
  11. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies- Developing your Why: An Assessment of WAFWA Member States’ DEI Journey
  12. New Mexico Wildlife Federation- New Mexico Wildlife Federation: Mi Tierra Salvaje
  13. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Development of Consistent Policy and Law to Prevent Translocation of Feral Swine
  14. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies- Coordination of Farm Bill Program Implementation to Optimize On-the-Ground Fish and Wildlife Benefits to the States
  15. Boone and Crockett Club- Exploring the motivations and deterrents of wildlife poachers, the true conservation costs of wildlife crime, and developing an approach to ensure restitution, fines, and penalties fit the crimes
  16. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies- Strengthening Awareness of State Fish and Wildlife Management: Support for Legal Strategy and Conservation Law Education under MSCGP Strategic Priority 4
  17. The National Wild Turkey Federation- Supporting Undergraduate/Graduate/Law Students’ & Post-Graduates’ Education & Professional Experience in Conservation Law & Policy under MSCGP Strategic Priority 3(B), 4(B), & 4(C).
  18. Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies- Increasing Conservation Management Capacity Through Skills, Leadership, and Knowledge Development
  19. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies- Multistate Conservation Grant Program Management
  20. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies- Coordination of State Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Authority to Manage Wildlife Resources in Concert with Federal Actions Required by International Treaties, Conventions, Partnerships, and Initiatives
  21. Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies- Coordination of National Scale Conservation Efforts by State Fish & Wildlife Agencies: Travel, Industry Agency and Communications
  22. American Sportfishing Association- Realtime License Data Dashboard Improvement and Expansion
  23. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- The New Future of Hunting and Fishing
  24. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- A National Campaign to Connect Millennials and Generation Z with Hunting, Shooting, and the Outdoors
  25. Archery Trade Association- Discovering Family Bowfishing - National Education Initiative
  26. The National Wild Turkey Federation- Phase 3: Launch and Education: National Ad Campaign to Promote Support for and Participation in Hunting and Shooting
  27. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Effectively Targeting New Adult Hunters
  28. Archery Trade Association- Expanding Relevancy to include more diverse audiences
  29. SEAFWA- Firearms Fundamentals Course Promotion Through SEAFWA States
  30. Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies- Social Influencers to Drive R3 in SEAFWA
  31. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- R3 Through Marketing via Pilot States
  32. International Hunter Education Association – USA- The Hunter’s Network National Version
  33. Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation- Identifying When to Use In-Person vs Virtual R3 Events
  34. Pheasants Forever, Inc.- Development and Implementation of a Learn to Hunt Upland Game Digital Course to Strengthen Strategic R3 Efforts of Diverse Hunters
  35. Outdoor Stewards of Conservation Foundation, Inc.- Native American Participation Research and Outreach
  36. Delta Waterfowl Foundation - Delta Waterfowl's University Hunting Program
  37. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Black Hunters: Reclaiming the Tradition
  38. Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated- Connecting Different Cultures to Hunting and Fishing through Food
  39. Georgia Wildlife Federation- Extending Academics Afield to Advance Equity in College R3 Programming
  40. International Hunter Education Association – USA Hunters Connect Audience Expansion
  41. MAFWA- MAFWA Small Game Diversity and Inclusion Outreach Toolkit: Phase 2
  42. Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports- 2022–2024 Facilitation of National R3 Strategies

The list of recommended grants will be submitted to Secretary of the Interior Department for final approval.

The Multistate Conservation Grant Program is administered by the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Created through the Fish and Wildlife Administration Improvement Act of 2000, $6,000,000 from the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funds are made available annually for conservation projects impacting a majority of states. In addition to funding competitive conservation projects the program also funds the National Survey on Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife Associated Recreation, the nation’s most important wildlife participation and related economic impact database. Additionally, the Modernizing the Pittman-Robertson Fund for Tomorrow’s Needs Act makes available to the Secretary of the Interior not more than $5 million annually to be used exclusively for making hunter recruitment and recreational shooter recruitment (R3) grants that promote a national hunting and shooting sport recruitment program, including related communication and outreach activities. The funds come from the authority at 26 U.S.C. 4161(b) of the IRS code of 1986 (Bows and arrows, etc.).

Learn more about the Multistate Conservation Grant Program.

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The Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies represents North America’s fish and wildlife agencies to advance sound, science-based management and conservation of fish and wildlife and their habitats in the public interest. The Association represents its state agency members on Capitol Hill and before the Administration to advance favorable fish and wildlife conservation policy and funding and works to ensure that all entities work collaboratively on the most important issues. The Association also provides member agencies with coordination services on cross-cutting as well as species-based programs that range from birds, fish habitat and energy development to climate change, wildlife action plans, conservation education, leadership training and international relations. Working together, the Association’s member agencies are ensuring that North American fish and wildlife management has a clear and collective voice.

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