(a) An agency applies for a grant by sending the Regional Director:

(1) Completed standard forms that are:

(i) Approved by the Office of Management and Budget for the grant application process; and

(ii) Available on the Federal Web site for electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov; and

(2) Information required for a comprehensive-management-system grant or a project-by-project grant.

(b) The director of the State fish and wildlife agency or his or her designee must sign all standard forms submitted in the application process.

(c) The agency must send copies of all standard forms and supporting information to the State Clearinghouse or Single Point of Contact before sending it to the Regional Director if the State supports this process under Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

A State fish and wildlife agency must submit the following documents when applying for a comprehensive-management-system grant:

(a) The standard form for an application for Federal assistance in a mandatory grant program.

(b) The standard forms for assurances for nonconstruction programs and construction programs as applicable. Agencies may submit these standard forms for assurances annually to the Regional Director for use with all applications for Federal assistance in the programs and subprograms under the Acts.

(c) A statement of cost estimates by subaccount. Agencies may obtain the subaccount numbers from the Service's Regional Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration.

(d) Supporting documentation explaining how the proposed work complies with the Acts, the provisions of this part, and other applicable laws and regulations.

(e) A statement of the agency's intent to carry out and fund part or all of its comprehensive management system through a grant.

(f) A description of the agency's comprehensive management system including inventory, strategic plan, operational plan, and evaluation. “Inventory” refers to the process or processes that an agency uses to:

(1) Determine actual, projected, and desired resource and asset status; and

(2) Identify management problems, issues, needs, and opportunities.

(g) A description of the State fish and wildlife agency program covered by the comprehensive management system.

(h) Contact information for the State fish and wildlife agency employee who is directly responsible for the integrity and operation of the comprehensive management system.

(i) A description of how the public can take part in decisionmaking for the comprehensive management system.

A State fish and wildlife agency must submit the following documents when applying for a project-by-project grant:

(a) The standard form for an application for Federal assistance in a mandatory grant program.

(b) The standard forms for assurances for nonconstruction programs and construction programs as applicable. Agencies may submit these standard forms for assurances annually to the Regional Director for use with all applications for Federal assistance in the programs and subprograms under the Acts.

(c) A project statement that describes each proposed project and provides the following information:

(1) Need. Explain why the project is necessary and how it fulfills the purposes of the relevant Act.

(2) Purpose. State the purpose and base it on the need. The purpose states the desired outcome of the proposed project in general or abstract terms.

(3) Objectives. State the objectives and base them on the need. The objectives state the desired outcome of the proposed project in terms that are specific and quantified.

(4) Results or benefits expected.

(5) Approach. Describe the methods used to achieve the stated objectives.

(6) Useful life. Propose a useful life for each capital improvement, and reference the method used to determine the useful life of a capital improvement with a value greater than $100,000.

(7) Geographic location.

(8) Principal investigator for research projects. Record the principal investigator's name, work address, and work telephone number.

(9) Program income.

(i) Estimate the amount of program income that the project is likely to generate.

(ii) Indicate the method or combination of methods (deduction, addition, or matching) of applying program income to Federal and non-Federal outlays.

(iii) Request the Regional Director's approval for the additive or matching method. Describe how the agency proposes to use the program income and the expected results. Describe the essential need when using program income as match.

(iv) Indicate whether the agency wants to treat program income that it earns after the grant period as either license revenue or additional funding for purposes consistent with the grant terms and conditions or program regulations.

(v) Indicate whether the agency wants to treat program income that the subgrantee earns as license revenue, additional funding for the purposes consistent with the grant or subprogram, or income subject only to the terms of the subgrant agreement.

(10) Budget narrative. (i) Provide costs by project and subaccount with additional information sufficient to show that the project is cost effective. Agencies may obtain the subaccount numbers from the Service's Regional Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration.

(ii) Describe any item that requires the Service's approval and estimate its cost. Examples are preaward costs, capital improvements or expenditures, real property acquisitions, or equipment purchases.

(iii) Include a schedule of payments to finish the project if an agency proposes to use funds from two or more annual apportionments.

(11) Multipurpose projects. Describe the method for allocating costs in multipurpose projects and facilities as described in §§ 80.63 and 80.64.

(12) Relationship with other grants. Describe any relationship between this project and other work funded by Federal grants that is planned, anticipated, or underway.

(13) Timeline. Describe significant milestones in completing the project and any accomplishments to date.

(14) General. Provide information in the project statement that:

(i) Shows that the proposed activities are eligible for funding and substantial in character and design; and

(ii) Enables the Service to comply with the applicable requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 and 4331-4347), the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470s), and other laws, regulations, and policies.

[76 FR 46156, Aug. 1, 2011, as amended at 84 FR 44787, Aug. 27, 2019]

(a) The Regional Director must provide at least 10 percent and no more than 75 percent of the allowable costs of a grant-funded project to the fish and wildlife agencies of the 50 States. The Regional Director generally approves any Federal share from 10 to 75 percent as proposed by one of the 50 States if the:

(1) Funds are available; and

(2) Application is complete and consistent with laws, regulations, and policies.

(b) The Regional Director may provide funds to the District of Columbia to pay 75 to 100 percent of the allowable costs of a grant-funded project in a program or subprogram authorized by the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. The Regional Director decides on the specific Federal share between 75 and 100 percent based on what he or she decides is fair, just, and equitable. The Regional Director may reduce the Federal share to less than 75 percent of allowable project costs only if the District of Columbia voluntarily provides match to pay the remaining allowable costs. However, the Regional Director must not reduce the Federal share below 10 percent unless he or she follows the procedure at paragraph (d) of this section.

(c) The Regional Director may provide funds to pay 75 to 100 percent of the allowable costs of a project funded by a grant to a fish and wildlife agency of the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. The Regional Director decides on the specific Federal share between 75 and 100 percent based on what he or she decides is fair, just, and equitable. The Regional Director may reduce the Federal share to less than 75 percent of allowable project costs only if the Commonwealth or territorial fish and wildlife agency voluntarily provides match to pay the remaining allowable costs. However, the Regional Director must not reduce the Federal share below 10 percent unless he or she follows the procedure at paragraph (d) of this section. The Federal share of allowable costs for a grant-funded project for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa may be affected by the waiver process described at § 80.84(c).

(d) The Regional Director may waive the 10-percent minimum Federal share of allowable costs if the State, District of Columbia, Commonwealth, or territory requests a waiver and provides compelling reasons to justify why it is necessary for the Federal government to fund less than 10 percent of the allowable costs of a project.

(a) To establish the non-Federal share of a grant-funded project for the 50 States, the Regional Director approves an application for Federal assistance in which the State fish and wildlife agency proposes the specific non-Federal share by estimating the Federal and match dollars, consistent with § 80.83(a).

(b) To establish the non-Federal share of a grant-funded project for the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Regional Director:

(1) Decides which percentage is fair, just, and equitable for the Federal share consistent with § 80.83(b) through (d);

(2) Subtracts the Federal share percentage from 100 percent to determine the percentage of non-Federal share; and

(3) Applies the percentage of non-Federal share to the allowable costs of a grant-funded project to determine the match requirement.

(c) To establish the non-Federal share of a grant-funded project for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa, the Regional Director must first calculate a preliminary percentage of non-Federal share in the same manner as described in paragraph (b) of this section. Following 48 U.S.C. 1469a, the Regional Director must then waive the first $200,000 of match to establish the final non-Federal match requirement for a project that includes funding from only one grant program or subprogram. If a project includes funds from more than one grant program or subprogram, the Regional Director must waive the first $200,000 of match applied to the funds for each program and subprogram.

The requirements that apply to match include:

(a) Match may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions.

(b) Unless authorized by Federal law, the State fish and wildlife agency or any other entity must not:

(1) Use as match Federal funds or the value of an in-kind contribution acquired with Federal funds; or

(2) Use the cost or value of an in-kind contribution to satisfy a match requirement if the cost or value has been or will be used to satisfy a match requirement of another Federal grant, cooperative agreement, or contract.

(c) The agency must fulfill match requirements at the:

(1) Grant level if the grant has funds from a single subaccount; or

(2) Subaccount level if the grant has funds from more than one subaccount.