Black Duck Joint Venture 2009 Competitive Grant Program

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The Black Duck Joint Venture (BDJV) is a partnership-based conservation program under the North American Waterfowl Management Plan that promotes the conservation of Black Ducks by providing greater knowledge for effective management. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a partner in the BDJV, administers grants and purchase orders on a competitive basis for projects/studies that advance both our and the general scientific community's understanding of Black Duck ecology and is seeking proposals from interested parties. The BDJV will accept proposal addressing any aspect of black duck ecology and management, but proposals that address priority research needs (see full announcement) will have a greater probability of funding. The BDJV is currently supporting several research projects addressing high priority research needs (see full announcement) but will accept new proposals addressing these topics. The BDJV is receptive to funding annual projects as well as a limited number of multi-year (up to 3 years) projects. Successful multi-year projects will be funded in 1-year increments, subject to annual review, demonstration of suitable progress, and funds availability. After 3 years of consecutive funding, those projects may reapply and compete for BDJV funds in one-year increments only and they will be re-evaluated based on their continued merit. To be competitive for funding, proposals should include both cash match and in-kind support. Currently the only source of general funding is U.S. Congress-appropriated funds directed to USFWS for BDJV use -- we are expected to demonstrate effective leveraging of these funds, preferably with non-U.S.-federal resources. Examples of Recently Funded Projects: • Linking natal and harvest areas of American black ducks using stable isotope analysis.• Modeling the relative effects of Mallards and local habitat change on the occurrence and abundance of breeding black ducks in southern and central Ontario.• Determining food resource availability and estimating habitat carrying capacity for wintering and spring staging American black ducks in Virginia and southern New Jersey.Content and Form of Application: A complete application package will include the following components: 1.A project proposal 2.Standard Form (SF) 424

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