Opportunity Information: Apply for F17AS00214
The Fiscal Year 2018 Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG) Tier 1 State opportunity is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.622). It is designed to help states and eligible U.S. jurisdictions build, renovate, and maintain boating infrastructure that serves transient recreational boats that are 26 feet or longer. The program exists because large recreational vessels need specialized docking and support amenities when traveling, and the federal government uses BIG funding to expand and improve those facilities in a way that benefits boaters moving from place to place.
This funding authority comes from the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178), which created the BIG Program under 16 U.S.C. 777g-1 and amended the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777). The program is supported through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and later reauthorizations continued the ability to spend trust fund dollars on boating infrastructure. The NOFO referenced here is specifically for FY 2018 Tier 1 State grants; Tier 2 National grants are handled under a separate Grants.gov announcement.
BIG funds target facilities that can accommodate eligible vessels and improve the experience and safety of traveling boaters. In this program, "boating infrastructure" is defined broadly to include the structures, equipment, accessories, and services that are necessary or desirable for a facility to host these larger recreational boats. The emphasis is on transient use, meaning the boats supported by these projects are typically passing through an area and staying no more than 15 days. That transient requirement helps ensure the funded infrastructure supports travel and navigation rather than long-term, private slip tenancy.
A key condition is that projects built or improved with BIG dollars must provide public access. The facilities themselves may be publicly owned or privately owned, but the benefits of the infrastructure must remain available to the public boating community consistent with the program rules. In practice, that can include improvements at marinas or harbors as long as the project supports transient boaters and meets public access expectations.
Eligibility under this Tier 1 announcement is limited to state governments and the eligible jurisdictions listed in the program description: the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The grant instrument type is a standard grant, and the funding activity areas are tied to community development, environment, and natural resources because boating facilities intersect with local economies, public recreation, and waterfront stewardship.
For this FY 2018 Tier 1 competition, the notice lists an award ceiling of $200,000 and an expectation of around 30 awards. The opportunity number is F17AS00214. The NOFO was created May 18, 2017, with an original closing date of September 11, 2017, set to allow applications to be received and reviewed ahead of an internal FBMS blackout period. Overall, the opportunity reflects the scale of recreational boating in the U.S. (roughly 12 million registered boats, with an estimated 560,000 at least 26 feet long) and aims to ensure that boaters traveling with larger vessels have reliable, publicly accessible places to stop, dock, and obtain essential services along their routes.Apply for F17AS00214
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the community development, environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Fiscal Year 2018 Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (Tier 1 - State)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.622.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 18, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 11, 2017 This due date allows applications to be received and evaluated prior to the FBMS blackout period. It is 117 days after the estimated posting date.. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Tier 1 State (FY 2018) - FAQs
What is the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program Tier 1 State opportunity?
The Fiscal Year 2018 Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG) Tier 1 State opportunity is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (CFDA 15.622). It supports the construction, renovation, and maintenance of boating infrastructure that serves transient recreational boats that are 26 feet or longer.
Who runs this grant program?
The program is run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this program is 15.622.
What is the purpose of this funding?
The purpose is to expand and improve facilities needed by large recreational vessels while traveling. The funding is aimed at ensuring boaters moving from place to place have reliable, publicly accessible locations to dock and access necessary or desirable amenities and services.
What kinds of boats are intended to benefit from BIG-funded projects?
This program is designed to serve transient recreational boats that are 26 feet or longer.
What does "transient" mean in this program?
In this program, "transient" refers to traveling boats that are passing through an area and generally stay no more than 15 days.
Why is the transient requirement important?
The transient requirement helps ensure the infrastructure supports travel and navigation rather than long-term, private slip tenancy.
What is considered "boating infrastructure" under this opportunity?
"Boating infrastructure" is defined broadly to include structures, equipment, accessories, and services that are necessary or desirable for a facility to host larger recreational boats.
Are projects required to provide public access?
Yes. A key condition is that projects built or improved with BIG dollars must provide public access, and the benefits of the infrastructure must remain available to the public boating community consistent with program rules.
Can privately owned facilities or marinas be improved using BIG funds?
Yes. Facilities may be publicly owned or privately owned, as long as the project supports transient boaters and meets the program's public access expectations.
Who is eligible to apply under this Tier 1 State announcement?
Eligibility is limited to state governments and the eligible U.S. jurisdictions listed in the opportunity: the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Is this the Tier 1 State competition or the Tier 2 National competition?
This notice is specifically for the FY 2018 Tier 1 State grants. Tier 2 National grants are handled under a separate Grants.gov announcement.
What is the grant instrument type?
The grant instrument type is a standard grant.
What are the funding activity areas associated with this opportunity?
The funding activity areas are tied to community development, environment, and natural resources, reflecting the way boating facilities intersect with local economies, public recreation, and waterfront stewardship.
What is the award ceiling for the FY 2018 Tier 1 competition?
The notice lists an award ceiling of $200,000.
About how many awards are expected?
The notice indicates an expectation of around 30 awards.
What is the opportunity number for this grant announcement?
The opportunity number provided is F17AS00214.
When was the NOFO created?
The NOFO was created on May 18, 2017.
What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date listed was September 11, 2017.
Why did the notice reference an internal FBMS blackout period?
The notice explains that the closing date was set to allow applications to be received and reviewed ahead of an internal FBMS blackout period.
What legislation authorizes this program?
The funding authority comes from the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178). This created the BIG Program under 16 U.S.C. 777g-1 and amended the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777).
What fund supports the BIG Program?
The program is supported through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, and later reauthorizations continued the ability to spend trust fund dollars on boating infrastructure.
How does this opportunity relate to the scale of recreational boating in the U.S.?
The notice notes the broad context of recreational boating in the U.S., referencing roughly 12 million registered boats and an estimated 560,000 vessels that are at least 26 feet long, to highlight the need for adequate transient boating facilities for larger boats.
What kinds of benefits are BIG projects intended to deliver to boaters?
The opportunity emphasizes improving the experience and safety of traveling boaters by expanding and improving docking and support amenities suited to larger recreational vessels.
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Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (F17AS00214) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (Tier 2 - National) Apply for F17AS00215 Funding Number: F17AS00215 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Bridging traditional ecological knowledge with modern land management Apply for F17AS00336 Funding Number: F17AS00336 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $55,000 |
| Lewis and Clark Expedition Exhibit Development- LECL Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00179 Funding Number: NPS NOIP18AC00179 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $95,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F18AS00160 Funding Number: F18AS00160 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F18AS00161 Funding Number: F18AS00161 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F19AS00201 Funding Number: F19AS00201 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act Apply for F19AS00202 Funding Number: F19AS00202 Agency: Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Partnership in Resource Enhancement, Protection and Education- NIOB Apply for NPS NOIPAC00002 Funding Number: NPS NOIPAC00002 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Restoration of wet woods and coastal wetland areas around Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial on South Bass Island, OH (Lake Erie)- GLRI Apply for NPS NOIP17AC01120 Funding Number: NPS NOIP17AC01120 Agency: National Park Service Category: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $325,000 |
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