The Role of Today's Federal Aid Coordinator (WSFR)

By Ryan Oster, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife

Individuals new to the job often ask the question, “What exactly is my role as a federal aid coordinator?”  It’s a fair question.  Take for example a recently promoted fisheries biologist who has spent the last 10 years successfully implementing “on-the-water” conservation activities.  They were promoted because he/she has proven that they can manage the resource and has a passion for it.  As a federal aid coordinator, they find themselves now tasked as an administrator managing grants, budgets, and personnel; all perhaps from behind a desk, meanwhile leaving the responsibility of field work to others.  It’s no wonder why individuals may initially feel like a “fish out of water.”

At its core, the role of a federal aid coordinator is both to understand and implement basic and specialized grants management processes.  Whether you are employed by the granting agency or by the grantee, such implementation results in the most effective and efficient administration of rules, regulations, and processes as they relate to the various grant programs administered by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program staff.

Determining eligibility, developing grant proposals, verifying accurate coding, and ensuring timely completion of projects is but a mere fraction of the job duties of today’s federal aid coordinator.  The most skilled coordinators understand that the acceptance of federal funds triggers compliance requirements that must be ensured throughout each phase of the grants management process. Examples of compliance include: nondiscriminatory (i.g. civil rights, ADA); environmental (i.g. NEPA, Endangered Species Act); historic and cultural (i.g. National Historic Preservation Act), and administrative (i.g. Drug-Free Workplace, Uniform Relocation).  As if this list were not encompassing enough, additional compliance requirements are included as part of the annual submission of the Statement of Assurances; specifically, “Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other Federal laws, executive orders, regulations, and policies governing this program.”  Failure to comply with such requirements can put the grantee at risk for the suspension of federal grant funds, including the suspension of future grant funding opportunities.

In today’s difficult economic situation, the exceptional federal aid coordinator has become invaluable to their respective state fish and wildlife management agency as they struggle with the new realizations of declining funding and budgets, a shrinking user base, and increased political influence.  As agencies explore new opportunities to increase revenue (perhaps through changes in licensing structures, charging user fees, and allowing additional recreational/commercial activities on lands acquired or managed with federal funds), a federal aid coordinator must be well-informed to ensure that such strategies do not conflict with existing CFR’s, Executive Orders, or other compliance requirements as part of the participation in WSFR programs.

Since their inception, the WSFR programs have collectively provided over $14 billion in federal funds to state fish and wildlife management agencies.  Such funding amounts annually put state fish and wildlife management agencies under the radar as legislatures explore alternative avenues to redirect this funding in order to supplement budgetary shortfalls.  A savvy federal aid coordinator is conscious of their  agency’s assent legislation and the need to regularly review and modify, if necessary, its language in order to ensure that such funding is used for only its intended purposes and the administration of the fish and wildlife agency.      

The WSFR programs have been and will continue to be the cornerstones for the most successful fish and wildlife conservation and management efforts throughout North America.  These efforts would not be realized if not for the partnerships and collective efforts of hunters/anglers, industry, NGOs, and Federal/state conservation agencies.  Your role is instrumental to ensuring that these programs continue to be made available in your state to ensure for the future conservation and management of fish and wildlife resources and their habitats.  Whether you are employed by a state agency overseeing the implementation of WSFR programs, or whether you are employed by the federal government overseeing grant approvals and compliance, you can consider yourself to be a steward of not only the WSFR programs funding, but its history and future.