The Wildlife Restoration Program provides grant funds to State and Territorial fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat.
This information applies to:
Wildlife Restoration Program
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Overview
The Wildlife Restoration Program, authorized by the Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson PR) of 1937, is the nation's oldest and most successful wildlife management program. In addition to funding projects supporting wildlife and their habitats, the Program also funds projects which provide public use and access to wildlife resources, hunter education, and development and management of shooting ranges.
Authorities
50 CFR 80 Administrative Requirements, Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Acts
§ 80.50 What activities are eligible for funding under the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act?
The following activities are eligible for funding in these programs and subprograms under the Wildlife Restoration Act:
(a) Traditional Wildlife Restoration program. The following wildlife restoration projects and other associated activities are eligible for funding under apportionments authorized at 16 U.S.C. 669c(b).
(1) Restoring and managing wildlife for the benefit of the public.
(2) Conducting research on the problems of managing wildlife and its habitat if necessary to administer wildlife resources efficiently. This research may include social science activities.
(3) Obtaining data to guide and direct the regulation of hunting.
(4) Acquiring real property suitable or capable of being made suitable for:
(i) Wildlife habitat or management;
(ii) Providing public access for hunting or other wildlife-oriented recreation; or
(iii) Supporting other eligible activities described under this paragraph (a), including maintaining and operating property under the ownership or management control of the State fish and wildlife agency and that support eligible activities under the Wildlife Restoration Act.
(5) Wildlife restoration projects for restoring, rehabilitating, improving, managing, or maintaining areas of lands or waters as wildlife habitat.
(6) Building structures or acquiring equipment, goods, and services for:
(i) Restoring, rehabilitating, or improving lands or waters as wildlife habitat;
(ii) Supporting wildlife management;
(iii) Providing public access for hunting or other wildlife-oriented recreation; or
(iv) Supporting other eligible activities described under this paragraph (a), including maintaining and operating equipment under the ownership or management control of the State fish and wildlife agency and that support eligible activities under the Wildlife Restoration Act.
(7) Acquiring land for, expanding, or constructing public target ranges following the requirements of § 80.60 when combining up to 10 percent of annually apportioned Traditional Wildlife Restoration funds (16 U.S.C. 669c(b)) with Enhanced Hunter Education and Safety funds (16 U.S.C. 669h-1). When Traditional Wildlife Restoration funds are committed to the Wildlife Restoration for Public Target Ranges 90/10/5 subaccount, they are no longer eligible for Traditional Wildlife Restoration activities.
(8) Communicating with the public (see § 80.52(h)), including:
(i) Outreach and sharing information on award activities, accomplishments, performance, or other communication related to meeting the objectives of an award;
(ii) Providing the public with information on Wildlife Management Areas; public access for hunting or other wildlife-associated recreation; notices on safety, rule changes, and topics of interest to the public related to wildlife management; and other opportunities available to the public as a result of a Traditional Wildlife Restoration award;
(iii) Liaising with the media or other venues to provide public information related to the objectives of an award; or
(iv) Other forms of communication that support a State's wildlife restoration and management objectives in an award.
(9) Public relations, advertising as a form of outreach, and marketing that are associated with achieving eligible objectives require prior approval of the Service. These activities are allowable only when included in the approach of an approved award to accomplish eligible activities and meet award objectives. Communication that solely benefits the agency is unallowable public relations and is not eligible for funding under the Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Wildlife Restoration Program funded?
Excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment and arrow components are collected and appropriated from the Wildlife Restoration Account. These funds are apportioned to states, the District of Columbia and insular areas based on a formula.
May an activity be eligible for funding if it is not explicitly eligible according to the regulations in this part? (50 CFR 80.53)
Yes. An activity may be eligible for funding even if the regulations in this part do not explicitly designate it as an eligible activity if:
(a) The State fish and wildlife agency justifies in the project statement how the activity will help carry out the purposes of the program or subprogram under the Wildlife Restoration Act or the Sport Fish Restoration Act;
(b) The activities are allowable under 2 CFR part 200; and
(c) The Regional Director concurs with the justification.
Are costs of State central services eligible for funding? (50 CFR 80.54)
Yes. Administrative costs in the form of overhead or indirect costs for State central services outside of the State fish and wildlife agency are eligible for funding under the Acts and must follow an approved cost-allocation plan. These expenses must not exceed 3 percent of the funds apportioned annually to the State under the Acts.
What activities are ineligible for funding? (50 CFR 80.55)
The following activities are ineligible for funding under the Acts, except when necessary to carry out project purposes approved by the Regional Director:
(a) Law enforcement activities (see definition at § 80.2).
(b) The formal administrative process for establishing State fish and wildlife agency regulations. This process:
(1) Begins when boards, commissions, or other policymakers receive information and recommendations from State fish and wildlife agencies and use this input to develop and implement public policy.
(2) Involves official filing and publication of regulations, including State administrative procedures to officially adopt rules and laws to meet authoritative requirements.
(3) Includes printing and distributing the official code of regulations, or State equivalent, except as provided for under §§ 80.50(b)(2)(ii) and 80.51(d)(2) (which pertains to the agency's interpretive guides and regulatory resources for the public) for the purposes of R3.
(c) License sales and other activities conducted for the primary purpose of producing income. These activities include processes and procedures directly related to the sale of items listed at § 80.20(a).
(d) Activities, projects, or programs that promote or encourage opposition to the regulated taking of fish, hunting, or the trapping of wildlife.
(e) Activities or projects that do not provide public access when access is a purpose of the funding or an objective of the award (see § 80.58).
Learning Aids
Wildlife Restoration Program Quick Reference
2 Comments
Penny Bartnicki
Sep 15, 2016When clicking on the Basic/Enhanced Hunter Ed link it just rolls to the top of the current page rather than linking to the Hunter Ed info.... Thanks. plb
Pete Barlow
Sep 26, 2016Eligibility information and specific eligible activities are subject to change, and may change in the first revision of 50 CFR 80/2016, (this fall). Does this page alleviate a burning need for something?