F24AS00367 FWS - White-nose Syndrome Research for Conservation Grants - 2024

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) makes funding available for research and conservation action to support the management of white-nose syndrome (WNS) and susceptible bat species. The Service leads the coordinated National Response to WNS and provides financial and technical assistance to nongovernmental, university, and private researchers, as well as state and local governments, Native American tribes, and federal agencies to support management of WNS and conservation of bats. Projects receiving WNS Research for Conservation Grants will investigate priority questions to improve our collective ability to manage the disease and conduct actions that conserve affected bat species. In 2024, priorities for this funding opportunity are indicated below:Priority 1: Understand Pd invasion, WNS progression, and WNS impacts in western and southern regions of North America, with particular focus on Myotis spp., Perimyotis subflavus, Parastrellus Hesperus.WNS management decisions depend on a clear understanding of the distribution and abundance of Pd, interactions between Pd and susceptible species, severity of disease impacts to those species, and variation in susceptibility among individuals of a species. The USFWS seeks proposals in this category that substantially add to knowledge that can inform decisions about WNS management and treatment actions. Priority 2: Characterize critical features of winter or summer roosts and habitat associated with important persisting, recovering, or at-risk populations of WNS-susceptible species in order to conserve, preserve, or enhance resources for these populations.WNS-impacted species continue to be present across their ranges, although with notable differences associated with habitat types, locations, behavior, and other factors. The USFWS seeks proposals in this category that lead to information specifically needed to support bat conservation and management decisions. Priority 3: Develop novel, biotechnological tools that remove or suppress Pd's pathogenic properties, making it unable to cause severe disease. Of particular interest are projects that use a Pd-specific mycovirus, or other tools, to effect changes in genes or gene expression in Pd. There are several tools available intended to reduce the abundance of Pd in hibernacula or the severity of WNS in bats. These involve repeated application or long-term commitments that may limit the scalability and long-term viability of such management actions. The USFWS seeks proposals in this category to produce original tools (i.e., novel mechanisms) or innovative applications for transformative management of Pd and WNS.