F26AS00023 FY2026 Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program
The Fish and Wildlife Service funds eligible stranding network participants and collaborators to rescue and care for marine mammals, respond to strandings, collect samples, and build response capacity.
Funder: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Due Dates: November 30, 2026 (applications)
Funding Amounts: Up to $150,000 in federal funds for up to three years; approximately $2.35 million available
Summary: Supports rescue, care, research, and response capacity for stranded marine mammals under Department of the Interior management.
Key Information: Applicants must provide at least 25% of total project costs from non-federal sources.
Description
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) funds marine mammal stranding participants and network collaborators through the John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program. Projects may support recovery and treatment of sick, injured, or entangled animals; emergency stranding response; collection of data and samples for marine mammal health research; directly related facility operating costs; and response capacity or training where facilities are sparse or absent.
This opportunity focuses on wild populations under Department of the Interior management: West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears. Proposals must address at least one current species-specific funding priority, and applications focused on marine mammal strandings receive priority. The full announcement details priorities by species and region.
