PacWest Bat Hub Forum

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, is soliciting proposals through the Bats for the Future Fund to slow or halt the spread of white-nose syndrome disease (WNS) in North America and promote the survival and recovery of WNS-affected bat populations and species. Applications are due Thursday, August 14th, 2025.   The BFF will award grants of $50,000 to $250,000 each to implement strategies that will have a meaningful impact on the survival of bat populations. The ability and extent to which NFWF is able to make awards is contingent upon receipt of funds from federal agencies and/or other funding partners. Final funding decisions will be made based on the applications received and the level and timing of funding received by NFWF. Major funding for the BFF is provided by the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service, with additional important funding provided by NextEra Energy Resources, through its charitable arm, the NextEra Energy Foundation, and Southern Company.   Notes about this year’s program:  • Full Proposal Due Date: Thursday, August 14th, 2025, by 11:59 PM ET   • Grant Amounts & Match: $50,000 to $250,000; a match valued at 50 percent of the total grant amount requested from BFF (not the total project budget) is preferred but not required. • Eligible Applicants: non-profit 501(c) organizations, U.S. Federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal Governments and Organizations, research and educational institutions, and for-profit entities. • Geographic Focus: North America    • Program Goals: Advance treatments and management tools that provide the greatest potential to improve bat survival by preventing exposure to Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the fungal pathogen that causes WNS, and/or enhancing bats’ ability to withstand the disease; implement treatments, management tools, and habitat conservation strategies that help WNS-affected bat populations to recover from the impacts of WNS; and support innovative and collaborative research leading directly to the deployment of treatments and management for WNS and WNS-affected species.   Technical assistance and resources for applicants:  • BFF Applicant Webinar: A webinar will be posted Wednesday, July 16th on the BFF RFP website.  • BFF Tip Sheet: A Tip Sheet is available for quick reference while you are working through your application, and provides guidance on how to complete each section of your Easygrants proposal. The Tip Sheet is available here. • BFF FAQ – A list of Frequently Asked Questions from across several BFF RFPs is available for reference, and will be updated throughout the 2025 application period as additional questions arise. The FAQ is available here.

The AFWA Bat Working Group has been updating guidance originally developed to address potential risks of exposure from SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19)-infected humans to North American bats after states/provinces called for broader recommendations. The updates cover precautions that agencies should take to prevent transmission and exposure of bats to a range of infectious agents and unspecified pathogens and are intended to inform internal policies at fish and wildlife agencies regarding activities conducted or permitted by the agencies that involve handling or humans in proximity to bats.

Bats Northwest (www.batsnorthwest.org) is starting a pilot project doing mobile surveys in the Puget Sound area in Washington state. Jessie's input on the protocol updates are very timely.