Pulling Together Initiative seeks proposals that will help control invasive plant species

The Pulling Together Initiative has issued a Request for Proposals that will help control invasive plant species, mostly through the work of public/private partnerships such as Cooperative Weed Management Areas. PTI applications are accepted from private non-profit (501)(c) organizations, local, county, and state government agencies, and from field staff of federal government agencies. Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible to receive PTI grants, but are encouraged to work with eligible applicants to develop and submit applications to PTI.

PTI grants provide an opportunity to initiate working partnerships and demonstrate successful collaborative efforts such as the development of permanent funding sources for Weed Management Areas. To be competitive, a project must:

• prevent, manage, or eradicate invasive and noxious plants through a coordinated program of public/private partnerships; and 
• increase public awareness of the adverse impacts of invasive and noxious plants. 

Successful PTI projects:

• Focus on a particular well-defined area, such as a watershed, ecosystem, landscape, county or Weed Management Area. 
• Target a specific and measurable conservation outcome.
• Are supported by private landowners, state and local governments, and the regional/state offices of federal agencies. 
• Have a project Steering Committee composed of local cooperators who are committed to working together to manage invasive and noxious plants across their jurisdictional boundaries. 
• Have a clear long-term weed management plan which is based on an integrated pest management approach using the principles of ecosystem management. 
• Include a specific, ongoing, and adaptive public outreach and education component.

Special consideration for funding will be given to projects that:

• Address invasive species threats impacting one of the NFWF Keystone Initiative focal topics including for example:

• Eastern North America Early Successional Habitat (Wildlife and Habitat, Birds)
• Prairie Couteau Grasslands (Wildlife and Habitat)
• Sky Islands Grasslands (Wildlife and Habitat)
• Gunnison sage-grouse (Birds)
• Southeastern Grasslands (Birds)
• Seabirds (Birds)
• Shortgrass Prairie (Birds)
• Colorado River Fishes (Fish)

• Address invasive plant management through an Early Detection/Rapid Response approach.

For additional information about each of these Keystone Initiatives, visit www.nfwf.org/keystones.