The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the recipients of the 2022 Zoonotic Disease Initiative grants. Authorized under the American Rescue Plan, this three-year grant program is focused on protecting the public through wildlife disease prevention and preparedness. This year, the Service is awarding $6.3 million in funding to five states and five Tribes to strengthen early detection, rapid response and science-based management research to address wildlife disease outbreaks before they cross the barrier from animals to humans and become pandemics.
The funding will be used to increase organizational readiness and ensure a network of state, Tribal and territorial wildlife managers across the nation are prepared for zoonotic disease outbreaks. Work to strengthen partner capacity for wildlife health monitoring will also allow for the early detection of diseases.
“The Zoonotic Disease Initiative funding demonstrates our commitment to helping Tribes, territories and states safeguard the health of wildlife and the public,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “This funding and these efforts, made possible by the American Rescue Plan and supported by the Administration, will enhance our ability to quickly confront wildlife disease outbreaks and help prevent future pandemics.”
Zoonotic diseases are defined as those that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Preventing and effectively responding to disease threats requires close collaboration among partners working at local, regional, national and global scales. Recognizing this, the Service engages with partners in One Health - a collaborative, multisector and trans-disciplinary approach to achieve optimal health and well-being outcomes for people and wildlife.
The recipients of the first-ever Zoonotic Disease Initiative Grants are as follows:
Tribes
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - Developing Tribal Capacity for Zoonotic Disease Preparedness and Response – A One Health Initiative, $773,303
- InterTribal Buffalo Council - Building Capacity and Strengthening Wildlife Health and Disease Networks Through Buffalo Necropsy Trainings in Indian Country, $247,544
- Karuk Tribe - Ithivthaneenyav, One Good Earth, Indigenous Wildlife Health Infrastructure Project, $775,000
- Lummi Indian Business Council - Lummi Nation Natural Resources Wildlife Disease Management Program, $354,067
- Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska – Development of Avian Flu Prioritization for Multisector Engagement, $774,478
States
- Alabama -- Wildlife Health and Zoonotic Disease, $702,706
- Arkansas -- Arkansas Fish and Wildlife Health Response Proposal for Zoonotic Disease Initiative Funding, $434,782
- Florida -- Increasing the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Ability to Respond to Wildlife Disease Events: Building Capacity & Interconnections, $759,245
- Indiana, Establishing a Stakeholder Preparedness Framework for Existing and Emerging Zoonoses, $764,410
- Oregon -- Building an Eastern Pacific Marine One Health Coalition to Strengthen Capacity for Health Monitoring, Zoonotic Disease Surveillance, Response and Management in Marine Ecosystems, $746,757
Please visit the Service’s Zoonotic Disease Initiative webpage for more information.
Since March 2021, the American Rescue Plan has been delivering direct relief to the American people and rescuing the American economy from the impacts of COVID-19. This effort has been changing the course of the pandemic to deliver immediate and direct relief to families and workers impacted by COVID-19 crisis through no fault of their own.
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