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Tri-colored bat in a cave

Bats for the Future Fund

The Bats for the Future Fund provides funding for existing and novel treatments for white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed millions of bats over the two decades.

Partners

Bats play critical roles in the U.S. controlling agricultural, forest and human pests. Recent studies estimate that the pesticide services of bats are worth more than $1 billion annually to the U.S. corn industry alone, and more than $3.7 billion annually to all agricultural production.

Unfortunately, millions of bats have died over the past decade from the white-nose syndrome disease (WNS) spread. In some sites where WNS has been detected, up to 100 percent of bats have disappeared. Since signs of the disease were first observed in New York in 2006, WNS has spread rapidly to 40 states and eight Canadian provinces. Most recently, in 2023, it was confirmed in New Mexico.

WNS is caused by a cold-loving fungus that attacks hibernating bats. More than half of the bat species in the United States and Canada hibernate to survive the winter, and are potentially susceptible to this disease. Without a solution to this devastating problem, several bat species may be in danger of extinction.

The Bats for the Future Fund provides grant funding 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. Objectives are to implement field treatments, management tools and conservation strategies that help WNS-affected bat populations to recover from the impacts of WNS, and support innovative and collaborative research leading to development and deployment of treatments and management tools or strategies for WNS that will perpetuate viable populations of bats. Major funding for the Bats for the Future Fund is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with additional funding from NextEra Energy, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Southern Company and the Avangrid Foundation.

Application Information


Bats for the Future Fund 2023 Request for Proposals - CLOSED View Now
BFF 2023 Applicant Webinar Recording View Now
BFF 2023 Applicant Webinar Slides View Now
Environmental Compliance Checklist for NFWF Projects View Now
Grantee Orientation Webinar View Now
Grantee Orientation Webinar Recording View Now
Subrecipient Environmental Compliance Acknowledgment View Now
ESA Evaluation Template View Now
Program Fact Sheet Download the PDF
2023 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2022 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2021 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2019 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2018 Grant Slate Download the PDF
2017 Grant Slate Download the PDF
Staff Representatives

Director, Northeastern Regional Office

Manager, Northeastern Regional Office

Regional Program Coordinator