The Partners for Fish and Wildlife (Partners) Program provides financial and technical assistance to private landowners and local partners interested in restoring streams, springs, sagebrush, and other native habitats on private property. The program operates on a voluntary basis, relying on interested landowners to provide opportunities for restoration on their lands. Under a cooperative agreement, landowners agree to retain the restoration project for at least ten years but otherwise maintain full control of their land.

Partners Program Goals:

• Restore and protect native habitats that provide long-term benefits to Federal trust species, including migratory birds, anadromous fish, threatened or endangered species, and species of special concern
• Work with partners to identify high-priority restoration projects using the best available scientific information
• Compliment activities on National Wildlife Refuge System lands, or contribute to projects that will benefit refuge lands
• Assist partners with applying for other Service funding programs, including the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grants, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act grants, Endangered Species Program grants, Fish Passage Program grants, Tribal Wildlife Grants, and others. Click here for more grant info
  

Partners Program Projects:

The highest priority projects are those that restore native habitat and provide long-term benefits to Federal trust species, including anadromous fish, migratory birds, federally-listed species, or species of special concern. Examples of project types include:

• Building livestock exclusion fencing and alternative watering systems to allow for restoration of streams and riparian areas
• Returning meanders and floodplain features to straightened stream channels in order to restore natural and hydrologic connection and function
• Planting native trees and shrubs along riparian corridors and wetland edges
• Removing exotic invasive plants that alter the natural habitat and compete with native species
• Removing barriers to fish passage, which includes replacing undersized culverts and irrigation diversion structures to improve fish passage and hydrologic connection
• Restoring long-term stream bank stability through bioengineering techniques (e.g. vegetative approaches to stabilizing eroding banks)
• Restoring historic hydraulic function and vegetative condition of desert spring systems
  

Eligibility Information:

1. Partners funding can be used to restore habitat on any non-Federal or non-State land. Funding recipients may include private landowners, tribes, counties, cities, watershed groups, non-profit organizations, and businesses.

2. Partners funding is generally limited to a maximum of $25,000 per project, but greater amounts may be considered.

3. The landowner agrees to retain restoration improvements for a minimum of 10 years (but otherwise retains full property rights, including right of trespass). Longer time commitments are encourages and improve the likelihood of funding.

4. There is no minimum cost-share requirement, although projects with a higher cost-share, especially from the landowner, are more competitive. Cost-share may be in-kind (e.g. labor, materials, use of equipment) or monetary.

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