Grants & Incentives

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) administers several pass-through grant programs that provide funding opportunities for projects within Washington state conducted by outside organizations or members of the public. Funding is available for projects that benefit the conservation and management of fish and wildlife and their habitat. The federal government is often the funding source for pass-through grants, which are given to an individual state for distribution to the applicant. In some cases, other sources provide grant funds, which are then administered by WDFW.

Private individuals, non-profit groups and/or other non-governmental organizations:

• Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA) Volunteer Cooperative Projects Grant Program 
  Provides monetary support, on a cost reimbursement basis, for qualifying individuals, non-profit organizations, tribes and municipal subdivisions (cities, towns, counties, park and recreation, public utility districts and school districts) who undertake projects that benefit Washington state’s fish and wildlife resources.
• Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (Section 6 Grants)
  Four grant programs are available through the CESCF. They include the “Traditional” Conservation Grants and the “Non-traditional” Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition, Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance, and Recovery Land Acquisition Grants. WDFW administers the three “Non-traditional” pass through grants.
• Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP)
  The Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program provides grants to protect and restore the Puget Sound nearshore. The program was created by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to support the emerging priorities of the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Program.
• Partnerships for Pheasants
  Annual cash rental payments to landowners who plant and maintain high quality habitat for pheasants and allow public hunting
• Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Protection & Restoration Grant Program (EPA)
  Provides financial support, on a cost reimbursement basis, to qualifying local, state and tribal government agencies, and non-profit organizations, for projects that protect and restore marine and nearshore habitat and further Puget Sound 2020 recovery goals.
• Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Program (RFEG)
  Consists of 14 non-profit community-based organizations that work toward enhancing and recovering Washington’s salmon and steelhead and their habitats.
• Wildlife Rehabilitators Grants Project
  The Grants to Wildlife Rehabilitators Project helps support licensed wildlife rehabilitators by compensating them for care of sick and injured wildlife.

• Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account (ALEA) Volunteer Cooperative Projects Grant Program 
  Provides monetary support, on a cost reimbursement basis, for qualifying individuals, non-profit organizations, tribes and municipal subdivisions (cities, towns, counties, park and recreation, public utility districts and school districts) who undertake projects that benefit Washington state’s fish and wildlife resources.
• Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (Section 6 Grants)
  Four grant programs are available through the CESCF. They include the “Traditional” Conservation Grants and the “Non-traditional” Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition, Habitat Conservation Planning Assistance, and Recovery Land Acquisition Grants. WDFW administers the three “Non-traditional” pass through grants.
• Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP)
  The Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program provides grants to protect and restore the Puget Sound nearshore. The program was created by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to support the emerging priorities of the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Program.
• Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act (FRIMA)
  This Act provides the authority for the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to create a voluntary fish screen construction program for water withdrawal projects in the states of Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and western Montana.
• Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Protection & Restoration Grant Program (EPA)
  Provides financial support, on a cost reimbursement basis, to qualifying local, state and tribal government agencies, and non-profit organizations, for projects that protect and restore marine and nearshore habitat and further Puget Sound 2020 recovery goals.
• Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB)
  The Board provides grant funds to protect or restore salmon habitat and assist related activities.

In addition, a number of state and federal grant programs administered by other agencies provide funding opportunities for WDFW’s fish, wildlife and habitat management programs.

Federal Aid

• Grants.Gov - Grants.gov is your source to find and apply for federal government grants.
• Wildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson)
• Sport Fish Restoration (Dingle-Johnson and the Wallop-Breaux Amendment)
• State Wildlife Grants (SWGs)
• Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund
• National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Act Grant Program
• USDOC/NOAA - Columbia River Fisheries Development Program, Mitchell Act
• USDOI - North American Wetlands Conservation Grants Program (NAWCA)
• USDOI-USFWS, BLM — Fish, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Resource Management

Washington Recreation and Conservation Office

• Lead Entity Program
• Boating Facilities Grant Program
• Land and Water Conservation Fund
• Non-highway and Off-Road Vehicle Activities Program (NOVA)
• Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB)
• Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program

Other Washington State Grant Programs

• Family Forest & Fish Passage Program
  A Department of Natural Resources Program. The Family Forest Fish Passage Program is a cost-share program that helps small forest landowners correct fish passage barriers on their forestlands. The program provides 75-100 percent of the cost of correcting a barrier; it also provides technical assistance.