Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund RFP Grant

The Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund, initiated in 2018, aims to enhance ecosystems in the Delaware River watershed through grants supporting habitat restoration and water quality improvement. With $72.1 million awarded to 239 projects, it has significantly impacted over 26 miles of riparian habitat and 77 miles of stream habitat, along with conserving 1,176 acres of wetlands. This initiative, funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, also emphasizes outdoor recreation and community vitality in the region.

The Delaware River Program is dedicated to restoring the fish and wildlife habitats and water quality of the Delaware River and its tributaries. The Delaware River Program currently awards grants through two competitive funding opportunities - the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund and Delaware River Restoration Fund.
DWCF awards grants to projects that address these strategies. Since 2018, the Fund has awarded $85.5 million to 270 projects, which generated over $120 million in match, for a total conservation impact of $205.6 million. These projects will collectively restore nearly 30 miles of riparian habitat and over 79 miles of stream habitat, conserve and enhance 983 acres of wetland habitat, restore 129 acres of floodplain, improve 36,053 acres of forest habitat and open 9,879 acres for public access.
Major funding for the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Delaware River Restoration Fund The Delaware River Restoration Fund was launched in late 2013 to help community-based nonprofits and government agencies work together to clean up and restore polluted waters and improve habitat for target species, including eastern brook trout and river herring.
The Fund awarded approximately $2 million per year in competitive grants, geographically focused on three priority strategies: (1) stewardship of working lands; (2) restoration of wetlands, floodplains and stream corridors; and (3) promoting the adoption of nature-based solutions in urban/suburban landscapes.
From 2014 to 2023, the Delaware River Restoration Fund awarded 108 grants totaling $19.5 million. These investments leveraged more than $28.9 million in grantee matching funds to fund agriculture conservation, nature-based stormwater solutions and innovative projects to improve the water quality of the Delaware River. The fund implemented nearly 44,000 acres of best management practices to improve water quality, and restored more than 140 acres of wetlands and 60 miles of riparian and instream habitat.
The Delaware River Restoration Fund was administered by NFWF in cooperation with the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, with major funding from the William Penn Foundation.