Engagement Grants

Engagement Grants aim to facilitate projects that foster communication and engagement with landowners and the community regarding restoration, acquisition, or resource assessment initiatives. These projects must demonstrate a clear connection to specific geographic areas and address ecosystem goals, ensuring measurable outcomes. Education projects are excluded, as eligibility focuses on activities directly linked to habitat protection and restoration, striving to enhance awareness and skills in watershed management.

Background
"Engagement Project" means a project whose purpose is to communicate and engage with landowners, organizations, and the community about the need for, feasibility, and benefits of a specific eligible restoration, acquisition, or resource assessment/planning project(s) within an identified geography, in order to successfully plan or implement said project. Education projects are not eligible.
Eligible Activities
To determine eligibility, project proponents should consider the outcomes of engagement projects. To qualify as necessary for restoration or acquisition, the project must be tied to a specific geography, address clearly articulated habitat or watershed or ecosystem function goals for that geography, and identify a clear path toward achieving the restoration or acquisition measurable outcomes within a reasonable and specific timeframe.
In the online application, applicants should select all activities that apply to the proposed project.

Ineligibility

Education projects are not eligible.Ineligible Activities:Activities not directly related to efforts to protect or restore native fish or wildlife habitat or improve water quality or stream flow are ineligible. Examples of ineligible activities include:Recreational activities (boating, trail riding, archery, fly tying and casting, etc.) and lessons on outdoor skills (wilderness survival, basic fire starting, wild native edibles, etc.).In-classroom natural resources or environmental lessons that have no outdoor component that protects, restores, or monitors native fish or wildlife habitat or water quality/quantity.Work parties (e.g., planting or pulling weeds) that do not include components to increase awareness, knowledge, or skills of participants regarding watershed restoration and protection.General science fairs or symposia or other informational events not directly associated with efforts to protect, restore, or monitor native fish or wildlife habitats or water quality or stream flows.Proposals that aim to increase awareness, understanding or knowledge of low-impact development or other “green” activities, but that are not associated with efforts that protect, restore, or monitor native fish or wildlife habitats or water quality or stream flows.Stand-alone proposals for a website, brochure, interpretive signs, book, or other stand-alone stakeholder engagement media.Note: The activities in this list can be eligible only if they are part of a larger set of eligible stakeholder engagement activities.