Floodplains by Design Grants

The Floodplains by Design Grants program aims to enhance community resilience to flooding and restore vital habitats in Washington's river corridors. This initiative, led by the Washington Department of Ecology and various partners, supports projects that mitigate flood risks while preserving agriculture and promoting outdoor recreation. Eligible applicants include local governments and nonprofits, focusing on integrated floodplain management to address climate impacts and ensure sustainable development.

NOTE: 2024 pre-proposal and full-proposal deadlines are for the 2025-2027 Biennium cycle.
Climate change and floodplains
Floodplains by Design (FbD) is an ambitious public-private partnership led by Ecology, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and Puget Sound Partnership. FbD works to accelerate integrated efforts to reduce flood risks and restore habitat along Washington's major river corridors. Its goal is to improve the resiliency of floodplains to protect local communities and the health of the environment. FbD also supports important Washington values, such as agriculture, clean water, and outdoor recreation. By working together, organizations can align state and federal investments with locally-driven solutions that address floodplain management challenges and create a more sustainable future.
Floodplains by design grant program
Floodplains by Design (FbD) is our primary grant program for projects that help communities live better in their floodplain. This competitive grant program is a component of a public-private partnership led by Ecology, The Nature Conservancy, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the Puget Sound Partnership. It is focused on re-establishing floodplain functions in Washington’s major river corridors, as well as reducing flood risk.
Floodplains provide important habitat for salmon, rich soil for farms, and beautiful backdrops for residents and visitors to Washington. In the past, attempts were made to control rivers, thinking flooding could be stopped by walling off rivers with levees, straightening them, and laying a grid of commercial and residential development across them. Now, salmon runs are disappearing, and more people live in the path of dangerous floodwaters.
Local and Tribal governments, along with nonprofit organizations, are using FbD grants across Washington to complete multi-benefit projects that reduce flood hazards to communities and restore the natural functions of rivers and their floodplains. These FbD projects bring together many different stakeholders in the floodplain to:

• Improve flood protection for communities that live and work in floodplains.
• Conserve and restore habitat for salmon and other important aquatic species.
• Preserve farmland to keep agriculture viable for future generations.
• Improve water quality.
• Enhance outdoor recreation.

Eligibility

Entities eligible to apply include:Counties, cities, and towns.Special purpose districts, such as flood control districts.Conservation districts.Municipal or quasi-municipal corporations.Federally recognized tribes.Not-for-profit organizations that are recognized as tax exempt by the Internal Revenue Service. Eligible project activities include:Pre-construction planning and design projectFeasibility and/or Design projectsConstructionDesign and Construction combinedLand PurchaseProject specific outreach and education componentsRiparian/wetland restorationPre- and post-construction assessment elementsProjects must demonstrate a 20% match (i.e., Flood Control Zone District, city, county, state or federal funds).

Ineligibility

Floodplains by Design funds cannot be used for projects whose primary focus is remediation of toxic sediments or structuresPlanning Projects are not funded by Floodplains by Design. Proposals that have a primary component of performing advance flood hazard reduction or mitigation planning are not eligible in this grant program. Applicants who are interested in developing or updating a flood hazard plan should refer to Ecology’s Flood Control Assistance Account Program for information about grants for planning efforts. If you have questions about whether your proposal is eligible for FbD please contact your Ecology regional floodplain management specialist, listed in the contacts section above, prior to submitting a preapplication.