Monitoring Grants

The Monitoring Grants by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) focus on improving watershed conditions through data collection and analysis. Eligible projects include monitoring trends in watershed health, evaluating restoration efforts, and conducting rapid bio-assessments. Applicants must be legal entities such as local governments or non-profits. This initiative aims to ensure informed decision-making for environmental management and restoration, fostering sustainable practices and habitat improvement.

NOTE: OWEB strongly encourages interested applicants to hold a pre-application consultation call with your OWEB project manager and Effectiveness Monitoring Coordinator.​
In accordance with ORS 541.956(4), the board will consider only grant applications that:
Describe current watershed conditions by gathering and analyzing data, and making monitoring results publicly available;Establish trends about watershed conditions by gathering and analyzing data, and making monitoring results publicly available; orEvaluate the specific effects of a restoration or acquisition project or program by comparing similar watershed components before and after implementation of a restoration or acquisition project or program, and making monitoring results publicly available.
Monitoring applications must describe the specific habitat, stream, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, fish, other animals, invasive species, soil, and/or water quality and quantity variables measured. Applicants must explain the monitoring question and provide information about local assessments or plans tied to the project, and provide information about complementary monitoring efforts conducted by partners as part of a broader plan.
OWEB may consider grant applications that propose monitoring activities necessary for carrying out projects that either protect or restore native fish or wildlife habitats, or protect or restore natural watershed or ecosystem functions in order to improve water quality or stream flows.
Status and​ Trend​​
Description: Monitoring made at a regular interval in order to determine the long-term pattern of a particular parameter(s) and to assess those conditions relative to specific criteria. If proposing rapid bioassessment, choose status and trend.​​Activities: May include monitoring or ​​surveys targeting habitat, stream, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, juvenile fish, adult fish, other biologicals, invasive species, soil, water quantity, and water quality.​​
Effectiveness​ of a Restoration Project(s)
Description: Monitoring designed to determine if a restoration project(s) is/are effective at meeting its biological, physical and/or ecological objectives.​Activities: May include habitat surveys, stream surveys, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, juvenile fish, adult fish, other biological monitoring, invasive species, soil surveys, water quantity, and water quality.​​
Landscape-scale Effectiveness​
Description: Monitoring that measures environmental parameters to ascertain whether restoration actions were effective in creating a desired change in watershed conditions at a large geographical scale.Activities:​​ May​ include monitoring or ​surveys targeting habitat, stream, vegetation, macroinvertebrates, juvenile fish, adult fish, other biologicals, invasive species, soil, water quantity, and water quality.​​​​​​​​

Eligibility

Eligible ApplicantsA grant applicant must be one of the legal entities identified below and have a Federal Employee Identification Number (FEIN). A state or federal agency may apply for funding only as a co-applicant with an eligible entity.Eligible Legal EntitiesLocal or tribal governmentNon-profit organizationInstitution for Higher Education