Wildlife Viewing Grants Program

The Wildlife Viewing Grants Program by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources offers small grants aimed at enhancing public awareness and appreciation of nongame wildlife and rare native plants. This initiative supports local governments, nonprofits, and for-profit entities in developing wildlife viewing projects that align with conservation priorities in the State Wildlife Action Plan. With millions participating in wildlife viewing annually, the program aims to foster appreciation while ensuring sustainable practices.

Wildlife Viewing Grant Program
The DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Wildlife Viewing Grants Program provides small grants for wildlife viewing projects that increase awareness and appreciation of the state’s nongame wildlife, rare native plants and natural habitats, with an emphasis on species and habitats considered a high priority for conservation in the State Wildlife Action Plan. Grants are available for local governments, non-profit or not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit entities.
These grants focus on developing and improving wildlife-viewing opportunities that increase public awareness and appreciation of wildlife not hunted or fished for, rare native plant species and natural habitats. The program also emphasizes species and habitats considered conservation priorities in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan.
Wildlife viewing is big in Georgia. More than 4.8 million residents – about 57 percent of Georgians 16 and older – took part in 2022. Resident and non-resident viewers, a combined group sized at 7.5 million, spent more than $10 billion on food, lodging, transportation, equipment and other items. Nationwide, the number of people involved in wildlife viewing surged to 148 million in 2022. Related spending topped an estimated $250 billion.

Eligibility

Nongame wildlife means species of flora and fauna indigenous to Georgia and not legally taken through hunting, fishing, trapping or otherwise (without required permits). For grant proposals, nongame must either :be wild and free-rangingpart of a permitted captive breeding program to reintroduce a depleted indigenous species into a previously occupied range (otherwise, animals in enclosures are ineligible) orinvolve planting native species to create or enhance natural habitats.Applicants can include local governments, nonprofit or not-for-profit organizations, and for-profit entities.If the project is proposed by a for-profit entity, the applicant must describe how it is not directly linked to the profit of the entity.

Ineligibility

Federal and state agencies, including state universities and other DNR divisions, are not eligible.However, project proposals by nonprofit or not-for-profit organizations, such as a friends group or foundation, can involve federal and state agencies and their properties.DNR wildlife viewing grant recipients from the previous grants cycle as well as recipients whose project required a DNR extension into the previous cycle are ineligible to apply again for one year.