Large Project Grants

Large Project Grants is sponsored by Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

Large Grant - Friends of Reservoirs Looking for Bass Pro grants? Click here. The Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP) is proud to announce our Request for Proposals for federal FY2027 funding of fish habitat enhancement projects in reservoirs.

The RFHP is a nationwide partnership established to promote and facilitate the conservation of habitat for fish and other aquatic species in reservoirs and is one of 20 federally recognized National Fish Habitat Partnerships in the U.S. It is the only one dedicated to manmade reservoirs, which are products of society’s need for water and its many uses.

Many habitat impairments come along with reservoirs, and RFHP seeks projects that address large-scale habitat issues, implement best practices, foster partnerships across the landscape, and enrich quality of life through fishing and reservoir improvement. Request for Proposals for NFHP Federal Funding RFHP anticipates approximately $94,000 in Federal funding for “on-the-ground” projects in FY2027.

Grants will be capped at $75,000 but grants for lesser amounts will be considered. Bear in mind that the grant request must be matched by a minimum of 1:1 non-Federal funds for Federal monies. RFHP anticipates funding 1-3 projects @ $10,000-$75,000 each from Federal funds.

Given the amount of funding available at this time, RFHP grants should be considered as a partial funding source for projects with multiple funding sources and partners, and special consideration will be given to projects with more than the minimum match. All contributions (cash and/or in-kind) must be expended during the project period. Eligible costs will be paid for work done no earlier than contract approval.

We welcome multi-year projects, but do limit long-term funding of the same project year-after-year. Specifically, funding for a second year of the same/very similar work within the previous three years is capped at $50,000. Funding for a third year within the previous three years is capped at $30,000.

A phase is characterized by unique objectives and methods relative to the previous phase. A new phase with unique scope is eligible for full funding. Applications are due by 11:59pm Central time on October 1, 2026.

Proposal Requirements: Review the grant requirements here or download the PDF directly at the bottom of this page. Grants must be submitted using the online submission form below. Timelines may use an April 1, 2027 starting date, but the actual start date will be determined by completion of the contract document.

All proposals require confirmation of the applicant's current or pending registration with SAM and access to GrantSolutions and ASAP. " * " indicates required fields Step 1 of 6 - Test New Grant Application This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Complete this form in full to submit your grant application.

Save and Continue functionality: You may save and continue at any time. This will create a share-able URL which can be used by anyone in your planning group, and will email a copy of the link to you on demand. Do not lose this link!

Note that single file uploads are not saved during Save and Continue (because they cannot be validated by malware checkers). Save and Continue links are active for 120 days before expiring. General Project Information A "project" is a unique project, or a phase of a multi-stage project.

Reservoir must be open to public access to be eligible for this program. Identify the location of the reservoir on Google Maps by right-clicking the reservoir and selecting the first option, which provides decimal-degree latitude and longitude. Then copy-paste the URL to the textbox here.

General location description to provide geographic context for the project Map of Reservoir Accepted file types: pdf, jpg, png, jpeg, Max. file size: 100 MB. In which region is the reservoir located?

Southern Appalachia (SAP) Northern Appalachia (NAP) See https://www. friendsofreservoirs. org/science/reservoir-assessment/ecoregions/ for a map of regions.

You may search for your reservoir on the interactive map at https://rfhp. maps. arcgis.

com/apps/dashboards/2d4000a109dc42a89b6082e0ef44cf56 . FOR Member/Group Sponsoring the Project FOR membership provides bonus points that have been critical for project selection over the past several grant cycles. FOR members typically are local fishing/conservation clubs, municipalities, regional conservation organizations, etc. Contact the RFHP Coordinator or go to the Members Page https://www.

friendsofreservoirs. org/members/ to see if any local group is a current member of Friends of Reservoirs. If not, joining is easy!

Visit https://www. friendsofreservoirs. org/members/join-today/ for more information.

Are any other National Fish Habitat Partnerships involved in the project?

(Select all that apply) Atlantic Coast Fish Habitat Partnership California Fish Passage Forum Driftless Area Restoration Effort Desert Fish Habitat Partnership Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture Fishers and Farmers Partnership Great Lakes Basin Fish Habitat Partnership Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership Hawaii Fish Habitat Partnership Kenai Peninsula Fish Habitat Partnership Matsu Basin Salmon Partnership Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Ohio River Basin Fish Habitat Partnership Pacific Lamprey Conservation Initiative Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership Southeast Alaska Fish Habitat Partnership Southeast Alaska Salmon Habitat Partnership Western Native Trout Initiative National Fish Habitat Partnership Board NFHP Science and Data Committee Partnering with others can help you accomplish far more at a watershed- or river-system level.

We strongly encourage you to connect with your local FHPs who may work on streams, imperiled fishes, or natural landscapes to enhance your project.

Project Leader (Primary Contact) State / Province / Region Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Réunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Türkiye Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay US Minor Outlying Islands Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Administrative Contact Address State / Province / Region Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Réunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, the United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Türkiye Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay US Minor Outlying Islands Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Administrative Contact Phone Administrative Contact Email The project overview is a critical part of the application that should provide reviewers with sufficient detail to fully understand the proposed project.

Please review the Evaluation Criteria to ensure that all relevant information has been included. Short Description (100 words) Brief summary of project. This will be used in outreach and communication materials about the project.

Featured Photo of Project Site Accepted file types: jpg, png, gif, Max. file size: 100 MB. Please upload a high-quality photo representative of the reservoir, to be used for project-related outreach and communications materials.

Problem(s) Being Addressed (250 words) Summary of the threats or causes of the problem being addressed by this project. Statement of Need (500 words) A description of why the project is necessary and important. Please use SMART objectives: Specific, Measurable, Achievable within the Timeframe, and Relevant.

Learn more by reading the details on the Project Guidelines page at https://www. friendsofreservoirs. com/grants/project-guidelines/ .

Photos Before the Project Accepted file types: jpg, png, gif, Max. file size: 100 MB. Please upload one or more photos showing the issues and challenges being addressed.

Previous Next Save and Continue Later Social and Ecological Benefits Information on the benefits of the project, including biological, ecological, and other public benefits of the project. Biological and Ecological Benefits (250 words) Brief description of any biological or ecological benefits of the project.

Public Access (250 words) Brief description of how the project will affect public access to land or water for fish and wildlife dependent recreation. Public Fishing Opportunities (250 words) Brief description of how the project will increase fish populations in a manner that leads to recreational or tribal fishing opportunities. Tribal fishing includes treaty-reserved and tribal harvest, as well as traditional tribe use of fish species.

Which Reservoir FHP Target Fish Species directly benefit through the project? Please list in priority order. See https://rfhp.

maps. arcgis. com/apps/dashboards/2d4000a109dc42a89b6082e0ef44cf56 for regional fish priorities.

To learn more about how those priorities were assessed, visit https://www. friendsofreservoirs. org/science/reservoir-assessment/priority-fish-species/ .

Which Reservoir FHP Priority Impairments are addressed by the project? Nonpoint source pollution Limited littoral structure See https://rfhp. maps.

arcgis. com/apps/dashboards/2d4000a109dc42a89b6082e0ef44cf56 for a map of regional impairments. To learn more about how those impairments were assessed, visit https://www.

friendsofreservoirs. org/science/reservoir-assessment/priority-habitat-impairments/ . Please indicate any management or conservation plans, or state or Federal laws, under which this project advances conservation.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act State Wildlife Action Plan Tribal restoration or conservation plan Note that most sport fish fall under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (aka, Sport Fish Restoration). Upload any local, State, or tribal plans supporting this project. Accepted file types: pdf, Max.

file size: 100 MB. Fishery and habitat management plans are appropriate. Previous Next Save and Continue Later Project Design, Methods, and Outreach Is the project part of a multi-phase project previously funded through the same grant?

We welcome multi-year projects, but do limit long-term funding of the same project year-after-year. Specifically, funding for a second year of the same/very similar work within the previous three years is capped at $50,000. Funding for a third year within the previous three years is capped at $30,000.

A phase is characterized by unique objectives and methods relative to the previous phase. A new phase is eligible for full funding. Project Methods and Approach (250 words) Describe the methods that will be used to the meet the objectives as stated above.

What are the performance measures that will be used to know if objectives are met?

Examples include square-feet of shoreline restored, quantified amount of structure added, number of native plants planted, changes in water quality parameters, changes in fish sampling catch rates in affected area, rates of recruitment, or population size structure, angler catch rates, harvest rates, and measures of directed fishing effort, and measures of recreational use or economic benefit.

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (250 words) Brief summary of monitoring and evaluation plan (250 words or less). If available, include information on timeline for monitoring and/or evaluation. Please describe project goals, monitoring parameters, monitoring methods and schedule, and target and reference values.

Monitoring may occur outside of the on-the-ground start and end dates as it often continues for a period of time after a project is completed. Outreach and Education (250 words) Brief summary of outreach and education plan, including stakeholder/community involvement throughout the project (i.e., before, during, and after).

Results Dissemination (250 words) Brief summary of how results will be disseminated, including publicly available reports, datasets or other products. Focus on scientific outputs, reproducible methods, and innovative communication approaches.

Ecological Resilience (250 words) Please note any information on how the project will function with changes in hydrology or other environmental conditions, and whether the project directly addresses those changes.

Examples of deliverables that have an impact could include water level management adaptations to offset increasing drought conditions, littoral habitat restoration methods aimed at "chasing the shoreline" as water recedes, native aquatic plant restoration Project Deliverables and Outcomes Deliverable Unit of measurement (#, miles, acres) Examples: amount of natural/artificial habitat added, acres of vegetation planted/established, feet of shoreline restored/stabilized, acres of wetlands established.

The official National Fish Habitat Partnership metrics include: Number of barriers removed or upgraded; Number of habitat installations; Miles connected; Acres connected; Miles conserved; Acres conserved; Miles protected; Acres protected; Number of science, data or assessment products; People engaged; and Organizations engaged. Be sure that project deliverables align with the objectives stated above.

Outcomes Narrative (250 words) Use this area to summarize high level expected measurable outcomes (metrics) for the project. Please use this option if you feel the metrics above do not describe the metrics you are tracking. Previous Next Save and Continue Later Please limit your proposed budget amounts to the grant period, which must have 1:1 Non-Federal match if you are pursuing Federal funding.

You are responsible for accounting for the Non-Federal match as part of grant completion. Note: Based on 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Biological Scientists in State government made an average of $33. 23/hr.

Volunteers are often valued at $29. 95/hr. This field is hidden when viewing the form Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund only We are accepting applications through this form for multiple funding sources, including the non-Federal support from Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund.

The decision on availability of these funds won't be known until mid-year 2025, and the amount could be $500,000. The match requirement is 25% (3:1) for these funds, and scoring of applications will consider leveraging of funds and resources as per usual. The maximum award is $75,000 for FY2026.

Please indicate whether your project requires a particular funding source, or is flexible enough to accept either option. Amount of RFHP Grant Request We welcome multi-year projects, but do limit long-term funding of the same project year-after-year. Specifically, funding for a second year of the same/very similar work within the previous three years is capped at $50,000.

Funding for a third year within the previous three years is capped at $30,000. A phase is characterized by unique objectives and methods relative to the previous phase. A new phase is eligible for full funding.

Please list all Federal partners and their contributions during the grant period: Partner Note: Based on 2025 Federal rates, the biologist rate is $35. 03/hr and volunteer rate is $34. 79/hr.

However, if you have known rates specific to position, state, or region, use those instead. The IRS Charitable Mileage Rate is 14 cents per mile. In-Kind Contribution types: Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead.

Total Federal Funding Leveraged Please total the Federal cash and in-kind contributions. This cannot be used as match due to its Federal sourcing, but does make your project application far stronger due to leveraging.

Please list all Non-Federal partners and their contributions during the grant period: Partner (same as above) Partner categories: Private entity, State agency, Conservation organization, Educational institution, Youth group, Other (describe). In-Kind Contribution types: Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead. Note: Based on 2025 Federal rates, the biologist rate is $35.

03/hr and volunteer rate is $34. 79/hr. However, if you have known rates specific to position, state, or region, use those instead.

The IRS Charitable Mileage Rate is 14 cents per mile. In-Kind Contribution types: Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead. Total Non-Federal Funding Used as Match Please include the total non-Federal cash and in-kind contributions.

This should be at least the amount of grant request for 1:1 match. Additional Non-Federal Funding Leveraged If this is part of a larger project with additional resources that will not be recorded as part of this grant, please indicate the value here. Total Estimated Project Value Non-Federal-only Match Ratio Must be greater than 1 for Federally-funded Large Grants.

Excludes additional non-Federal leveraging. Some folks are having issues with the above (+) buttons to add partners. If you have any issues whatsoever, please upload your partner list here with the same details.

Please remember that this form is best viewed in Google Chrome. We prefer submission using the digital table, in order to keep information organized.

Budget Narrative (Required) If you need room for greater detail explaining the role of each partner listed above, specifically in terms of their role as a funder (Cash), or their in-kind contributions in terms of Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead, do so here.

Please also let us know if the proposed project is part of a larger multi-year effort, with resources leveraged outside or beyond the grant period. Assurance Statement Regarding Federal Grant Handling * I confirm that my agency/organization has already registered with SAM and has access to GrantSolutions and ASAP, or that we will obtain said registration and access by December 31, 2026.

These are required components to Federal grant processing and must be handled by the grant recipient. Please describe no more than 5 project leaders and what they bring to the project in terms of knowledge, expertise, or resources: Person Leaders are key people involved with the project who bring knowledge, expertise, or resources to the project.

This is to demonstrate that your group has the resources to accomplish the project and is required as part of the ACE Act. Please describe how the state agency is involved (planning, site selection, participation in installation). Is there an associated lake or habitat management plan that states the need for structural habitat enhancement?

Agency Letters of Support and Supporting Documents Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 100 MB, Max. files: 10.

A letter of support from the State Fish and Wildlife Management Agency is required as part of the approval process. Please upload at least one letter of support. Previous Next Save and Continue Later Previous Submit Save and Continue Later Download Request for Proposals