Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Grant

Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Grant is sponsored by Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). Aims to restore and protect salmon habitats in Puget Sound through collaborative efforts.

RCO - Washington Recreation & Conservation Office --> Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration - RCO Salmon Recovery and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Salmon recovery grants are used to restore degraded salmon habitat and protect existing, high-quality habitat. These twin activities are aimed at increasing the amount and overall health of the places salmon live, which will increase the number of salmon.

Projects may include the actual habitat used by salmon and the land and water that support processes important to salmon. Some of the money for salmon recovery is targeted at helping salmon in Puget Sound. Restoring the health of Puget Sound–our nation’s second largest estuary–is a priority for the State and nation.

In 2007, the Legislature created the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration (PSAR) program to help implement the most important habitat protection and restoration priorities. PSAR is co-managed with the Puget Sound Partnership. The grant program for both salmon recovery and PSAR grants are run together and generally have the same requirements.

Applicants must demonstrate how their projects address the goals and actions defined in the regional recovery plans or lead entity strategies. The grant cycles consist of steps required both by the local lead entity and RCO. Lead entities are watershed-based groups that develop and implement strategies to restore salmon habitat.

Lead entities establish their own schedules not on this website for required grant cycle steps including site visits, rating, and ranking. Grant Application Schedule Contact the local lead entity coordinator to learn about application deadlines and requirements. Application Workshop and Q&A Watch the recorded webinar here.

Application Materials Due Before Site Visit January 15, 2026 - May 13, 2026 Materials Due Two Weeks Before Site Visits February 2, 2026 - March 13, 2026 SRFB Review Initial Panel Meeting March 18, 2026 - March 19, 2026 Review Panel Provides Comments April 8, 2026 - April 9, 2026 April 2, 2026 - May 13, 2026 SRFB Review Panel Initial Meeting May 20, 2026 - May 21, 2026 Review Panel Provides Comments June 8, 2026 - June 9, 2026 June 22, 2026 - September 16, 2026 June 22, 2026 Applications Due by Noon.

SRFB Review Panel Final Meeting July 15, 2026 - July 16, 2026 Applicants Receive Final Project Comments Accept Review Panel Conditions Lead Entities Submits Final Ranked List Salmon Recovery Funding Board Awards Grants September 15, 2026 - September 16, 2026 Most recent grants and evaluation results, listed by the application year.

Applicant Authorization Resolution Appendix A: Application Checklist Cost Estimate Spreadsheet Electronic Signature Form Fiscal Data Collection Sheet Landowner Acknowledgement Form Multi-Program Coordinated Budget Template Project Partner Contribution Form Acquisition Project Checklist Acquisition Stewardship Plan Landownership Certification Form Limit 8 Self-Certification of Proposed Habitat Restoration Activity Planning and Assessment Project Checklist Project Goals and Objectives Examples Restoration Project Checklist Restoration Stewardship Plan Streamlining Endangered Species Act Consultation Fact Sheet Riparian Enhancement Plan Example Resources for Riparian Program Projects Manual 18M: Salmon Monitoring Grants Monitoring Cost Estimate Spreadsheet Regional Monitoring Study Plan Regional Monitoring Project Certification Monitoring Amendment Request Manual 3: Acquisition Projects Manual 5: Restoration Projects Manual 7: Long-Term Obligations Salmon Liability Fact Sheet Salmon Recovery Grants Fact Sheet 2026 Salmon Application Workshop Slides Climate Commitment Act Funding Fact Sheet 2026 Salmon Programs At-a-Glance Download Watch the recorded 2026 webinar here.

2026 Application Workshop Slides. See a list of projects proposed for funding through the Climate Commitment Act.

Replacing barriers to fish migration Removing dikes, levees, and shoreline armoring Installing logjams to slow rivers and create habitat Completing designs for future projects Special purpose districts, such as port, park and recreation, conservation, and school districts Regional fisheries enhancement groups Funding is awarded annually.

Funding comes from the sale of state general obligation bonds and the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund . PSAR funding is awarded biennially and comes from the sale of state general obligation bonds. This grant program also is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act.

The Act supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. See RCO’s lists of proposed and funded projects and details about grant requirements for this funding. on RCO’s Climate Commitment Act web page .

Funding for the grant round is distributed using a formula adopted by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. The formula is based the number of listed and non-listed salmon stocks, number of evolutionarily significant units, number of watershed resource inventory areas, and salmon shoreline miles.

The Puget Sound Recovery Region has fifteen lead entities and further allocates both its salmon and PSAR funding based on a formula approved by the Puget Sound Leadership Council .

Funding Report: Salmon Recovery Regional Responses Hood Canal Salmon Recovery Region Download Lower Columbia River Salmon Recovery Region Download Middle Columbia River Salmon Recovery Region Download Northeast Washington Salmon Recovery Region Download Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Region Download Snake River Salmon Recovery Region Download Upper Columbia River Salmon Recovery Region Download Washington Coast Salmon Recovery Region Download Applicants may request any amount greater than $5,000.

For design-only projects without match, applicants may not request more than $350,000. There is no longer a 15 percent match requirement for most projects. Match may be required for some acquisition and riparian planting projects in the following situations: A project with the primary purpose of riparian planting that does not meet minimum riparian buffer widths is required to provide 15 percent match .

See Appendix I for details. This applies to a project funded with regular SRFB or PSAR funds but excludes a project funded through the riparian program. A SRFB acquisition project, with an upland portion greater than 50 percent of the total acreage, is required to provide match as part of its total budget.

For this purpose, uplands are those areas that fall outside of other specified habitat types and their buffers, as defined in appendix K. For exceptional projects based on scale, rarity, cost-benefit, or value, some flexibility of match may be considered. 25 percent match : Upland acres are greater than 50 percent but less than 75 percent of the total acreage.

35 percent match : Upland acres are greater than 75 percent of the total Match may include the following: Donations of cash, land, labor, services, equipment use, and materials Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials Acquisition including the purchase of land, perpetual conservation easements, or water rights.

In-stream water diversion In-stream and floodplain habitat Estuarine and marine near-shore Conceptual, preliminary, or final design projects Assessments and inventories Combination projects include elements of two or more project types (restoration, acquisition, and planning).

Capital facilities and public works projects Hatchery, harvest, and hydropower activities Property acquisition through eminent domain or leasing For a comprehensive list of ineligible projects, see manual 18 . Because the salmon recovery and PSAR programs are run in partnership with lead entities, the specific evaluation process depends on the lead entity where the project is located.

In general, project evaluation happens in three, sometimes concurrent, parts. The local lead entity, coordinating with its regional organization, evaluates and ranks applications. The lead entity and region may use locally developed information and criteria to prioritize projects, including criteria that address social, economic, and cultural values.

RCO grants managers review all projects for eligibility. Applicants and their lead entities are encouraged to consult with grants managers early to determine any questions of eligibility The Salmon Recovery Funding Board Review Panel evaluates each project proposal (except monitoring projects) for technical merits and identifies specific concerns about the benefits to salmon and certainty of success.

See “Section 3: How to Apply,” and “Section 4: SRFB Evaluation Process” of manual 18 for detailed information. Acquisition projects must be managed and protected as salmon habitat forever. Restoration projects must be managed and maintained as improved salmon habitat for at least ten years after construction is completed.

Long-Term Obligations web page for additional information.

SRFB Application Workshop Video and Modules PRISM Application Wizard Training Cultural Resources for Grant Applicants Module Project Management & Implementation Permitting Application Module Long-Term Obligations and Compliance Project Management Resources PRISM Information and Training Protecting Cultural Resources Manual 18 Appendices and More Manual 18 Appendices A: Application Checklist J: Targeted Investment Program B: Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration K.

Quantifying Habitats for Acquisition Projects C. Funded Project Forms L. Riparian Funding Policies and Guidelines D: Design and Restoration Project Deliverables Other Forms E.

SRFB Review Panel Evaluation Criteria Amendment Request Template F. Guide for Lead Entity Project Evaluations Lead Entity Review Panel Request Form G. Regional Arean Summary Information Riparian Enhancement Plan Example H.

SRFB Amendment Request Authority Matrix Riparian Program Project Resources I. Riparian Planting Projects Salmon Recovery Funding Board The Salmon Recovery Funding Board approves the grants. To see details of the board’s meeting schedule and material, visit the board page .

Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office coordinates a statewide salmon strategy, secures funding for local, regional, and state recovery efforts; and produces the biennial State of Salmon in Watersheds report to the Legislature. Banner photo by Kristen Kirkby Some upcoming grant application deadlines may be adjusted due to the government shutdown. Find deadline updates on the corresponding grant pages.

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