Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) – Habitat Conservation Category

Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) – Habitat Conservation Category is sponsored by Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Provides state funding to conserve wildlife habitat, protect sensitive lands, and support ecological restoration projects that benefit native species and regional biodiversity.

RCO - Washington Recreation & Conservation Office --> Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program - RCO Recreation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program provides funding for a broad range of land protection and outdoor recreation, including local and state parks, trails, water access, and the conservation and restoration of state land.

The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program was envisioned as a way for the state to accomplish two goals: acquire valuable recreation and habitat lands before they were lost to other uses and develop recreation areas for a growing population.

This landmark legislation passed in 1990 and the grant program's continued funding have come about through the support of governors, the Legislature, and groups such as the many organizations comprising the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition . Grant Application Schedule Application Webinar, Applications Open View the recorded webinar A comprehensive plan is required to be eligible for a grant.

Local Parks Category-Watch Live on YouTube May 11, 2026 - May 15, 2026 Technical Review (Written) State Lands Development and Renovation Category May 14, 2026 - June 5, 2026 State Parks Category-Watch Live on YouTube May 12, 2026 - May 13, 2026 May 18, 2026 - May 19, 2026 Water Access Category-Watch Live on YouTube Technical Completion Deadline Local Parks Category-Watch Live on YouTube Local Parks Evaluation Schedule August 17, 2026 - August 21, 2026 State Lands Development and Renovation Category August 3, 2026 - August 28, 2026 State Parks Evaluation Schedule August 11, 2026 - August 12, 2026 Trails-Watch Live on Youtube Trails Evaluation Schedule August 18, 2026 - August 19, 2026 Water Access-Watch Live on Youtube Water Access Evaluation Schedule August 24, 2026 - August 25, 2026 Board Approves Preliminary Ranked Lists Most recent grants and evaluation results, listed by the application year.

Applicant Authorization Resolution Certification of Applicant Match Form Department of Natural Resources Scope of Work Acknowledgement Form Documentation of Local Jurisdiction Review and Conferral for Acquisition Projects Electronic Signature Authorization Form Sample Letter Given to Local Jurisdiction for Acquisition Projects WWRP-Recreation Resources Applicant’s To-Do List for Local Parks Applicant’s To-Do List for State Parks Applicant’s To-Do List for Trails Applicant’s To-Do List for Water Access Applicant’s To-Do List for State Lands Development and Renovation Manual 3: Acquisition Projects Manual 4: Development Projects Tips for Developing a PowerPoint Presentation for Grant Applicants Map to Determine "Project Need-Statewide Priorities" Score RCO’s Application Webinar recording is now available!

Acquisition of land currently or previously managed by a public entity is eligible. Sponsors have eighteen months from the board funding meeting to acquire land in a combination project. Earnest or option payments incurred before the execution of a grant agreement are an eligible pre-agreement cost if they are applied to the purchase price of the land acquired.

Outdoor Recreation Inventory : The 2023 Outdoor Recreation Inventory map and dashboard includes information on more than twenty-three thousand outdoor recreation areas, facilities, trails, and water access sites. It is used to understand the quantity and distribution of key outdoor recreation opportunities across the state.

The dashboard also includes a service area analysis for outdoor recreation opportunities, such as accessing a local park or trail.

Building ball fields, courts, regional athletic complexes Renovating community parks Developing regional trails Building waterfront parks Federally recognized Native American tribes Special purpose districts, port districts, or other political subdivisions of the state providing services to less than the entire state State Lands Development and Renovation Category Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife Washington State Department of Natural Resources Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Trails and Water Access Categories Federally recognized Native American tribes Special purpose districts, port districts, or other political subdivisions of the state providing services to less than the entire state State agencies (Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Washington State Departments of Enterprise Services, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources) To apply for this funding, grant applicants must have completed a comprehensive recreation or conservation plan.

See details on the planning page and in Manual 2: Planning Guidelines . Funding comes from the sale of state bonds and is awarded every two years.

Comparison of Potential Grants Awarded at Different Legislative Funding Levels Download Funding by Grant Program Category Download Category Grant Limit Local Parks Acquisition Projects $1 million Development Projects $500,000 Combination Projects (Acquisition with either development or renovation $1 million, of which not more than $500,000 may be for development costs State Lands Development and Renovation Minimum $25,000, maximum $325,000 State Parks None Trails None Water Access None State agencies do not have to provide match.

Match may include the following: Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials Donations of cash, land, labor, equipment, and materials Some local agencies applying for grants in the Local Parks, Trails, or Water Access Categories may reduce their match if they meet any of the criteria below: Acquisition includes the purchase of perpetual interest in real property or non-perpetual interests such as leases and easements.

Acquisition of non-perpetual interests must be for at least fifty years and may not be revocable at will. Incidental costs related to acquisition are eligible. Interpretive kiosks, signs Roads, paths, and parking Note: Renovation projects are NOT eligible in the State Parks Category.

State Lands Development and Renovation Fishing piers and platforms Interpretive kiosks, signs Interpretive kiosks, signs Fishing piers and platforms Interpretive kiosks, signs Animal species introduction or propagation, other than biological controls for invasive species, etc. Costs not directly related to implementing the project such as indirect and overhead charges Environmental cleanup of illegal activities, such as removal of derelict vessels, trash, meth labs) Wildlife production facilities such as fish hatcheries Indoor facilities such as community centers, environmental education or learning centers, gyms, swimming and therapy pools, and covered ice-skating rinks Offices, shops, residences, and meeting and storage rooms, except for some limited exceptions in the Local and State Parks Categories Properties acquired via condemnation of any kind Specific projects or actions identified as mitigation as part of a habitat conservation plan approved by the federal government for incidental take of endangered or threatened species or other projects identified for habitat mitigation purposes Routine operation and maintenance costs Land acquired or developed must be kept and maintained for public outdoor recreation use for at least fifty years.

Long-term obligations for structures or facilities for outdoor recreation will be tied to a reasonable, agreed-upon service life for the structure or facility. More information is in Manual 7: Long-term Obligations . Some upcoming grant application deadlines may be adjusted due to the government shutdown.

Find deadline updates on the corresponding grant pages. PRISM, RCO’s database for grant project management, is unavailable. Thank you for your patience as we work to get it back online.