Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) - Habitat Conservation Projects

Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) - Habitat Conservation Projects is sponsored by Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). Funding to conserve wildlife habitat and restore sensitive state-owned lands.

RCO - Washington Recreation & Conservation Office --> Habitat Conservation- Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Habitat Conservation Projects-Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program provides funding for a broad range of land conservation efforts, from conserving natural areas near big cities to protecting the most pristine and unique collections of plants in the state, including some of last remaining plant species in the world.

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.

Technical Review (Written) Natural Areas and State Land Restoration and Enhancement Categories May 14, 2026 - June 5, 2026 Technical Completion Deadline Project Evaluation (Written) Natural Areas and State Land Restoration and Enhancement Categories July 28, 2026 - August 20, 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 Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda Self-Certification Form Natural Heritage Data Guidance Species and Communities with Special Status Table Sample Letter Given to Local Jurisdiction for Acquisition Projects Applicant’s To-Do List-Critical Habitat Applicant’s To-Do List-Natural Areas Applicant’s To-Do List-Riparian Protection Applicant’s To-Do List-State Lands Restoration and Enhancement Applicant’s To-Do List-Urban Wildlife Habitat Expanded Project Description Example Manual 3: Acquisition Projects Manual 4: Development Projects Manual 5: Restoration Projects Tips for Developing a PowerPoint Presentation for Grant Applicants RCO’s Application Webinar recording is now available!

New for 2026: The manual for this year’s grant round will be published in February. But until then, here’s a sneak peek at upcoming changes: New evaluation criteria for Critical Habitat and Natural Areas Categories ( Item 6 ) 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.

Buying land to conserve wildlife habitat Critical Habitat, Riparian Protection, and Urban Wildlife Habitat Categories Federally recognized Native American tribes Nonprofit nature conservancies Special purpose districts, port districts, or other political subdivisions of the state that provide services to less than the entire state State agencies (Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Washington Departments of Enterprise Services, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources).

Nonprofit nature conservancies State agencies (Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Washington Departments of Enterprise Services, Fish and Wildlife, and Natural Resources) State Lands Restoration and Enhancement Category State agencies (Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and Washington State Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources) Urban Wildlife Habitat Category Eligibility Click this map to see if your project is in an eligible urban area.

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 Critical Habitat None Natural Areas None Riparian Protection Minimum request of $25,000, no cap. State Lands Restoration and Enhancement Minimum request of $25,000. Maximum request of $1 million for a single-site project and $500,000 for a multi-site project.

Urban Wildlife Habitat None Local agencies, special purpose districts, and nonprofits must provide 50 percent match and at least 10 percent of the total project cost must be from a non-state, non-federal contribution. State agencies do not have to provide match. Native American tribes must provide 50 percent match.

Match may include the following: Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials Donations of cash, land, labor, equipment, and materials 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.

The Riparian Protection Category provides funds for acquisition of lease extensions under the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, which must be for a minimum of twenty-five years. Interpretive kiosks, signs The State Lands Restoration and Enhancement category also allows for habitat creation and enhancement. The Riparian Protection Category allows for site stewardship plans.

Restoration and Enhancement Estuary and shoreline restoration In-stream habitat such as bank stabilization, channel reconfiguration, and woody materials placement In-stream passage improvements Habitat enhancement such as native plantings and invasive plant removal Removal of structures like bulkheads, dikes, levees, tide gates, and impervious surfaces Site augmentation to establish restoration elements Transplanting and re-vegetation Animal species introduction or propagation, other than biological controls for invasive species, etc. Cost not directly related to implementing the project such as indirect and overhead charges Environmental cleanup of illegal activities, such as the removal of derelict vessels, trash, or 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 Properties acquired via condemnation 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 Long-term commitments vary by grant program, category, project type, property ownership type, and other details.

More information is in Manual 10b: Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program Habitat Conservation Account and 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.