Aquatic invasive plant management grants program

Invasive, non-native aquatic plants are a serious threat to the health of lakes, rivers, and streams in Washington. Excessive invasive plant growth impairs fish and wildlife habitat, and restricts recreational activities.

In 1991, the Legislature established the Freshwater Aquatic Invasive Plant Management Program and Account to provide financial and technical support to tackle the problem statewide. The account provides funding for technical assistance, public education, and grants to help control aquatic invasive plants. Account revenue comes from a $3 fee on the yearly registration of boat trailers, which are the biggest carriers of aquatic invasive species. Learn about the types of past projects this program has funded.

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Funding cycle

Amount of funding available: Varies depending on project category and funding cycle cap. See the current funding guidelines for more information.
Grant award limit: $400,000 to $500,000
Amount of matching funds required: Ecology no longer requires grant recipients to provide matching funds for these grants.

Applications are currently being accepted.

Start date: Oct 15, 2026

End date: Dec 17, 2026

Applications for state fiscal year 2028 must be submitted before 5 p.m. sharp on Dec. 17, 2026.

Use the application prep tool to organize and prepare application responses.

Funding cycle timeline

Date	Activity
Oct. 15, 2026	Application opens
Dec. 17, 2026	Application closes
Dec. 17 – Feb. 28, 2027	Application screening and evaluation
Late Feb. – early March 2027	Draft offer list released
July 1, 2027	Final offer list released
July – Dec. 2027	Negotiations and agreement development

Funding is available for the following entities:

Counties and cities
Special purpose districts
State agencies
Tribes

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

Development of Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plans
Aquatic invasive plant control activities
Early infestation projects
Education and outreach 
Aquatic invasive plant research (demonstration or pilot) projects

More information about this funding program

State fiscal year 2028 funding guidelines

State fiscal year 2028 scoring criteria updates:

An aquatic invasive plant advisory committee was formed to update the application scoring criteria for state fiscal year 2028 and beyond. This effort improves clarity and consistency for both grant applicants and evaluators to award high-priority aquatic invasive plant projects.

Criteria Categories	Total Points
1 Scope of Work	30
2 Task Costs and Budget	25
3 Project Planning and Schedule	25
4 Project Team and Local Support	20
5 Water Body Improvements	100
Total	200

Past grant recipients

Contact information

Joseph Teresi
Freshwater Algae & Aquatic Invasive Plant Grants Manager
joseph.teresi@ecy.wa.gov