Streamflow restoration competitive grants

Our streamflow restoration competitive grants help state and local agencies, Tribal governments, and non-profit organizations implement local watershed plans and projects to improve streamflow and aquatic resources.

I want to...

Funding cycle

Amount of funding available: Up to $40 million available per biennium
Grant award limit: No limit
Amount of matching funds required: None

Applications are not being accepted at this time.

We will be accepting applications for our next grant round Jan. 2, 2024 – Feb. 29, 2024.

Funding is available for the following entities:

Eligible applicants are limited to Tribal governments with reservation lands or treaty rights within Washington, public entities (federal, state, local governments, and quasi-governments), and nonprofit organizations. Funding is available statewide.

Priority is given to watersheds and areas specified in Streamflow Restoration law (Chapter 90.94 RCW). Projects that quantitatively improve streamflows are the highest single priority factor for funding in this grant round.

Eligible projects include water right acquisitions, water storage, altered water management or infrastructure, watershed function, riparian and fish habitat improvements, environmental monitoring, and feasibility studies.

Operation and maintenance costs are not eligible under this funding source. See our funding guidelines for more information about eligible and ineligible project elements and costs.

More information about this funding program

Funding program guidelines

Grant applicant workshops

We are holding a series of applicant workshops across Washington in Fall/Winter 2023 to provide information to potential grant applicants about the process and purpose of the grants:

Nov. 3, 2023 – Lacey
Nov. 6, 2023 – Shoreline
Dec. 1, 2023 – Union Gap
Dec. 8, 2023 – Spokane
Jan. 16, 2024 – online webinar (We will record this and post it here.)

Workshop materials

Pre-application meetings

Pre-application meetings will be offered by request in Fall/Winter 2023. Pre-application meetings are an opportunity for potential applicants to discuss the details of their project with us before applying. These meetings are required for projects that have a water right acquisition component and optional for any other project. We will meet requests in the order they are received as our availability allows. Meetings for projects with a water right acquisition component will be prioritized.

To request a pre-application meeting:

Complete a pre-application meeting request form.
Email it to sfrprjgrants@ecy.wa.gov by Feb. 15, 2024. Include "meeting request" in the email subject line.

Previous grant rounds

Date	Projects selected	Number of applications	Award amount
Oct. 2022	26 projects in 22 watersheds	57	$35 million
Oct. 2020	21 projects in 16 watersheds	63	$22 million
Jan. 2019	16 projects in 11 watersheds	46	$20 million

Funding rule

The Streamflow Restoration Funding rule (Chapter 173-566 WAC) was adopted June 25, 2019, providing the process and criteria for funding projects statewide under RCW 90.94.060.

Contact information

Vanessa Brinkhuis
Streamflow Restoration Grants Supervisor
sfrprjgrants@ecy.wa.gov
509-406-6505

Brandy Reynecke
Streamflow Restoration Fund Coordinator
sfrprjgrants@ecy.wa.gov
360-870-5294