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.

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 currently being accepted.

We are accepting applications between:

Start date: Jan 2, 2024
End date: Feb 29, 2024

The application period for the fourth round of our streamflow restoration competitive grants is open. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on February 29, 2024. Grant funding will be available statewide on a competitive basis. We have updated our funding guidelines that outline our transparent process for awarding these grants.

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, and 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

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Grant applicant workshops

We held a virtual workshop on January 16, 2024 to provide information to potential grant applicants about the process and purpose of the grants. We hosted four in-person applicant workshops in November and December 2023 at each of our Ecology region offices. 

Workshop materials

Pre-application meetings

Pre-application meetings will be offered by request through the application period. 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:

  1. Complete a pre-application meeting request form.
  2. 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.