The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s State Wildlife Grant Program funds states and territories to help develop and implement programs that benefit wildlife and wildlife habitat through two programs: 1) a competitive national grants program and 2) a formula, or mandatory, grant program.

Eligible Uses

Grant funds may be used to address a variety of conservation needs–such as research, fish and wildlife surveys, species restoration, habitat management, and monitoring—that are identified within a State’s Wildlife Action Plan. These projects include habitat improvement projects tied to species of greatest conservation need, including natural infrastructure projects. These funds may also be used to update, revise, or modify a State’s Wildlife Action Plan.

Eligible Recipients

The non-competitive funds are allocated to state agencies using a formula based on land area and population estimates. States can subaward formula funding to local governments, universities, and other community partners. State and local governments, as well as U.S. territories, are eligible competitive national grant recipients.

Approx Annual Funding Amount

This program was funded at $72.4 million in FY22.

Cost Share Requirements

There is a 25% non-federal match requirement. In-kind contributions are accepted.

Application Cycle

  • Competitive Grant Program
    • NOFO published: October
    • Applications Due: February
  • Formula Grant Program
    • NOFO published: early Spring 
    • Applications Due: August of following year (the end of the same fiscal year the NOFO was published, or about a year and a half later)

Contact

Competitive national program: Paul VanRyzin by email or at 703-358-1849.

Formula Grant program contacts: 

  • Lia McLaughlin
  • Ruth Utzurrum
    • (503) 231-2083 
    • Ruth_Utzurrum@fws.gov  
    • States: Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 
  • Chris Swenson
  • Will Amy
    • 505-248-7468 
    • Will_Amy@fws.gov 
    • States: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas 
  • Jessica Piispanen
    • 612‐713‐5142 
    • Jessica_Piispanen@fws.gov 
    • States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin 
  • LeAnne Bonner
    • 404-679-7357 
    • Jerri_Bonner@fws.gov 
    • States: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
  • Dee Blanton
    • 413-253-8513 
    • Dee_Blanton@fws.gov 
    • States: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia 
  • Amanda Horvath
    • 303-236-4414 
    • Amanda_Horvath@fws.gov 
    • States: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming 
  • Cary Myler

Other Info

US Fish and Wildlife Service Regions

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