CDFW Wolf Livestock Compensation Grants
This grant funds research-driven compensation and nonlethal deterrent strategies to help California livestock producers manage and coexist with gray wolves.
Funder: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (application period & survey closing, projected)
Funding Amounts: Recent cycles: $600,000–$3 million total per cycle; compensation covers 100% of fair market value for direct loss, and up to 100% for approved nonlethal deterrent costs.
Summary: Provides financial support to California livestock producers impacted by gray wolf activity, offsetting losses and supporting coexistence strategies.
Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Wolf-Livestock Compensation Grants offer financial assistance to livestock producers in California who are affected by gray wolf presence and depredation. The grant program is intended to minimize the economic impacts of wolf-livestock conflicts by providing compensation for confirmed or probable livestock losses, funding for nonlethal deterrent measures, and payments for wolf presence in known pack territories. The program is guided by ongoing stakeholder engagement and adapts based on legislative appropriations and feedback from producers and conservation groups.
The program is structured around three main prongs:
- Direct Loss Compensation: Payment for confirmed or probable livestock losses due to wolf depredation.
- Nonlethal Deterrents: Reimbursement for the use of approved nonlethal methods to prevent wolf-livestock conflicts.
- Pay for Presence: Annual payments for livestock grazed in areas of known wolf activity, based on time spent in wolf territories.
Applications are reviewed by CDFW, and eligibility is determined based on location, evidence of wolf activity, and documentation of losses or deterrent expenses.
