Wildlife Diversity Grant Program
Wildlife Diversity Grant Program supports public, nonprofit, academic, and tribal teams conducting research and recovery actions to protect Washington’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Funder: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Due Dates: November 2026 (Next application period expected) | January 19, 2027, 11:59 p.m. (Full application)
Funding Amounts: $40,000–$400,000 per project, including indirect costs; biennial funding
Summary: Supports wildlife recovery actions and research benefiting Washington’s eligible Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Key Information: Grants are reimbursement-only: grantees pay costs upfront and receive payment after WDFW accepts deliverables.
Description
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Wildlife Diversity Grant Program supports science-based recovery actions and information gathering for Washington’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). Supported work includes actions that measurably improve species abundance, distribution, or population health, reduce direct threats, and collect data on abundance, distribution, habitat associations, or natural history.
The program is part of a legislative investment in restoring and protecting Washington’s biodiversity and implementing the State Wildlife Action Plan. Research priorities emphasize species whose habitats face significant pressure from development, land use, or resource management, including shrubsteppe, eastside forests, prairies, and oak woodlands. Eligible work can include baseline surveys, survey protocol development, conservation translocation feasibility assessments, and coordinated captive rearing or headstarting.
