WRIA 8 Funding for Salmon Conservation
The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council (SRC) annually requests grant proposals for salmon habitat restoration and protection projects, salmon-focused outreach and education programs, and priority monitoring activities occurring within the WRIA 8 watershed boundaries.
Grant funds are available to implement priority projects and programs identified in the WRIA 8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan. WRIA 8 reviews and recommends awards for the following funding sources:
- Salmon Recovery Funding Board
- King County Flood Control District Cooperative Watershed Management Grant Program
- WRIA 8 Notice of Intent Web Form
- RCO Manual 18
- 2023 SRFB Grant Round Timeline
- WRIA 8 SRFB Grant Review Criteria
- PRISM Online application system
- WRIA 8 Supplemental Habitat Project Application Form
- Foundant Portal
- Foundant Tutorial for Applicants
- 2023 CWM Grant Round Timeline
- CWM Grant Program Overview
- WRIA 8 Grant Review Criteria
- Text version of WRIA 8 Grant Questions from Foundant Portal
- CWM Reimbursement Request Form
- CWM Grant Closeout Report - (in development, anticipated to be posted by Summer 2023)
*NEW* Salmon Recovery Project Innovation and Community Grants- Request for Proposals Now Open. Applications due October 6, 2023. Salmon recovery requires inclusive, collaborative, and innovative approaches to developing projects and advancing programmatic initiatives. The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council encourages proposals that support innovative or conceptual projects that contribute to early stages of future capital project development and/or incorporate equity and environmental justice principles into salmon recovery work. These funds provide an exciting opportunity to advance key aspects of salmon recovery by initiating project planning and development in priority areas of the watershed and fostering community-building and collaboration to meet multiple objectives.
Eligible Activities:
With these grants, the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council seeks to fund projects that fall into two categories:
- 1. Targeted project development
- 2. Equity and environmental justice
Eligible Applicants:
Cities, counties, tribes, non-profit organizations, special purpose districts, and state and federal agencies.
Available Funding:
The maximum award amount is $75,000.
Application Process:
The grant cycle is now open. To apply, please see instructions included in the application document. Applicants will also need to complete a budget table for their proposal. For more information, please contact Carrie Byron.
2023 WRIA 8 Grant Funding Opportunities - This opportunity is now CLOSED. Please visit us December 2023.
WRIA 8 2023 Grant Round Information Session
WRIA 8 will host a webinar to introduce the 2023 grant round and explain changes to the application processes for 2023 on January 10, 2023, from 1-2PM.
View a recording of the session. Passcode is w0jZ5u1^
Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB)
Background:
The SRFB program primarily funds habitat restoration and protection projects, including project design. Eligible projects must be focused on Chinook salmon recovery in WRIA 8, and all proposed projects must be represented on the WRIA 8 Four-Year Work Plan and have a clear link to one or more of WRIA 8's priority recovery strategies.
Proposals for SRFB are evaluated and ranked by WRIA 8, and funding recommendations approved by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council are forwarded to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board for final approval. Grants are administered by the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and projects proposed for funding must meet the criteria and policies outlined in RCO's Manual 18 (Salmon Recovery Grants).
RCO and the Puget Sound Partnership also manage the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Program (PSAR), which funds salmon recovery work in the Puget Sound region. Grant rounds for PSAR projects occur in even numbered years, so this fund source is unavailable in 2023.
RCO may also allocate additional federal resources to salmon recovery projects in Washington State as these funds become available. WRIA 8 and other watershed-based salmon recovery Lead Entities are being encouraged to develop a robust list of projects to be funded with our regular allocation as well as those that would be eligible to receive additional funds should they become available. Sponsors may be encouraged to submit habitat projects to both SRFB and CWM funding rounds in order to ensure that WRIA 8 projects have the best chance of being funded in statewide grant programs.
*Note: If you are interested in applying for funding for a project not represented on the current WRIA 8 Four-Year Work Plan, please contact Carrie Byron.
Eligible Activities:
Habitat restoration and acquisition projects located within WRIA 8, planning activities (including project design and assessments and studies that generate at least a conceptual design), and regionally-significant monitoring. See RCO Manual 18 for more detail.
Eligible Applicants:
Cities, counties, tribes, non-profit organizations, special purpose districts, private landowners, and state agencies.
Funding Availability and Match:
To be determined, pending state and federal budget processes. We anticipate the amount of SRFB available in 2023 will be approximately $498,343. As mentioned above, RCO may make additional resources available above this amount.
The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council will approve SRFB grant funding recommendations to the SRFB for final approval in September 2023, and grant awards become available at that time.
A matching share of 15% of the grant request is required for SRFB.
Application Process:
The grant cycle opens on December 16, 2022. A notice of intent to apply must be submitted to WRIA 8 by January 25, 2023.
*NEW* In 2023, King County is using the online Foundant system for applications for Cooperative Watershed Management grants county-wide. Because of this, we are separating the Notice of Intent form for SRFB and CWM and using the Foundant system for both Notice of Intent and full application submission for CWM application. The SRFB Notice of Intent form will continue to use an online Smartsheet form.
*NEW* In 2023, WRIA 8 will conduct a pre-proposal review process using notices of intent to ensure alignment with WRIA 8 Recovery Strategies. Complete the online notice of intent form (also linked below under SRFB Grant Resources) by 5:00 p.m. on January 25, 2023. Notices of intent will then be compared with recovery strategies to ensure alignment and sponsors of proposals that are well aligned will be invited to submit full applications for funding.
Sponsors will be notified whether they have been invited to move forward with a full application by February 8, 2023. Upon approving a sponsor to move ahead with a project application, WRIA 8 will create application records for project sponsors in the PRISM Online system and will provide sponsors with their PRISM project number. RCO has implemented a new requirement to access PRISM through the Secure Access Washington (SAW) system. If you have not done so already, please sign up for a SAW account. Contact Chantell Krider if you need assistance establishing a SAW account. Applicants must submit complete applications, as defined by Manual 18, in RCO's PRISM Online application program by 5:00 p.m. on February 24, 2023.
RCO will be hosting a SRFB application workshop on January 24, 2023 from 10AM-12PM. This workshop for applicants will explain the PRISM application process and some changes to match and eligibility requirements. Access the webinar, passcode: 281642.
Project site visits with the state Technical Review Panel and WRIA 8 Project Subcommittee will take place on March 13, 2023. WRIA 8 staff are available to support applicants during the application process - contact Carrie Byron for more information.
By March 31, the state Technical Review Panel will issue comment forms identifying projects as Clear, Conditioned, Needs More Information (NMI), or Project of Concern (POC). Projects designated as Conditioned, NMI, and POC will have an opportunity to ask clarifying questions of the Review Panel via a conference call on April 11 or 12.
Applicants are required to update their applications to respond to Review Panel feedback, and the deadline for submitting revised applications is 12:00 p.m. on June 26, 2023.
Cooperative Watershed Management Grant Program
Background:
The King County Flood Control District (FCD) Cooperative Watershed Management (CWM) Grant Program supports priority salmon recovery activities within King County watersheds. Proposals submitted to WRIA 8 for CWM funding are evaluated and ranked by WRIA 8, and funding recommendations approved by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council are forwarded to the FCD Board of Supervisors for consideration and final approval.
Successful proposals for CWM grants are administered by King County. All proposals must be represented on the WRIA 8 Four-Year Work Plan * and have a clear link to one or more of WRIA 8's priority recovery strategies.
*Note: If you are interested in applying for funding for a project not represented on the WRIA 8 Four-Year Work Plan, please contact Carrie Byron.
Eligible Activities:
Habitat restoration and acquisition projects, monitoring and assessment activities, and education and outreach programs. All activities must be clearly connected to WRIA 8 priorities and be located within the King County portion of WRIA 8.
Important information about proposals for monitoring and assessment activities and education and outreach:
Monitoring and assessment proposals-The WRIA 8 Technical Committee (TC) prioritizes monitoring and assessment activities for Chinook salmon recovery in WRIA 8, and the TC’s monitoring principles and priorities inform CWM monitoring awards. Applicants interested in submitting a monitoring proposal should consult the WRIA 8 monitoring and assessment funding prioritization to determine alignment with WRIA 8’s objectives for these funds. The TC invites investigators to consult with WRIA 8 staff and the TC when preparing proposals for monitoring and assessment funds. Note that for the 2023 grant round we have introduced several new required deliverables for these projects including a communications plan that incorporates an interim and final report and a presentation of results.
Education and outreach proposals-The WRIA 8 Communications and Outreach Framework identifies communications, education, and outreach priorities, and the framework will inform how CWM education and outreach resources are awarded. Applicants interested in submitting education and outreach proposals should consult the framework to determine alignment with priority WRIA 8 audiences and activities. WRIA 8 staff invites questions and inquiries from prospective sponsors.
Eligible Applicants:
Cities, towns, special purpose districts, public schools, King County, tribes, federal agencies, state agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Available Funding:
In 2023, WRIA 8 will have approximately $4.03 million in CWM funds to allocate to eligible activities. Approximate funding amounts available for each activity category is as follows:
| Habitat acquisition and restoration projects | $3,019,977 million (75% of available funding) |
Monitoring and assessment |
$805,327 (20% of available funding) |
Outreach and education |
$201,332(5% of available funding) |
Matching funds are not required, although they are encouraged.
Application Process:
*NEW* in 2023, King County will be using the online Foundant system for applications for Cooperative Watershed Management grants county-wide. Because of this, we are separating the Notice of Intent form for SRFB and CWM and using the Foundant system for both Notice of Intent and full application submission for CWM applications. Applicants are encouraged to register with the Foundant system early to familiarize themselves with the system ahead of the application deadline.
The grant cycle opens on December 16, 2022. A notice of intent to apply must be submitted to WRIA 8 via the Foundant system by January 25, 2023. Complete the notice of intent web form in the Foundant Portal (also linked below under CWM Grant Resources) by 5:00 p.m. on January 25, 2023.
Sponsors will be notified whether they have been invited to move forward with a full application by February 15, 2023. Upon approving a sponsor to move ahead with a project application, applicants may begin working on their proposals in Foundant. Submit complete applications by 5:00 p.m. on March 22, 2023.
A complete CWM application consists of: 1) the online CWM application form, 2) the CWM budget worksheet, and additional materials such as maps, letters of support, design documents, photos, etc., which should also be submitted as needed to complement the required application materials in Foundant.
In 2023, the WRIA 8 Project Subcommittee intends to hold in person site visits with restoration project sponsors and view virtual presentations from acquisition, riparian, monitoring, and outreach project sponsors in April. WRIA 8 staff are available to support applicants during the application process - contact Carrie Byron for more information.
CWM Grant Resources: