$11.5 Million Now Available for Eligible Klamath Basin Forest and Watershed Restoration Projects

Williamson River Delta Preserve, located at the mouth of the Williamson River on Upper Klamath Lake

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 14, 2024) – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced that they are seeking applicants to submit proposals to support voluntary fish and wildlife conservation, restoration, and monitoring projects across the Klamath Basin in Oregon and California. A total of $11.5 million in conservation funding is available, provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (USFS), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). NFWF is administering the grant program.

NFWF has been active in voluntary habitat restoration activities throughout the Klamath River Basin for over 30 years, awarding federal, state, and private funds to help voluntarily stabilize and increase the populations of native fish throughout the Klamath Basin. Funding in 2025 will be made available across the Klamath Basin from headwater forests to the river’s mouth. The key funding categories are:

  • $7,040,000 from the Shasta Valley Regional Conservation Partnership Program for: Upstream water conservation and water quality improvement projects; conveyance efficiency projects with instream dedication; and on-farm water conservation, irrigation efficiency, and monitoring projects.
     
  • $2,000,000 from the Conservation Partners Program for: Projects that build capacity and provide technical assistance to agricultural producers seeking to voluntarily adopt regenerative agriculture systems and conservation practices on private working and forest lands.
     
  • $1,793,000 in Upper Klamath Watershed Resilience funding for: Outreach and technical assistance to private landowners developing conservation plans focused on restoration activities to improve soil health, water quality, and water quantity outcomes. Projects will improve instream and off-channel habitat, aquatic organism passage, water quality, wetland ecosystems to benefit watershed resilience, and native fish conservation.
     
  • $720,000 in Fremont-Winema National Forest Headwaters Enhancement and Monitoring funding for: Planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of the restoration of freshwater marshes, springs meadows, and forest health projects on the Fremont-Winema National Forest within the Wood, Williamson, and Sprague River watersheds. A portion of this funding is specifically reserved for monitoring of headwater restoration activities to document the efficacy of forest health and riparian restoration work for species and habitat response.

On January 21, 2025 at 11:00 a.m., NFWF will host a webinar to provide an overview of purpose and objectives; program focal area and potential project types; and application, selection process, and environmental compliance process. Potential applicants may register for the webinar here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6831091364955753562.

Eligible applicants include local, state, and Tribal governments, and agencies; special districts; nonprofit organizations; schools; and universities. Applicants are required to submit proposals by February 25, 2025. Application information and the formal Request for Proposals can be found here.

A timeline of key due dates, review periods, and award announcements is provided below:

  • Applicant Webinar: January 21, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. PST
  • Full Proposal Due Date: February 25, 2025, by 8:59 p.m. PST 
  • Review Period: March-May 2025
  • Awards Announced: May 2025 

For more information about NFWF’s Klamath Basin funding program, visit:
https://www.nfwf.org/programs/klamath-basin-restoration-program.

About National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,800 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of more than $10 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org. 

NFWF is a participant in the Klamath Philanthropic Funder’s Collaborative.

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Contact:

Rob Blumenthal, 202-857-0166, rob.blumenthal@nfwf.org