WDFW announces funding decisions for inaugural Wildlife Diversity Grants

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has announced the recipients of the state’s first-ever Wildlife Diversity Grants designed to support projects benefitting Washington’s most imperiled wildlife.

WDFW announced the new grant program in March.

“We received 46 grant proposals, for a total budget request of $3.9 million, from applicants interested in conducting projects to benefit a wide variety of wildlife species in Washington,” said Jenna Judge, WDFW wildlife diversity assistant division manager. 

WDFW ultimately selected 16 grants to be funded in state fiscal year 2025, allocating $1.1M this grant cycle. These grants advance a range of recovery actions and data collection efforts that will support recovery of at least twenty Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) (PDF) representing a variety of wildlife species in Washington.

Grant recipients include: Bat Conservation International, Central Washington University, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Conservation Biology Institute, EcoStudies Institute, Friends of the Columbia Gorge Land Trust, Home Range Wildlife Research, Methow Valley Citizens Council, New Mexico State University, Slippery Rock University Foundation, The Xerces Society, Inc., University of Washington, and US Fish and Wildlife Service Refuges.

A full list of the grant recipients and project titles is available on WDFW’s website.

Funding for the Wildlife Diversity Grant program comes from a significant investment by the state legislature to restore and protect biodiversity in Washington. The Department expects funding to be available in future biennia to continue this grant program. WDFW plans to announce the application period for the next round of grants in late fall 2024, to solicit grant proposals for the July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027 timeframe.

“By supporting this initial round of critical projects, we can take meaningful steps towards recovering imperiled wildlife in Washington,” said Hannah Anderson, WDFW wildlife diversity division manager. “Through this grant program, we are thrilled to be funding actions that will help recover at-risk species and contribute to healthier wildlife populations.”

For more information on the grant program and future grant opportunities, please visit the wildlife diversity grant program webpage.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities.