Grants for improving, restoring, protecting Puget Sound stream habitats

WA Ecology Blog

Published April 2nd, 2026

Detected April 3rd, 2026

Summary

Washington State Department of Ecology announced a competitive grant program for Puget Sound riparian habitat restoration. Approximately $3 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding is available through awards of $150,000 to $600,000 per project. Eligible applicants include local governments, Tribes, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations seeking to improve, restore, and protect stream and river habitats in the Puget Sound region.

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The Washington State Department of Ecology is accepting grant applications for projects that improve, restore, and protect riparian habitats along the approximately 2,800 streams and rivers flowing into Puget Sound. Approximately $3 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding (provided by EPA) will be distributed in individual awards ranging from $150,000 to $600,000. Eligible activities include planning, outreach, native vegetation acquisition, restoration activities, monitoring programs, landowner incentive methods, and permanent habitat protection through conservation easements.

Qualified entities—including local governments, Tribes, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations—must submit applications by June 3, 2026. Projects must be located within the Puget Sound region covering the 12 Washington counties contiguous to the Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Hood Canal. Final grant awards are anticipated in fall 2026. This is a competitive program designed to promote innovative and sustainable approaches for restoring transition zones between land and water bodies.

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Grant program promotes healthy Puget Sound stream and river habitats

We are now accepting grant applications from local governments, Tribes, academic institutions and nonprofit organizations seeking to fund projects and activities that improve, restore and protect habitat areas in and along the estimated 2,800 streams and rivers that flow to Puget Sound.

Qualified entities can apply for our Puget Sound riparian system grants until June 3. For more details, see our 2026 funding guidelines.

The competitive grant program is designed to promote innovative and sustainable approaches for restoring Puget Sound riparian areas — the important transition zones between land and water bodies such as lakes, streams, rivers and floodplains.

Our grants are only available for riparian projects located in the Puget Sound region encompassing the 12 Washington counties contiguous to the Sound, Strait of Juan de Fuca and Hood Canal.

Puget Sound’s riparian areas are known for their moist, mild microclimates and fertile soils that enhance plant growth and support complex flood webs for many critical plant and animal species, especially salmon.

We have about $3 million available in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Individual grant awards will be between $150,000 and $600,000.

Our riparian system grants can be used to fund:

Planning and outreach
Acquiring and growing native riparian vegetation
Activities that restore riparian areas
Monitoring and adaptive management programs
Methods that incentivize private landowner participation
Permanent protection of existing riparian habitat, often through conservation easements and other agreements We anticipate awarding final grants this fall.

Puget Sound Grants share: Email Submit feedback Apr 2, 2026

Curt Hart

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