Walama Restoration Project

The Walama Restoration Project is a discretionary funding opportunity issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (USACE NWP), under assistance listing 12.010 – Youth Conservation Services. This cooperative agreement aims to fulfill USACE's environmental stewardship responsibilities across its Willamette Valley Project lands by facilitating restoration, habitat management, and education initiatives. The grant is designed to combine ecological restoration with educational and workforce development opportunities for various community members, including young professionals, veterans, displaced workers, college students, and K–12 school students. The overarching purpose of the Walama Restoration Project is to support the restoration and management of native landscapes and wildlife habitats on USACE-managed lands. Alongside ecological objectives, the project promotes training in sophisticated ecological restoration design and implementation. This includes activities such as native plant propagation, wildlife habitat enhancement, wetlands and grassland restoration, fisheries management, and community outreach. Participants in the program are expected to gain hands-on experience in project planning, development, and execution at designated water resource sites throughout the Willamette Valley Project. The program places a strong emphasis on education and community involvement. Opportunities will be created for local primary and secondary school students to participate in the production and installation of native plants, encouraging stewardship of local habitats and environmental awareness. In addition, task assignments for community participants will involve comprehensive training in a variety of environmental disciplines, fostering skills applicable to restoration and conservation careers. Geographically, the program's activities will primarily occur in the southern portion of the Willamette Valley Project, focusing on lakes such as Fern Ridge, Fall Creek, Dexter, Lookout Point, Hills Creek, Cottage Grove, and Dorena. Some limited work (no more than a week per location during the grant period) may also be carried out at Cougar, Foster-Greenpeter, or Detroit-Big Cliff lakes. This targeted scope provides clarity for applicants regarding the expected fieldwork zones. Eligible applicants for this funding opportunity include county governments, city or township governments, state governments, and independent school districts. The funding ceiling is set at $20,000, with a minimum award amount of $3,000. The total available program funding is $100,000. Matching funds are not required. Only one award is expected to be distributed. The funding opportunity was posted on August 5, 2025, and the deadline to submit applications is August 19, 2025. Applicants with questions or who encounter difficulties accessing the full announcement are encouraged to contact the grantor directly. The primary contact for this opportunity is Melanie A. Barrett, who can be reached via phone at 503-808-4623 or by email at melanie.a.barrett@usace.army.mil. The application window opened on August 5, 2025, and closes on August 19, 2025. The grant is not rolling and is not explicitly described as recurring; therefore, potential applicants should treat this as a single-cycle opportunity unless notified otherwise in the future.