Riparian Habitat Conservation

The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) of California is offering grant funding for restoration and public access projects that enhance habitat and promote environmental connectivity across the state. This grant opportunity specifically supports projects designed to restore ecosystems and increase equitable access to natural areas, with a strong emphasis on reaching and benefiting justice communities. Currently, the WCB is only accepting pre-applications for restoration and public access projects. Acquisition projects are temporarily paused while the board processes a backlog of applications submitted before the portal was closed. Applicants with pending acquisition proposals will be contacted once a decision is made. The portal for new acquisition project applications will reopen once the current queue is cleared. All applicants must first submit a pre-application before being invited to submit a full application. Pre-applications must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document and include the phrase “PreApp” or “Pre-App” in the file name. Maps and photographs should be included within the Word document; however, if separate attachments are necessary, they must be submitted in PDF format only. Pre-applications should be sent via email to WCBpreapps@wildlife.ca.gov. Funding for these grants is expected to increase with the availability of bond dollars from Proposition 4, although these funds will not be available until July 1, 2025, pending standard budget allocation procedures. The WCB encourages all interested parties to subscribe to WCB News for updates on future funding cycles and program reopenings. Additional application documents, including the General Grant Guidelines, Restoration/Development Pre-Application, and Budget Worksheets, are available through WCB’s online portal. Full applications are only to be submitted by invitation after a successful pre-application review. For general inquiries, applicants may contact the Wildlife Conservation Board at (916) 445-8448 or via email at WCBpreapps@wildlife.ca.gov. The WCB is located at 715 P Street, 17th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.