Region 7 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants

The Region 7 Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) opportunity, offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), supports the development and refinement of wetland protection and management programs in Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska, including Tribal lands within these states. This program provides funding to state, Tribal, territorial, local governments, interstate agencies, intertribal consortia, and certain academic institutions acting as state agencies. Through this funding, the EPA aims to enhance the capacity of these entities to conserve and restore wetlands, with the ultimate objective of increasing both the quantity and quality of wetlands across the United States. The WPDG program supports projects that align with EPA’s Core Elements of a Wetlands Program and the Wetlands Program Core Elements Framework. Two distinct applicant tracks are offered: Track One (WPP) is for state, Tribal, and territorial governments with EPA-approved Wetland Program Plans or those seeking to develop or update one. Track Two (Non-WPP) is open to all eligible applicants and supports activities outlined in Appendix A of the NOFO, which covers program development and refinement actions. All applications must demonstrate how the proposed project will support the development or refinement of a governmental wetland program and must take place primarily within EPA Region 7. The EPA expects to award between 5 and 9 cooperative agreements or grants under this opportunity, distributing approximately $1,857,000 in total. Funding is split between Track One and Track Two, with about $1,114,200 allocated to the former and $742,800 to the latter. Individual awards must not exceed $400,000, and the project period may span one to four years, not exceeding five years. A cost share of at least 25% of the total project cost is required, unless the applicant is a Tribe applying under a Performance Partnership Grant, in which case the cost share is waived. Applications are due via Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on April 6, 2026. All applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to submit their application. Required application materials include standard federal forms (e.g., SF-424, SF-424A, EPA Form 4700-4), a project narrative, and supporting documents such as letters of commitment and staff resumes. Applications are evaluated based on nine criteria including project need, environmental benefit, project tasks, milestone schedule, budget, transfer of results, environmental outputs and outcomes, organizational capacity, partnerships, and past performance. Selected recipients will be notified by July 2026, with awards finalized by September 2026. Funded projects must include mechanisms for transfer of results to other entities, including presentations, reports, webinars, and submissions to national databases when applicable. Environmental data collected under these awards must comply with EPA’s Quality Assurance/Quality Control requirements and may require a Quality Management Plan and/or a Quality Assurance Project Plan. Demonstration projects must employ new or experimental methods and disseminate findings to ensure broader benefit. This grant opportunity recurs annually and is governed by the statutory authority of Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act. The EPA emphasizes the importance of long-term wetland planning and encourages applicants to integrate strategies for climate resilience, flood mitigation, and community engagement into their proposed projects. For technical and eligibility-related inquiries, applicants may contact Annika Lloyd at [email protected] or 913-551-7156.

Clearly link tasks to environmental outcomes; include strong transfer plan; align with EPA core wetland elements and clearly defined outputs; avoid implementation-only projects; reference EPA-approved Wetland Program Plans if applicable.