Region 08 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 08 Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) offer a competitive funding opportunity aimed at supporting the development or refinement of wetland protection programs by state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, as well as interstate agencies, intertribal consortia, and eligible institutions of higher education. This grant program aligns with the EPA's long-standing objective to increase the quantity and quality of wetlands in the United States. It does so by building capacity across all levels of government for effective wetland protection and management using tools such as the Core Elements Framework and Wetland Program Plans (WPPs). The total anticipated funding for this opportunity ranges between $1,481,000 and $2,962,000, which may be allocated over one to four years, with no single project exceeding a five-year period. The EPA expects to make 10 to 15 awards, with a maximum allowable request per application capped at $500,000. Funding will be divided across two tracks. Track One is for state, tribal, and territorial applicants with an EPA-approved WPP or those proposing to develop one. Track Two is for local governments, interstate agencies, intertribal consortia, and eligible universities proposing projects aligned with the Core Element Framework or an existing WPP. Approximately $1,777,200 is allocated for Track One and $1,184,800 for Track Two. Applications must include a cost share of at least 25% of the total project cost unless the applicant is a tribe including the award in a Performance Partnership Grant (PPG), in which case the match requirement is waived. The grant prohibits implementation projects using routine practices; only education, training, research, and demonstration activities involving new or experimental approaches are eligible. Wetland mapping projects must conform to the Federal Geographic Data Committee’s Wetlands Mapping Standard. The lease of vehicles is permissible if directly linked to project activities, but purchase of vehicles or office furniture is ineligible. Eligible applicants must conduct work within EPA Region 08—specifically in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, or on tribal lands within those states. Each application must clearly demonstrate how the proposed project will contribute to the development or refinement of a government wetland program, referencing eligible actions in Appendix A: Core Element Framework FY25 Grant Eligible Actions or in an EPA-approved WPP. The project should also identify environmental benefits such as improved habitat, increased wetland quality, or enhanced flood resilience, and provide mechanisms for transferring results and methods to other jurisdictions. Required application materials include the SF-424, SF-424A, EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54, EPA Form 4700-4, a project narrative (limited to 26 double-spaced pages), and optional attachments such as letters of commitment and resumes. The project narrative must include a cover page, project need and benefits, detailed tasks, milestone schedule, budget, outputs/outcomes, and plans for transferability and performance tracking. Submissions are due by April 20, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET (9:59 PM MT). Applicants may begin submitting applications immediately and must do so via Grants.gov. Questions must be submitted by April 6, 2026. Applications will undergo a responsiveness review followed by panel evaluation using nine weighted criteria, including project need, environmental benefits, task quality, milestone clarity, and partnership strength. Final funding decisions will consider geographic distribution, project diversity, and agency priorities. Award notifications are anticipated in June 2026, with final awards issued around October 2026. The EPA may fund partial projects or issue additional awards within six months of initial selections if further funding becomes available.

Clearly describe measurable environmental outputs and outcomes; provide a detailed milestone schedule; ensure proposed activities are developmental and not implementation-focused.