The Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act (GLFWRA) FY 2026 funding opportunity supports research, restoration, and Regional Project proposals for the conservation and restoration of fish and wildlife resources and their habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this discretionary grant and cooperative agreement programme provides assistance to States, Indian Tribes, and other interested entities to encourage cooperative conservation, restoration, research, and management efforts.
Overview
- Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service
- Assistance Listing: 15.688 — Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act
- Funding Opportunity Number: F26AS00062
- Category of Funding Activity: Natural resources
- Funding Instrument Type: Grant and Cooperative Agreement
- Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: Yes
- Expected Number of Awards: 15
Funding and Benefits
- Total Program Funding: Approximately $3.5 million (subject to final Congressional appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026).
- Award Range (Restoration and Research Proposals): $10,000 to $250,000 (average award $217,843).
- Award Range (Regional Project Proposals): $200,000 to $500,000. Up to 33 and one-third percent of the total Congressional appropriation to the GLFWRA may fund Regional Project proposals.
- Overall Award Minimum: $2,000
- Overall Award Maximum: $500,000
- Funded proposals receive either a grant (restoration and research) or a cooperative agreement (Regional Project).
- Funding is made available after the official award letter is received and the performance period begins.
- Continuation of proposals funded in previous fiscal years are eligible but will be reviewed as new proposals.
- Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners submitting qualifying Regional Project proposals are subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- Government: State, county, city or township, special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
- Nonprofit: Native American tribal organizations; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (non‑higher education).
- Education: Public and state institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; independent school districts.
- Business: Small businesses.
- Miscellaneous: Other; individuals; unrestricted.
Proposal activities (e.g., habitat restoration, barrier removal, research, assessment) must be within the Great Lakes Basin or impact a fish or wildlife species present in the Great Lakes Basin.
Application Process
- Step 1 – Pre-Proposal (Restoration and Research): Submit a two-page restoration and research pre-proposal to the Service for eligibility determination. Successful applicants are then invited to submit a full proposal.
- Step 2 – Full Proposal (Restoration and Research): Full proposals are scored and ranked by the Proposal Review Committee (PRC) using GLFWRA Review Criteria. The PRC recommends proposals to the Service’s Midwest Region 3 Regional Director for approval.
- Regional Project Proposals: Submit a full Regional Project proposal directly. These proposals are also scored and ranked by the PRC and recommended to the Regional Director.
- All proposals (restoration and research pre-proposals and Regional Project full proposals) must be submitted in Word or pdf format via GrantSolutions.
- Successful applicants can expect to receive an official award letter between January and March 2027.
Deadline and Timeline
- Closing Date: August 3, 2026, before 11:59 PM ET. Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered.
- Posted Date: June 1, 2026
- Archive Date: September 30, 2026
Contact Information