Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection
Fish and Wildlife Service
About This Grant
The goal of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is to target the most significant environmental problems in the Great Lakes ecosystem by funding and implementing projects that address these problems. As part of this initiative, the two bird habitat joint ventures that operate in the Great Lakes watershed – the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture and the Atlantic Coast Joint Venture – will work with the Office of Conservation Investment program in the Midwest and Northeast Regions of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to competitively fund partner projects for long-term habitat protection, restoration, or enhancement, to conserve habitats that support native Great Lakes fish and wildlife populations, particularly migratory birds. Proposed activities must align with the operating principles of GLRI Action Plan IV and meet the objectives of GLRI Action Plan IV Focus Area 4 (https://www.glri.us/action-plan-iv/habitats-and-species). Proposed actions should address the habitat goals of the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture Implementation Plan (https://umgljv.org/planning/joint-venture-plans/) or the Lower Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Plain (BCR 13) Bird Conservation Region Plan (https://acjv.org/planning/bird-conservation-regions/bcr-13/), and/or other relevant bird conservation plans including tribal plans and/or State Wildlife Action Plans (https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-informs/state-wildlife-action-plans and https://www.mlimidwest.org/midwest-regional-species-of-greatest-conservation-need/) and should clearly describe how proposed activities will benefit bird species identified in the above plan(s).Proposed projects must address declining or at-risk habitat types including wetlands, grasslands, and forests, and projects must fall within the Great Lakes coastal zone, as defined by NOAA (https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/act/sections/#304). Projects that lie adjacent to or in close proximity (within 15 miles) of Great Lakes coastal waters will be viewed favorably. Additionally, proposed projects should describe how activities or outcomes will use existing science and decision support tools to inform proposed activities and how proposed activities will benefit habitats and identified species in the future.Eligible applicants are any organization, except for-profit entities or businesses, who can demonstrate the importance of their project for wildlife habitat and Great Lakes conservation and be able to justify that the GLRI investment property will be managed properly for wildlife habitat into the future.
Grant Summary
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection is a Fish and Wildlife Service grant providing $25K to $300K for school district, nonprofit, municipality. Applications are due 2026-07-06 (closing in 18 days). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
Focus Areas
Eligibility
- Applicants who are not conservation-based organizations must demonstrate how their organizational priorities can satisfy the objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) and the priorities of the Joint Ventures, and how GLRI investments in the proposed project will be maintained and ensured into the future.
How to Apply
$25K–$300K
2026-07-06
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection from Fish and Wildlife Service, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to Fish and Wildlife Service before the deadline.
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection?
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection is offered by Fish and Wildlife Service and is generally open to school district, nonprofit, municipality, university, tribal government. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection provide?
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection provides between $25K and $300K per award from Fish and Wildlife Service. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection deadline?
Applications for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection are due 2026-07-06 (closing in 18 days). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, Fish and Wildlife Service, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection?
To apply for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative –Joint Venture Habitat Restoration and Protection, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from Fish and Wildlife Service.