Washington Environment Grants

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office administers the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to acquire recreation and habitat lands and to develop recreation areas for the state’s growing population. The program supports local and state parks, trails, water access, and restoration on state lands to enhance public outdoor recreation. Funding is available across categories such as Local Parks acquisition and development, State Lands development and renovation, and Water Access and Trails in accordance with program rules. Typical projects include buying land for parks, developing athletic complexes, renovating community parks, building regional trails and waterfront facilities, and developing state lands. Local Parks awards may reach 1,000,000 dollars for acquisition or combination projects, with up to 500,000 dollars for development costs, and 500,000 dollars for development only. State Lands development and renovation awards range from 25,000 to 325,000 dollars. Eligible applicants vary by category and include cities, counties, towns, federally recognized tribes, special purpose and port districts, and state agencies as specified in the program guidance. Eligible costs include land acquisition through perpetual or long term interests and a wide range of development features such as buildings, campgrounds, play areas, restrooms, roads and paths, and interpretive elements, subject to category rules. Applications are submitted through the state’s process by May 1, 2024. Grant duration is not stated. Proposals are assessed for alignment with category requirements and public benefit. Official information is available from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to public agencies, non-profits, academic institutions, and tribal entities in Washington for projects aimed at conserving and restoring the state's most endangered wildlife species.

The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Washington Innovation Fund is a program designed to enhance Washington state's criminal legal system by supporting innovative, sustainable, and data-driven practices. Its overarching goals are to improve community safety, foster collaboration among various sectors, and provide support to victims and individuals involved in the criminal legal system. This aligns with a foundational mission of creating a fair and equitable criminal legal system in Washington that prioritizes these critical areas. The program draws on the Edward Byrne Memorial JAG program, a significant federal source of criminal justice funding, administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), which provides essential resources to state and local jurisdictions for system improvement and community advancement. The target beneficiaries of the JAG Innovation Fund include local governments and private community-based or non-profit agencies that are working to improve the criminal legal system. The program aims to impact community safety directly, enhance support for victims, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration and collective accountability within the system. Ultimately, the expected outcomes include the implementation of more effective and data-informed stewardship of criminal legal system resources, leading to a more just and safer Washington. The JAG Innovation Fund focuses on several key priorities for funding, including organizational or program capacity building, supporting new ideas, projects, or promising practices, enhancing system and community collaborations, and expanding or supplementing existing programs or practices. The program identifies nine specific Purpose Areas to allow for diverse and flexible criminal legal system improvement projects. These areas range from Planning, Evaluation and Technology Improvement to Crime Victim Programming, Support and Advocacy, Community Safety Enhancement, and Corrections, Community Corrections and Re-Entry, among others. Approximately $1,000,000 of JAG funding is dedicated to the Innovation Fund each award cycle, with individual project awards supporting proposals up to $150,000. The funding period for projects is from November 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025. To ensure accountability and community relevance, non-governmental applicants must provide one or more letters of support from a local government unit in the project's jurisdiction, explaining the proposed program's benefits to the local government agency and jurisdiction. This requirement underscores the program's strategic priority of fostering robust community and governmental partnerships as a theory of change for sustainable criminal legal system improvements.

The Green Transportation Capital Grant Program, administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation, aims to fund cost-effective capital projects for transit authorities. Its core mission is to reduce the carbon intensity of Washington's transportation system, aligning with broader climate action efforts supported by the state's Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA's strategic priority is to decrease climate pollution, create jobs, and enhance public health, making this grant a direct mechanism to achieve these goals by investing in sustainable transportation solutions. The primary beneficiaries of this program are transit agencies within Washington state, including various city, county, metropolitan, public, unincorporated, regional, and special purpose district transit systems. The impact goals are centered on transforming public transportation infrastructure to be more environmentally friendly. This includes the electrification of transit vehicle fleets and the development of necessary supporting infrastructure, such as charging and fueling stations, and associated electrical system upgrades. The program prioritizes capital projects that directly contribute to fleet electrification and the transition to zero-emission transportation. Eligible projects encompass the acquisition of battery and fuel cell-operated electric vehicles, modification of facilities for electrification or hydrogen refueling, and the construction of new facilities that primarily support electrified fleets. Additionally, it covers essential upgrades to electrical transmission and distribution systems, in-house staff managing capital construction, and property rights acquisition for these projects. The expected outcomes and measurable results include a significant reduction in carbon emissions from the Washington transportation sector, directly contributing to the state's climate goals. Historically, the program has awarded between $12 million and $50 million per biennium, indicating a substantial investment in achieving these outcomes. The project period for most applications is two years (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027), with construction projects potentially extending to four years, allowing for tangible progress in transitioning to green transportation.

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office administers the Farmland Preservation Grant program to purchase development rights on farmland so that it remains available for agriculture into the future. The program is part of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program and was expanded by the Legislature in 2005 to include significant farmland preservation. Funding supports acquisition of conservation easements and related incidental costs, along with eligible enhancement and restoration that improve agricultural viability, and stewardship planning. Typical projects acquire easements on farmland threatened by development. Enhancement and restoration elements may not exceed one half of total acquisition costs including match, and farm stewardship plans may not exceed 10,000 dollars. Eligible applicants include cities, counties, nonprofit nature conservancy corporations or associations, and the State Conservation Commission. Ineligible activities include short term rights under 25 years, acquisition of land already owned by government, property obtained through condemnation, consumable supplies except for a one time application as part of restoration, elements not considered fixtures or capital items, cleanup of illegal activities, indoor facilities, operating or overhead expenses, purchase of maintenance equipment or supplies, restoration conducted before grant agreement, and transfer of development rights. Applications are due May 1, 2024 through the state’s process. Grant limits are not otherwise specified. Further details are available from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

This program provides funding to municipalities, park districts, tribes, and nonprofits in Pierce County to preserve open spaces and enhance community recreational areas.

The FY2025 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community Grant, offered by the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Mayor’s Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA), seeks grant applications from qualified Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) serving the District of Columbia’s AAPI community. This grant program is aligned with the broader mission of empowering District residents, fostering public safety, and enhancing education. MOAPIA's strategic priorities are evident in the funding areas, which aim to improve the quality of life for all residents and build stronger communities. The grant targets members of the AAPI community of all ages residing in the District of Columbia. The impact goals are to create a vibrant downtown where residents, workers, and visitors can live, work, and play, fight to protect the middle class, reduce all forms of violence including gun violence, and ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. These goals reflect a comprehensive theory of change that by investing in key areas, the District can foster a more equitable, safe, and prosperous environment for its AAPI residents. The program prioritizes initiatives within three key funding areas: Downtown Comeback, Public Safety, and Education. The Downtown Comeback focus seeks to reimagine a downtown with vibrant centers of activity and ensure job opportunities for Washingtonians across all eight wards, enabling them to build better lives. The Public Safety focus aims to create significant, lasting change by reducing and ultimately ending all types of violence, including gun violence. The Education focus emphasizes supporting schools as community heartbeats, ensuring every child has access to quality education, including reading, math, sports, arts, civic engagement, and youth engagement. Expected outcomes include a more vibrant and economically secure downtown, a reduction in violence and improved public safety across the District, and enhanced educational opportunities and well-being for students and residents. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed beyond the funding areas and target populations, the grant's emphasis on progress reports reflecting substantial progress towards grant agreement goals suggests a commitment to accountability and impact. Eligible organizations can be awarded up to $40,000 for a project period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, further indicating a structured approach to achieving these outcomes.

The Tourism and Cultural Investment Grant Program, offered by the City of Spokane, is designed to significantly enhance the city's tourism and cultural environment. The program's core mission is to promote cultural diversity, support various forms of cultural investment, and foster new opportunities for tourism and cultural enrichment within Spokane. This directly aligns with a broader objective of enriching the community and attracting visitors through vibrant cultural and recreational offerings. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are organizations, including non-profit, for-profit, and public agencies, that are actively involved in projects, programs, events, and facilities promoting tourism and cultural investment. The impact goals are centered on creating a more diverse and appealing cultural landscape, drawing more tourists, and ultimately boosting the local economy and quality of life for residents. The program prioritizes projects that contribute to cultural activities such as sports, arts, street/park festivals, film, culinary events, and music. This broad scope ensures that a wide array of cultural expressions can receive support, reflecting a strategic focus on comprehensive cultural development. The emphasis is on initiatives that can tangibly demonstrate their capacity to enhance Spokane's appeal as a cultural and tourist destination. Expected outcomes include an increase in diverse cultural events and attractions, a rise in tourism figures, and greater engagement from both residents and visitors in cultural activities. Measurable results would likely involve tracking the number and type of projects funded, attendance at cultural events, and economic indicators related to tourism. The City of Spokane's strategic priorities, as evidenced by this grant, involve leveraging cultural and tourism assets for community development and economic growth. The underlying theory of change appears to be that by strategically investing in cultural and tourism initiatives, the city can create a self-reinforcing cycle of cultural vibrancy, increased visitor numbers, and economic prosperity. By supporting a diverse range of cultural endeavors, the program aims to build a more dynamic and attractive city, thereby achieving its overarching goals of cultural enrichment and economic development. These grants, ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, serve as catalytic investments to achieve these broader strategic objectives.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for conservation projects aimed at protecting and recovering endangered and threatened species across the United States, targeting eligible applicants such as state and local governments, educational institutions, tribal organizations, and nonprofits.

This initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments in coal-impacted communities to develop and scale innovative economic projects that create job opportunities and foster local economic transformation.

The City of Bellingham is offering a grant for parties capable of producing a special or unique public experience, referred to as a “signature event.” This grant aims to foster artistic and cultural impact within the local community and among visitors, celebrating Bellingham’s indoor food, restaurant, arts, and culture scene. While the specific foundation mission or strategic priorities are not explicitly stated as a separate entity, the City of Bellingham's Tourism Commission acts as the guiding body with clearly defined goals that serve a similar purpose, aligning with the broader civic objective of enhancing the city's appeal and economic vitality through tourism and cultural enrichment. The target beneficiaries include the local community of Bellingham, visitors (with an emphasis on Canadian tourists), and historically marginalized communities such as BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. The impact goals are multi-faceted, aiming to create meaningful artistic and cultural experiences, celebrate local culinary and arts scenes, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, attract significant tourism (particularly overnight stays), generate secondary economic benefits, and foster a positive long-lasting impression of Bellingham/Whatcom County. The program also seeks to integrate new and emerging talent, ensuring a dynamic and evolving cultural landscape. The program prioritizes events that provide a unique and distinctive Pacific Northwest experience, avoiding replication of events found in larger cities like Seattle. A strong focus is placed on walkability, highlighting the food and restaurant scene, and incorporating local businesses, history, attractions, and environmental stewardship. Crucially, the program aims for the signature events to become self-sustaining within a few years, minimizing the long-term reliance on City funding. This reflects a strategic priority to seed initiatives that can ultimately thrive independently, contributing to the city's cultural and economic fabric for the long term. Expected outcomes include a measurable increase in tourism, particularly from Canadian visitors, and a higher likelihood of overnight stays. The events are anticipated to generate numerous secondary economic benefits for local businesses. Success will also be measured by the artistic and cultural impact on the community, the level of diversity and inclusivity achieved, and the creation of a lasting positive impression of Bellingham. The long-term goal is for these events to become financially self-sufficient after three years, demonstrating a successful launch and sustainable operation, thereby contributing to the City's broader tourism and economic development objectives. Funding is committed for up to three years to provide seed money. Up to $100,000 is available for the first year, with approximately $70,000 for each of the following two years, for one or more signature events. Eligible expenses cover marketing and operational costs. Marketing activities include advertising, publicizing, and distributing information to attract tourists, as well as developing tourism expansion strategies. Operational expenses encompass typical event management costs such as supplies, equipment rentals, and venue fees. This financial structure supports the strategic objective of launching a new event and fostering its growth towards self-sustainability within the initial three-year period.

This grant provides funding for organizations to conduct sea turtle nesting surveys and conservation efforts at Wake Island Airfield, specifically targeting members of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units in the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii-Pacific Islands, or California.

This grant provides funding to organizations that will educate students and families in the Poverty Bay Shellfish Protection District about reducing fecal pollution through community outreach and culturally relevant materials.

This grant provides unrestricted funding to nonprofits in Washington state that are focused on advancing equity in healthcare, climate and agricultural justice, and education, particularly for marginalized communities.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to various public and nonprofit entities for replacing outdated diesel marine engines with cleaner technologies and for training programs that prepare individuals for careers in zero-emission transportation.

The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office manages the Land and Water Conservation Fund in Washington to preserve and develop public outdoor recreation resources. The federal program, created by Congress in 1965, provides financial assistance for acquisition and development of parks, trails, and wildlife lands. Typical projects renovate community parks and build facilities such as skate parks, tennis courts, swimming pools, trails, and athletic fields, while protecting habitat where appropriate. Eligible activities include land acquisition and development or renovation of outdoor recreation areas. Grant limits range from 200,000 to 2,000,000 dollars. Eligible applicants include local agencies, special purpose districts such as park and recreation districts, Native American tribes, and state agencies. All communities may compete for funding. Applications are due May 1, 2024 through the state’s process. Grant duration is not stated. Official program details are available from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, public service entities, and government agencies serving the residents of Orcas Island, Washington, to enhance community-driven projects during the holiday season.

This grant provides financial support and mentorship to early-stage cleantech entrepreneurs in the Midwest who are developing innovative solutions to promote economic growth and environmental sustainability.

This program provides financial support to organizations and event organizers in Vancouver, Washington, to promote tourism through cultural events, festivals, and the development of tourism-related facilities.