The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation partners to foster sustainable and impactful conservation solutions so that people and nature thrive together. NFWF protects and restores fish, wildlife, plants and habitats by leveraging public and private resources and awarding competitive grants.
The largest recent grant on file, $99,013,450 to La Coastal Protection & Restoration for conservation projects, shows how National Fish and Wildlife Foundation works at the scale of major landscape and coastal restoration. The foundation awards competitive grants that protect and restore fish, wildlife, plants, and habitats by leveraging public and private resources. Its recent awards also include $36,936,595 to the Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority for barrier island restoration and $34,041,973 to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for marsh creation, signaling a strong emphasis on habitat and shoreline work. Across the latest grants listed, the foundation supports state agencies, local governments, conservation groups, and land trusts, often in projects tied to wetlands, estuaries, rivers, and working lands. The portfolio includes both large capital-style restoration awards and smaller project grants, with conservation outcomes linked to fish habitat, bird habitat, coastal resilience, and watershed function. Several of the biggest awards also center on named places such as Louisiana wetlands, Dauphin Island, and the Walker Basin, indicating a place-based conservation strategy rather than a single-species or single-state pattern.
Habitat restoration is a central theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. It awarded $29,047,733 to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana for restoring Louisiana wetlands for marsh habitat, and $23,511,268 to the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium Dauphin Island Sea Lab for saltmarsh stabilization and restoration. Coastal and estuarine projects are another clear focus: the Town of Dauphin Island received $24,638,207 to restore AL Bay marsh and oyster reefs for resilience, while Alabama’s coastal habitat protection efforts also appear in the record. The foundation also backs freshwater and terrestrial work. Ducks Unlimited Inc received $12,497,710 for northern Great Plains grassland habitat for birds, and Trout Unlimited Inc received $5,921,842 for Pacific salmon habitat restored in the Eklutna River. Across these grants, the work is practical and project-based, centered on restoration, habitat function, and species support.
$464.4M
$3.6B
$584.2M
$520.8M
Most grants fall between $29K and $199K, with a median of $77K.
25th Percentile
$29K
Median
$77K
75th Percentile
$199K
About 2% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Typical grants cluster around a median of $77,254, with a lower quartile of $29,475 and an upper quartile of $199,054, while the portfolio also includes very large project awards. The data shows repeat recipients over multiple years, including The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited Inc, Trout Unlimited Inc, Walker Basin Conservancy, Texas General Land Office, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is a regular funder and does not fund individuals. The grant record is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, and the listed grant programs include a mix of competitive opportunities and program-specific solicitations, with some accepting unsolicited proposals and others not.
Grantmaking is national, but the largest concentrations in the recent grants list appear in the Gulf Coast and Chesapeake-related coastal states. Baton Rouge, Louisiana shows up repeatedly, along with Dauphin Island and Mobile, Alabama, Jackson, Mississippi, Austin, Texas, and Arlington, Virginia. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 3,150 grants in the United States. Washington, DC recipients appear as well, but only 2% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state.
The foundation funds habitat restoration, species conservation, watershed restoration, coastal resilience, marine and estuarine conservation, forest and working lands conservation, fisheries improvement, and mitigation through IDEA-related work. Recent grants show wetland, marsh, oyster reef, shoreline, and river habitat projects, along with grassland and prairie habitat work.
No. Its geographic scope of giving is national, and the recent grants list includes projects in Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Nevada, Virginia, California, Florida, Tennessee, and New York. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The typical grant size is $29,475 at the 25th percentile, $77,254 at the median, and $199,054 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes much larger project awards, showing a wide range between standard grants and major restoration commitments.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited Inc, Trout Unlimited Inc, Walker Basin Conservancy, Texas General Land Office, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. That pattern suggests ongoing project relationships rather than one-time awards only.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals. Its grantmaking is organized through competitive grant programs and project-focused awards to organizations, public agencies, and conservation partners.
JEFFREY TRANDAHL
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Projects must be located in Colorado and address identified habitat restoration, stewardship or conservation priorities. Detailed eligibility is specified in each RFP.
Deadline: 2027 RFP full proposals due November 12, 2026.
Administered by State Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund
Who can apply: Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, U.S. federal agencies, state agencies and political subdivisions, local and municipal governments, Tribes, and educational institutions. Businesses and unincorporated individuals are ineligible.
Deadline: 2026 RFP available August 11, 2026; proposals due November 12, 2026 by 9:59 p.m.; grants awarded March–April 2027.
Who can apply: The program supports qualified implementation partners and community-led conservation projects that protect high-conservation-value, high-conversion-risk grasslands through conservation easements and related grazing-land management activities. Detailed eligibility requirements are provided in the 2026–2027 Request for Proposals.
Deadline: Full proposal due January 27, 2027.
Administered by Heart of the Rockies Initiative
Who can apply: Eligible applicants include Tribes, community/watershed groups, nonprofits, and other entities responsible for implementing carnivore conflict prevention activities. Projects must be focused on preventing future grizzly bear conflicts and generally be located in occupied grizzly bear territory.
Deadline: The majority of grant funding has been awarded. A third Request for Proposals period may open in late fall 2026 for remaining funding; applications are not currently being accepted.
Administered by Wal-Mart Foundation
Who can apply: The initial competitive RFP will support projects that protect intact grasslands at risk of conversion, conserve high-value habitat, connect protected lands, improve water resources, support ranching livelihoods and demonstrate strong community leadership. Detailed eligibility and application instructions are to be provided by NFWF.
Deadline: Initial RFP expected; awards are expected to be announced in 2027. No application deadline was stated.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $24,160,857 | 2026 | COASTAL HABITATS / GREATER SAGE GROUSE CONS |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $20,554,669 | 2026 | COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION |
| MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | JACKSON, MS | $20,487,275 | 2026 | MISSISSIPPI COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION & MGT |
| WALKER BASIN CONSERVANCY | RENO, NV | $12,392,044 | 2026 | RESTORE WALKER BASIN HABITAT FOR MONARCHS |
| STATE OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $8,613,371 | 2026 | RESTORE HAWAII FORESTS, PROTECT RARE PLANTS |
| COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY OF LOUISIANA | BATON ROUGE, LA | $8,232,475 | 2026 | COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION |
| NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $7,135,247 | 2026 | STEWARDSHIP OF COASTAL BIRD POPULATIONS |
| TROUT UNLIMITED INC | ARLINGTON, VA | $6,414,292 | 2026 | BIG WHITNEY COMPLEX MEADOW RESTORATION PROJECT |
| ALLIANCE FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY INC | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $5,846,114 | 2026 | CHESAPEAKE STREAM RESTORATION MONITORING PLAN |
| MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CONSORTIUM DAUPHIN ISLAND SEA LAB | DAUPHIN ISLAND, AK | $5,083,332 | 2026 | COASTAL AND WATERSHED RESTORATION |
| MOBILE COUNTY COMMISSION | MOBILE, AK | $4,961,256 | 2026 | COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION |
| ESCAMBIA COUNTY | PENSACOLA, FL | $4,481,600 | 2026 | RESTORE BAY SHORELINE FOR FISH & RESILIENCE |
| PHEASANTS FOREVER INC | ST PAUL, MN | $4,395,566 | 2026 | GRASSLAND & SAGEBRUSH HABITAT FOR WY BIRDS |
| THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $4,098,225 | 2026 | DESIGNING A WATERFRONT SCHOOLYARD IN NEW JERSEY |
| PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE | NIXON, NV | $4,088,503 | 2026 | PYRAMID LAKE WATER RIGHTS AND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS |
| NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION | RESTON, VA | $3,551,555 | 2026 | CREATE POLLINATOR GARDENS AT FAITH SITES IN DE |
| TOWN OF DAUPHIN ISLAND | DAUPHIN ISLAND, AK | $3,302,903 | 2026 | RESTORE AL BAY MARSH & OYSTER REEFS FOR RESILIENCE |
| THE LONGLEAF ALLIANCE INC | ANDALUSIA, AK | $3,262,333 | 2026 | RESTORE LONGLEAF HABITAT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS |
| WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT | MENLO PARK, CA | $3,182,600 | 2026 | LIVING SHORELINE PROTECTS BAY MARSH |
| CITY OF BUFFALO | BUFFALO, NY | $2,938,291 | 2026 | PLANT 660 TREES IN BUFFALO'S CENTENNIAL PARK |
| AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY | THE PLAINS, VA | $2,915,426 | 2026 | PROTECT HAWAI'I FOREST BIRDS FROM MALARIA |
| ALABAMA FORESTRY FOUNDATION | MONTGOMERY, AK | $2,847,218 | 2026 | IMPROVING HABITAT IN UPPER SIPSEY FORK WATERSHED |
| WESTERVELT ECOLOGICAL SERVICES LLC | TUSCALOOSA, AK | $2,809,411 | 2026 | ZACHARIAS RANCH MITIGATION BANK CREDIT PURCHASE |
| US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE | DENVER, CO | $2,721,077 | 2026 | RESTORE TIDAL MARSHES IN DELAWARE RVR REFUGES |
| TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE | AUSTIN, TX | $2,696,682 | 2026 | COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION |
| PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA MARINE DEBRIS PROJECT INC | KAILUA, HI | $2,524,349 | 2026 | REMOVING DEBRIS FROM PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA REEFS |
| ND GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT | BISMARCK, ND | $2,499,975 | 2026 | PROTECT ND GRASSLANDS FOR MEADOWLARKS & RANCHERS |
| ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $2,365,118 | 2026 | RESTORE WAR EAGLE CREEK FOR FISH PASSAGE |
| MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES | LANSING, MI | $2,357,404 | 2026 | TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR MI FOREST LANDOWNERS |
| MARIN COUNTY PARKS | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $2,346,796 | 2026 | FARMERS FOR SOIL HEALTH |
| NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL FEDERATION INC | NEWPORT, NC | $2,224,455 | 2026 | REMOVE DEBRIS FROM NC COAST POST-HURRICANE |
| GROUNDWORK JACKSONVILLE INC | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $2,181,017 | 2026 | FINAL DESIGN TO RESTORE HOGANS CREEK |
| SOUTH BALTIMORE GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP | BALTIMORE, MD | $2,108,967 | 2026 | RESTORE 7.3 ACRES OF MD COASTAL WETLANDS |
| APALACHICOLA RIVERKEEPER | APALACHICOLA, FL | $2,071,165 | 2026 | RESTORATION OF RIVER SLOUGHS |
| VILLAGE OF KOTLIK | KOTLIK, AK | $2,016,122 | 2026 | RESTORE ALASKA WETLANDS FOR SALMON HABITAT |
| SOUTHERN MARYLAND RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD INC | LEONARDTOWN, MD | $1,916,760 | 2026 | RESTORE MARSH FOR TERRAPINS AT PATUXENT RIVER |
| TIOGA COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT OF NEW YORK | OSWEGO, NY | $1,907,627 | 2026 | RESTORE NATURAL FILTERS IN UPPER SUSQUEHANNA |
| WILD SALMON CENTER | PORTLAND, OR | $1,869,795 | 2026 | RECONNECTING WETLANDS ON THE OREGON COAST |
| PACIFIC RIM CONSERVATION | HONOLULU, HI | $1,855,712 | 2026 | KAUAI SEABIRD HCP MITIGATION SITE |
| AMERICAN LITTORAL SOCIETY | HIGHLANDS, NJ | $1,839,619 | 2026 | RESTORE PARK TO FILTER STORMWATER RUNOFF |
| SUMMIT LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE | SPARKS, NV | $1,730,975 | 2026 | ASSESS AND RESTORE CUTTHROAT TROUT AT SUMMIT LAKE |
| WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE | SEATTLE, WA | $1,623,009 | 2026 | AID PACIFIC MARBLED MURRELET RECOVERY IN WA |
| CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION INC | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $1,597,020 | 2026 | PROTECT UPPER POTOMAC WATERSHED WITH WETLANDS |
| CASCADE PACIFIC RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AREA INC | CORVALLIS, OR | $1,572,851 | 2026 | RESTORING OR WETLANDS FOR SALMON HABITAT |
| STROUD WATER RESEARCH CENTER | AVONDALE, PA | $1,570,251 | 2026 | RESTORE FARMS & BUFFERS IN DELAWARE WATERSHED |
| CALIFORNIA STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY | OAKLAND, CA | $1,552,068 | 2026 | RESTORE 114-ACRE WETLAND FOR SALMON IN ESTUARY |
| THE RESILIENCE AUTHORITY OF ANNAPOLIS AND ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $1,504,822 | 2026 | REDUCE FLOODING IN BAY-FRONT COLUMBIA BEACH |
| SUPERIOR WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP | MARQUETTE, MI | $1,482,012 | 2026 | NATIVE PLANTS FILTER RUNOFF AT LAKE SUPERIOR |
| SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY | GAINESVILLE, FL | $1,408,908 | 2026 | STEWARDSHIP OF NESTING SEA TURTLES |
| WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT | CHEYENNE, WY | $1,404,353 | 2026 | RESTORING BIG GAME MIGRATORY CORRIDOR HABITAT, WY |
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$20,554,669COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
$20,487,275MISSISSIPPI COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION & MGT
STATE OF HAWAII
$8,613,371RESTORE HAWAII FORESTS, PROTECT RARE PLANTS
COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AUTHORITY OF LOUISIANA
COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION
ALLIANCE FOR THE CHESAPEAKE BAY INC
$5,846,114CHESAPEAKE STREAM RESTORATION MONITORING PLAN
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CONSORTIUM DAUPHIN ISLAND SEA LAB
$5,083,332COASTAL AND WATERSHED RESTORATION
MOBILE COUNTY COMMISSION
$4,961,256COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
$4,481,600RESTORE BAY SHORELINE FOR FISH & RESILIENCE
PHEASANTS FOREVER INC
$4,395,566GRASSLAND & SAGEBRUSH HABITAT FOR WY BIRDS
DESIGNING A WATERFRONT SCHOOLYARD IN NEW JERSEY
PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE
$4,088,503PYRAMID LAKE WATER RIGHTS AND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS
TOWN OF DAUPHIN ISLAND
$3,302,903RESTORE AL BAY MARSH & OYSTER REEFS FOR RESILIENCE
WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT
$3,182,600LIVING SHORELINE PROTECTS BAY MARSH
CITY OF BUFFALO
$2,938,291PLANT 660 TREES IN BUFFALO'S CENTENNIAL PARK
IMPROVING HABITAT IN UPPER SIPSEY FORK WATERSHED
WESTERVELT ECOLOGICAL SERVICES LLC
$2,809,411ZACHARIAS RANCH MITIGATION BANK CREDIT PURCHASE
US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
$2,721,077RESTORE TIDAL MARSHES IN DELAWARE RVR REFUGES
TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE
$2,696,682COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION
REMOVING DEBRIS FROM PAPAHANAUMOKUAKEA REEFS
ND GAME & FISH DEPARTMENT
$2,499,975PROTECT ND GRASSLANDS FOR MEADOWLARKS & RANCHERS
ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION
$2,365,118RESTORE WAR EAGLE CREEK FOR FISH PASSAGE
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
$2,357,404TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR MI FOREST LANDOWNERS
MARIN COUNTY PARKS
$2,346,796FARMERS FOR SOIL HEALTH
NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL FEDERATION INC
$2,224,455REMOVE DEBRIS FROM NC COAST POST-HURRICANE
SOUTH BALTIMORE GATEWAY PARTNERSHIP
$2,108,967RESTORE 7.3 ACRES OF MD COASTAL WETLANDS
APALACHICOLA RIVERKEEPER
$2,071,165RESTORATION OF RIVER SLOUGHS
VILLAGE OF KOTLIK
$2,016,122RESTORE ALASKA WETLANDS FOR SALMON HABITAT
SOUTHERN MARYLAND RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD INC
$1,916,760RESTORE MARSH FOR TERRAPINS AT PATUXENT RIVER
TIOGA COUNTY SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
$1,907,627RESTORE NATURAL FILTERS IN UPPER SUSQUEHANNA
SUMMIT LAKE PAIUTE TRIBE
$1,730,975ASSESS AND RESTORE CUTTHROAT TROUT AT SUMMIT LAKE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
$1,623,009AID PACIFIC MARBLED MURRELET RECOVERY IN WA
PROTECT UPPER POTOMAC WATERSHED WITH WETLANDS
RESTORING OR WETLANDS FOR SALMON HABITAT
CALIFORNIA STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY
$1,552,068RESTORE 114-ACRE WETLAND FOR SALMON IN ESTUARY
THE RESILIENCE AUTHORITY OF ANNAPOLIS AND ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
$1,504,822REDUCE FLOODING IN BAY-FRONT COLUMBIA BEACH
SUPERIOR WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP
$1,482,012NATIVE PLANTS FILTER RUNOFF AT LAKE SUPERIOR
WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT
$1,404,353RESTORING BIG GAME MIGRATORY CORRIDOR HABITAT, WY
