US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

© Steven Upperman

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) mission is to preserve and enhance wetlands associated with migratory birds and other wildlife. NAWCA, administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Division of Bird Habitat Conservation, provides cost-share grants to organizations and individuals who have developed partnerships to implement wetland conservation projects in the US, Canada, and Mexico.  Seventy NAWCA projects in Texas have conserved almost 190,000 acres of wildlife habitat!

NAWCA grants are competitive and require at least a 1 to 1 matching fund for all projects. However, competitive grants average a 1 to 3.2 match.  NAWCA grant partners may include individual landowners, for-profit corporations, non-profits, NGO’s, state and local wildlife agencies, local land trusts, federal partners and agencies and any other group or agency interested in wetland conservation.

NAWCA funds are administrated via two programs:

• Standard Grant Program

  • Large scale wetland projects located in the US, Canada, and/or Mexico. Funding often exceeds $75,000 per project
  • Funding occurs in two cycles per year. Proposals for projects must be submitted through Grants.gov.
  • USFWS, Joint Venture Coordinators, and the North American Wetlands Conservation Council staff review proposals, and eligible proposals are then submitted to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council for review and ranking.
  • The North American Wetlands Conservation Council recommends priority projects to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission for final funding approval.
  • Examples of US standard grant projects include permanent protection of 1,936 acres of Chenier Plain wetlands and enhancement of 2,115 acres of tidal marshes and mudflats.

• Small Grant Program

  • Smaller scale wetland projects only located in the US. Funding may not exceed $75,000 per project.
  • Small grant funding cycle occurs once per year.
  • USFWS, Joint Venture Coordinators, and the North American Wetlands Conservation Council staff review proposals, and then all eligible proposals are submitted to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council for review and ranking.
  • The North American Wetlands Conservation Council selects projects which will be funded and informs the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission on its decisions.
  • Examples of small grant projects include restoration of 40 acres of wetlands, treatment for invasive species on 660 acres of river riparian area, and improvement of water management infrastructure for 180 acres of wetlands.

Getting Started:

• Project proposals in the US should be developed with the local Joint Venture coordinator. Projects developed this way are considered more competitive.
  • The Directory for Joint Venture Coordinators

• Applications for NAWCA’s Standard and Small grant programs must be submitted at Grants.gov.
  • For detailed information on how to apply, review the information available at the USFWS NAWCA How to Apply webpage