Grant Application Information
The primary function of the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat’s role as a “Lead Entity” is to identify on the ground restoration and protection projects that help meet the goals of it’s strategy. They play a key role in getting funding for projects from the state’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB). This page is intended for new and existing applicants interested in submitting a project idea to this funding program
Overview
Improving habitat for salmon takes a village, and involves concrete actions that are eligible for state capital funding. Washington State’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) allocates approximately $700,000 – $1,000,000 per year to these projects in the Chehalis Basin. Grants typically fund assessments, designs and construction for undersized culvert correction, instream wood placement, planting native species and controlling invasive species, and protection of high quality habitat through conservation easements or purchase.
Steps for Getting Your Project Ready
Do you have a project in mind? Salmon habitat projects and activities must employ one or more of the strategies listed in the Chehalis Basin Salmon Habitat Restoration and Preservation Strategy for consideration by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB).
If you don’t know if your project aligns with this Strategy, check it out:
- The Chehalis Basin Salmon Habitat Restoration and Preservation Strategy. (2011)
Competitive projects will align with these recommendations in the strategy: - Acquisition Project Guidance – Addendum(2019)
- Barrier Project Guidance – Addendum (2021)
- Guidelines for Small Tributaries
- Invasive Species Project Guidelines
Guidance for project sponsors:
- Read the Chehalis Basin’s grant program overview guidance document to learn about the specifics of the Chehalis Basin’s program.
- Detailed evaluation criteria will help you see how your project will be evaluated by a team of local and scientific experts.
- If you’re ready to apply, download Manual 18, the official state guidance on the Salmon Recovery Grants program. This Manual is updated annually, so even if you are familiar with it, check for the latest version to make sure you are following all the appropriate steps.
Things to consider in developing your project:
- If you plan to correct a passage barrier: What other barriers are upstream? How much habitat is upstream?
- What species of salmonids are present in the stream?
- What salmonid life-stage uses are in the stream?
- What is the current land use in the subbasin? What is the future land use of this subbasin?
- What is the water quality in this stream?
- Are invasive plant species present?
- What are the stream dynamics upstream that will affect this project over the long term?
Resources to help answer those questions:
- Stream Habitat Restoration Guidelines The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife’s aquatic habitat restoration guidelines manual.
- Salmon Stock Inventory: Washington State’s Salmonid Stock Inventory, by Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Statewide Washington Integrated Fish Distribution (SWIFD) Find information with an interactive map of the watershed- shows which salmon species are in which streams, and much more. You can also use this tool to create print maps that show how fish use the streams in relation to your project.
- Fish passage – WSDOT This site shows all recorded culverts and other fish passage structures in Washington state. Gives information for planning and coordinating barrier removal.
- Family Forest Fish Passage Program. Information about how to fund barrier correction on lands managed for small forestry operations.
- Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plans. Information about barriers on large industrial timber lands.
- Chehalis Basin Fish Passage Barrier Ranking. Everyone interested in correcting a fish passage barrier in the Chehalis should look at this resource to learn what a barrier’s priority is for correction, and learn important information about the site.
- Barrier Inventory WRIA 22&23 Ranking and Coordinates.
- EPA Water Quality Data: To access water quality data collected by the Chehalis Tribe for the Chehalis River, look for organization code CHEHALIS_WQX.
- Department of Ecology’s Total Maximum Daily Load webpage for the Chehalis Basin. (TMDL) Describes TMDL plans that cover all of the upper watershed in WRIA 23 and address 303(d) listings for dissolved oxygen (DO), fecal coliform bacteria, and temperature (T) impairments.
- Washington State of Ecology Freshwater Data Stream Site has data on current and historic water quality for a variety of locations throughout the Chehalis
Steps for Application
Chehalis Basin SRFB grant proposals must be submitted through the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat. A full description of this local process is outlined in this document.
- Fill out a Conceptual Project Form
- Submit your form to the Watershed Coordinator, contact
- You will then get a PRISM number, which will allow you to interact directly with the State’s grant managers.
- Once you have a PRISM number, you can start filling out more forms, available on the State’s website.
- Prepare a presentation for the committee of the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat. A template for project presentations is downloadable here.
Application Timeline
Every year, different steps of the Salmon Recovery Funding cycle take place at approximately the same time. See the Calendar for the dates of this year’s grant round. The current year’s schedule can be found here: 2026 Grant Round timeline CBLE
| Month | Event/Deadline |
|---|---|
| February | Conceptual Project Form Due to Lead Entity Coordinator |
| February | Complete application due in PRISM |
| December – March | Project presentations to Habitat Work Group |
| March | Local Review Team and State Reviewers visit sites of proposed projects |
| May | Local Review Team ranks projects |
| June | Final materials due in PRISM and process complete for project sponsors. |
| August | Region submits recommendations for funding, including alternate projects |
| September | SRFB Announces Funding Decisions! |
| October – December | Sponsors develop new project concepts and submit Conceptual Forms as needed |
Other Sources of Project Funding
Whether you’re looking for funding to supplement your Salmon Recovery grant, or your project is outside the scope of Salmon Recovery funding, the list below will help you find financial resources to complete your project:
- Aquatic Species Restoration Program (ASRP) – Office of Chehalis Basin is a program with dual objectives for reducing flood damage and improving aquatic species habitat. They have approximately $10 M available annually for habitat work and award funding on a first come first serve basis.
- Washington State – Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board (FBRB) Funding is available to address severe fish passage barriers. Funds come from the legislature during its two-year funding cycle. Applications open November 1, 2021.
- Washington State – Family Forest Fish Passage Program (FFFPP) The Family Forest Fish Passage Program provides funding to small forest landowners to repair or remove fish passage barriers. Cannot be used as match for SRFB.
- Washington Coast – Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative (WCCRI). The grant program proactively addresses the region’s highest priority ecological protection, restoration and resiliency needs and putting people to work restoring coastal lands and waters.
- Washington State – Washington Wildlife Recreation Program. Includes category for funding habitat conservation. Lead Entities may apply for riparian protection funding, but must provide a 50% match in resources contributed to the project.
- US Department of Agriculture/Washington Conservation Commission (USDA and WCC) – Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) CREP pays landowners a lease fee in exchange for creating and planting fenced riparian buffer areas. These voluntary riparian buffers cannot be cropped or grazed and maintained for 10 to 15 years. In addition to the annual rental payment, the program reimburses the cost of fencing and planting.
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) – Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Provides financial and technical assistance to landowners (farmers, ranchers and foresters) that will improve habitat for salmon. NRCS funds planting, fencing, irrigation improvements, barrier correction, instream habitat improvements, and more.
- USFWS Grants for the Chehalis Basin Restoration, contact: Olivia Williams, Fisheries Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
- Department of Ecology Water Quality Grants Applications for the following grants are due once per year, with applications accepted in September. See website for more information about grants for water quality infrastructure and nonpoint source pollution projects to improve and protect water quality. Eligible infrastructure projects are limited to wastewater treatment construction projects for financially distressed communities. Eligible nonpoint projects include stream restoration and buffers, on-site septic repair and replacement, education and outreach, and other eligible nonpoint activities.
- Department of Ecology – Floodplains by Design. Details about the application process, and funding guidelines are available at Floodplain Management | SEA Program | Washington State Department of Ecology
- A Funding Library for the Washington Coast The Coast Salmon Partnership’s website has a comprehensive list of potential sources of funding for watershed protection and restoration.
How to Find Partners
The following resources may be useful in developing and implementing your project:
- Habitat Work Group. Attend a Habitat Work Group meeting and learn what others working on restoration and protection in the Chehalis are doing. Meeting schedule can be found on our calendar. The group generally meets the first Monday of the month – in person, virtual or hybrid.
- Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) WCC partners with government agencies, Tribes, non-profits, and conservation districts to complete conservation and recreation projects around the state. Check out Partner with WCC – Washington State Department of Ecology
- Other restoration and conservation groups. By working together, we can combine skill sets and accomplish great things. Consider reaching out to another organization working in your area:
| Region | Sponsor | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Chehalis/ Grays Harbor | Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force | http://www.cbftf.com/ |
| Lewis County | Lewis Conservation District | https://lewisconservationdistrict.com |
| Lewis County | Lewis County Public Works | https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/public-works/ |
| Grays Harbor County | Grays Harbor Conservation District | https://www.graysharborcd.org/ |
| Thurston County | Capitol Land Trust | https://capitollandtrust.org/ |
| Thurston County | Thurston Conservation District | https://www.thurstoncd.com/ |
| Mason County | Mason Conservation District | https://www.masoncd.org/ |
| Basinwide | Trout Unlimited | Alex Gustafson (alex.gustafson(at)tu.org) |
| Middle Chehalis | Chehalis Confederated Tribes | https://www.chehalistribe.org/ |
| Chehalis Basin | Chehalis River Basin Land Trust | http://www.chehalislandtrust.org/ |
| Chehalis Basin | Wild Fish Conservancy NW | http://wildfishconservancy.org/ |
| Chehalis Basin | Ducks Unlimited | https://www.ducks.org/conservation/western-region |
| Lower Chehalis/ Grays Harbor | WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife | Brandon Carman, Region 6 (brandon.carman (at)dfw.wa.gov) |
| Centralia City Limits | City of Centralia | http://www.cityofcentralia.com/ |
| Quinault Indian Nation | Quinault Indian Nation | quinaultindiannation.com |
How to Find Contractors
To complete an environmental restoration project successfully, you often need to hire expertise. This group of consulting firms and contractors can provide services in the Chehalis Basin. The document will be updated periodically, so check back.
