FWP Future Fisheries Improvement Program Grants

The Future Fisheries Improvement Program provides funding to projects that restore essential habitats for the growth and propagation of wild fish populations in lakes, rivers, and streams. Any entity with a good on-the-ground project that benefits wild fish can apply for funding through the Future Fisheries Improvement Program, including (but is not limited to) landowners, anglers, civic groups, conservation districts, or governmental agencies.

Application Requirements

Talk to your regional fisheries biologist about your project idea prior to filling out an application. Contact the Future Fisheries Coordinator at (406) 444-2432 or email FWPFFIP@mt.gov if you are not sure whom to contact. The local biologist typically knows the limiting factors associated with fish populations in their management area.

Project applicants must also affirm that work would be conducted with the approval of the landowner on whose property the project is being completed, and would not interfere with water or property rights of adjacent landowners. Applications must be completed in entirety and signed by the applicant.

Applicants must demonstrate benefits to the public and accomplish one or more of the goals listed below:

• Improve or maintain fish passage
• Restore or protect naturally functioning stream channels or banks
• Restore or protect naturally functioning riparian areas
• Prevent loss of fish into diversions
• Restore or protect essential habitats for spawning
• Enhance stream flow to improve fisheries
• Restore or protect native fish populations
• Improve fishing in a lake or reservoir
• Restore or protect habitat for wild fish populations in other ways

Use of Funds

Program funding may be provided for costs of design/build, construction, and maintenance of projects that restore, enhance, or protect habitat for wild fishes. Funding cannot be used for administration, coordination, overhead, monitoring, watershed assessments, design alone, travel, or contingency costs. Funding cannot be used for the aquisition of land. Preference will be given to projects that restore habitats for native fishes.

Funding Limits

There is no maximum grant amount per application. However, funding awards are subject to the grant money available, total project requests, and the application’s demonstration of program goals. Call the Future Fisheries Coordinator (406) 444-2432 or email FWPFFIP@mt.gov for more information on projected funding.