Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, FedEx, Southern Company and Arconic Foundation are pleased to solicit applications for the 2024 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration program. This program will award approximately $2 million in grants nationwide. 

Eligible applicants: non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal Governments and Organizations and educational institutions

Funding: Awards range from $30,000 to $60,000 with an average size of $45,000 and 30-40 grants awarded per year. Grants should span 12 to 18 months with a start date in late summer/early fall 2024. The ratio of matching contributions offered is considered during the review process, and projects are required to meet or exceed a 1:.75 match ratio to be competitive. There is one application submitted to NFWF for all sources of funding. 

• U.S. EPA Five Star Restoration Training Program– Approximately $225,000 is available nationwide from EPA to fund projects. These funds are available nationwide, in any size community. 
• Urban Waters Federal Partnership, U.S. EPA and U.S.D.A. Forest Service– Approximately $200,000 is available from U.S. Forest Service and EPA, through the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, to improve urban water quality, restore riparian habitat and community forests, increase public access to urban waterways and make linkages to municipal flood mitigation and stormwater programs in developed watersheds throughout the United States. Funds are available nationwide for urban areas. Special consideration given to 20 Urban Waters Federal Partnership designated locations (none in Montana).
• U.S. FWS Urban Program– Approximately $360,000 is available from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to fund projects that engage urban neighbors and foster a sense of stewardship where there are Service lands or offices nearby (within approximately 25+/- miles). 
  • $180,000 of these funds comes from the National Wildlife Refuge System to engage communities in conservation on easily-accessible lands that the Service does not own. Priority will go to projects that improve habitat or access for outdoor recreational experience and address environmental justice, especially in underserved communities. Proposals should demonstrate how the project will meet at least one of the Urban Standards of Excellence for Urban Wildlife Refuges and Partnerships (located at www.fws.gov/urban)
  • $180,000 these funds come from the Urban Bird Treaty program and projects should have an emphasis on protecting, restoring, and enhancing urban habitats for birds, reducing urban hazards to birds while engaging people, especially in diverse and underserved communities, in bird conservation, education, recreation and science activities. Projects supported with this funding do not have to be located in an existing Urban Bird Treaty city, but active UBT and Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership cities receive priority for funding.
• There are several other grant opportunities that do not have geographic priorities in Montana.

Applicant Webinar: November 29, 2023 from Noon- 1:15pm