The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Fiscal Year 2026 round of the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program (attached) has been published. The open period for States to apply is now through July 18, 2025, 11:59 PM (East Coast Time).

Please share this announcement with others who may be interested in partnering in an application. The NOFO, along with the full application package, is available at Grants.gov and in Grant Solutions. The best way to find the NOA is to search by Funding Opportunity Number F26AS00005.

Who Is Eligible to Apply: There are nine eligible California agencies who may submit applications and directly receive awards from the NCWCG program. We’ve attached a copy of the Governor's letter which lists entities in California eligible to submit a NCWCG grant application and receive grant funds.

What If My Organization Is Not an Approved State Agency:

If your organization is not one of the approved State agencies, you must coordinate with and receive pre-approval from an eligible State agency. Once you receive approval, you will work closely with your sponsoring State agency to co-author a grant application. A completed application will be submitted by the sponsoring State agency by the deadline listed above. Authorized agencies may subgrant funding to a subrecipient (local, state, Tribal or NGO) who may directly implement the project.

TRACS (for State Agencies only):

There is a requirement to use the Tracking and Reporting Actions for the Conservation of Species (TRACS) system for an awarded NCWCG. This means that you must reference the TRACS Matrix to set measurable objectives for your project. The Matrix can be found at: WSFR Training: TRACS Resources and Job Aids (wsfrtraining.fws.gov). This site also contains handy job aids and training modules for your use. Please Note that you do not have to create your application within the TRACS System. However, you will be required to enter it into the system if your project is selected for funding. Throughout the NOA, there are specific instructions and limits on the funding for the project, which if not followed, can lead to your proposal being deemed ineligible.

Ranking Criteria:

You will find the attached Federal Register Notice for the NCWCG Program (50 CFR 84) which contains the ranking criteria for this program. You will want to write your application very explicitly to the 13 ranking criteria to maximize your score in the national competition.

Additional Support for Grant Application Development:

In California, the NCWCG program is co-managed by the USFWS Region 8 Habitat Restoration Division (HR) and the USFWS Region 8 Office of Conservation Investment (CI). Colleen Grant is our new HR-Coastal Program Regional Coordinator (vice Samantha Marcum). Also working under the HR Division are local USFWS Coastal Program Manager who can offer technical assistance for your applicati