The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is soliciting proposals through the Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund to protect and restore water quality and habitats of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams.
Through the 2026 Chesapeake Watershed Investment for Landscape Defense (WILD) grants program, NFWF will award funding through three distinct funding opportunities:
- WILD Implementation grants of $75,000 to $500,000 will be awarded for projects that result in direct and measurable on-the-ground actions to restore, conserve, and connect fish and wildlife habitats.
- WILD Collaborative Conservation grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded for projects that support and enhance the capacity of partnerships, networks, and other collaborative models working collaboratively to advance place-based, landscape-scale, and cross-jurisdictional habitat restoration, conservation, and connectivity outcomes.
- WILD Planning and Technical Assistance (PTA) grants of up to $75,000 will be awarded for projects that help advance future on-the-ground actions to restore, conserve, and connect fish and wildlife habitats and related conservation benefits in the Bay watershed through community-based assessment, planning, design, and other technical assistance-oriented activities.
Please review the Request for Proposals for all program details, including program priorities, important program dates, eligibility criteria, and other important considerations. Proposals must be submitted through NFWF’s Easygrants system no later than 12:00PM Thursday, April 9, 2026.
