The Western Native Trout Initiative (WNTI) and partners are proud to announce the 2022 Small Grants Program Request for Proposals. WNTI is an initiative of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and a recognized National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) that seeks to cooperatively restore and recover 21 western native trout and char species and sub-species across their historic range by funding efforts that raise awareness for the importance of native trout and focus limited financial and human resources toward the highest-impact, locally-led, on-the-ground projects. The WNTI overlaps with the area served by the MatSu Basin Salmon Habitat Partnership, WNTI’s focus is on trout and char species.
The focus of WNTI’s Small Grants Program is on projects with a strong element or primary focus on community outreach, education and/or volunteer engagement; or design/planning/monitoring work. Outreach is our top priority for this program and outreach projects will be ranked the highest, all other things being equal. WNTI’s Small Grants program funding is not intended to pay for a small portion of a large habitat restoration or construction project. Habitat restoration-related activities that are requesting support should primarily involve outreach, education, or volunteer engagement, a community outreach event or work day, or project design/planning/monitoring tasks.
Thank you to RepYourWater, Upslope Brewing Co., Basin+Bend, Wilderness Lite Float Tubes, Western Native Trout Challenge anglers’ registrations and donations, and individual donors for contributing funds in support of the Small Grants Program this year. Approximately $25,000 in funding is available for projects in the 12 western states that are WNTI’s focus.
Individual projects can be funded at a maximum of $5,000.
Applications are due by 5 pm Mountain time on May 27, 2022. Project funds are awarded on a reimbursable basis and must be expended by December 30, 2023.
