Fund Your Local Project
Each year Fishers & Farmers Provides Funding for Landowner-Led Projects That Benefit Fish AND Farms
Now Accepting Proposals for FY26 Funding and Hosting a Funding Webinar for Applicants
The Fishers & Farmers Partnership accepts project proposals aimed at enhancing farm value while restoring aquatic habitats and native fish populations in Mississippi River basin streams. Federal funding is available under the National Fish Habitat Partnership through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to fund top ranked proposals.
Ideal proposals align with Fishers & Farmers Partnership goals and priorities, and support National Fish Habitat Partnership objectives. See past projects we have funded.
FISHERS & FARMERS PARTNERSHIP GOALS
- Engaging farmers and landowners in conservation activities.
- Supporting fish habitat conservation projects.
- Continuing the development of long-term, basin-scale strategies.
- Providing support to strengthen the partnership for long-term action.
FISHERS & FARMERS PARTNERSHIP PRIORITIES
- Increase native fish or mussel populations of priority species
- Improve in-stream habitat by reducing sedimentation, phosphorus, and nitrogen runoff.
- Collaborate with landowners by promoting best management practices.
- Enhance landowner engagement and establish landowner-led committees that drive conservation.
- Improve connectivity, floodplain habitat, and enhance flow regimes.
- Monitor the effectiveness of conservation projects and share findings.
- Increase public access to land or water for recreational opportunities.
NATIONAL FISH HABITAT PARTNERSHIP OBJECTIVES
- Protect & maintain intact and healthy aquatic systems
- Prevent further degradation of fish habitats
- Reverse declines in quality & quantity of aquatic habitats to improve health of fish/aquatic species
- Increase quality of fish habitat to support a broad natural diversity of fish/aquatic species
FUNDING INFORMATION
Available Funds
Minimum $15,000
Maximum $100,000
$200,000-$300,000 will be split between 4-7 accepted projects
Cost Sharing
Projects are required to show a minimum of 1:1 cost share, but 3:1 is preferred. Cost share may be in-kind services or cash and may include monitoring and maintenance.
Terms
Project work to be completed and all funding must be spent within 24 months. Annual and final reports required.
November 2024 | Funding cycle opens and applicants can begin to develop project proposals for funding consideration
November-December 2024 | Funding Information Webinars for Applicants
January 15, 2025 | Application/Proposal Deadline
February-March 2025 | FFP evaluates proposals and sends priority projects for funding to NFHP
April-June 2025 | NFHP reviews priority projects and sends recommended projects Department of Interior
July-December 2025 | Department of Interior review
January-March 2026 | Announcement of awards to recipients
April-June 2026 | Agreements put in place and funding awarded
ELIGIBLE AND INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Expenditures of NFHP funds are appropriate for the following actions/activities:
- Time spent for project planning, directing project activities (e.g., earthwork, fence installation), site assessments, travel to and from project, and project oversight.
- Equipment (e.g. monitoring equipment, not farming equipment).
- Earthwork (e.g., contracts for earth moving, planting, structure installation, other site preparation), materials (e.g. rock, gravel, plants and planting supplies, materials to construct habitat structures).
- Short-term monitoring/evaluation. Funds may be used for pre-post project monitoring of NFHP projects to evaluate biological and/or physical response to project activities.
- Outreach to advance conservation. Engaging farmers/landowners in farmer-led efforts, workshops/training.
- Easements with an operations and maintenance plan.
The following activities are not eligible for NFHP funding:
- Actions required by existing Federal or State regulatory programs. Fish habitat expenditures shall be in addition to, not in lieu of, other expenditures authorized or required from other entities under other agreements or provisions of law.
- Realty costs (e.g. lease or purchase interests in real property, or to make rental or other land use incentive payments to landowners).
- Pre-award costs such as preliminary design, surveys, and appraisals.
- Operation, maintenance of facilities, structures, other construction.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
About the Fishers & Farmers Partnership
The mission of the Fishers & Farmers Partnership is to support locally-led conservation projects that add value to farms while restoring aquatic habitat and native fish populations. High ranking projects align with FFP's Core Values, support FFP's Strategic Plan, and reflect NFHP conservation priorities.
Priority Areas
Bad Axe Watershed (WI), Cannon River (MN), Galena Watershed (IL), Boone River Watershed (IA), Kickapoo River (WI), Peno Creek (MO), Meramec Watershed (MO), Rock Creek (IA), Seven Mile Creek (MN)
Priority Species
American Brook Lamprey, Black Redhorse, Blacknose Dace, Blackside Darter, Brook/Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Higgins' Eye Mussel, Hornyhead Chub, Pink Mucket Mussel, Scaleshell Mussel, Smallmouth Bass, Southern Redbelly Dace, Spectaclecase Mussel, Topeka Shiner
*Projects are not required to overlap with priorities to be eligible for funding
Project Ranking Criteria
Each submitted proposal is carefully evaluated and ranked by Fishers & Farmers Partnership (FFP) Steering Committee members before being forwarded for approval to the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). FFP ranks projects based on various criteria within three main sections: project alignment, project objectives, and project budget and timeline.
To maximize the chances of success for your application, we encourage you to reference the FFP Ranking Criteria while writing your proposals. Our goal is to support as many successful applications as possible.
Note Regarding Federal Funds
Managers and supervisors responsible for implementing fish habitat projects must document compliance with all applicable Federal laws and regulations (e.g. National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Rivers and Harbors Act). Fish habitat projects must also comply with any applicable state, local and tribal laws and regulations that do not conflict with, or are not preempted by, federal laws and regulations.
NFHP funds are federal funds, administered through the USFWS. All organizations that receive NFHP funding are required to complete all requirements for federal grants, including registration on the federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov), Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), Grants Solutions grant management system, and provide interim and annual reports to the USFWS and FFP. NFHP funds are processed through a grant agreement completed through the USFWS Regional Offices or local Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office (FWCO). Grants are paid on a reimbursable basis.
More detailed information from the USFWS about federal grant processes is available at fws.gov.