Large Grant

The Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP) is proud to announce our Request for Proposals for federal FY2026 funding of fish habitat enhancement projects in reservoirs. The RFHP is a nationwide partnership established to promote and facilitate the conservation of habitat for fish and other aquatic species in reservoirs and is one of 20 federally recognized National Fish Habitat Partnerships in the U.S. It is the only one dedicated to manmade reservoirs, which are products of society’s need for water and its many uses. Many habitat impairments come along with reservoirs, and RFHP seeks projects that address large-scale habitat issues, implement best practices, foster partnerships across the landscape, and enrich quality of life through fishing and reservoir improvement.

Available Funding

RFHP anticipates approximately $250,000 in Federal funding and $500,000 in Bass Pro Shops funding for “on-the-ground” projects in FY2026. Grants will be capped at $75,000 but grants for lesser amounts will be considered.

Bear in mind that the grant request must be matched by a minimum of 1:1 non-Federal funds for Federal monies and 1:3 match for Bass Pro Shops monies (25%). RFHP anticipates funding 4-6 projects @ $10,000-$75,000 each from Federal funds. Given the amount of funding available at this time, RFHP grants should be considered as a partial funding source for projects with multiple funding sources and partners, and special consideration will be given to projects with more than the minimum match. All contributions (cash and/or in-kind) must be expended during the project period. Eligible costs will be paid for work done no earlier than contract approval.

We welcome multi-year projects, but do limit long-term funding of the same project year-after-year. Specifically, funding for a second year of the same/very similar work within the previous three years is capped at $50,000. Funding for a third year within the previous three years is capped at $30,000. A phase is characterized by unique objectives and methods relative to the previous phase. A new phase with unique scope is eligible for full funding.

Deadline

Applications are due by 11:59pm Central time on February 10, 2025.

Proposal Requirements: Review the grant requirements here or download the PDF directly at the bottom of this page. Grants must be submitted using the online submission form below. Timelines may use an April 1, 2026 starting date, but the actual start date will be determined by completion of the contract document.

Step 1 of 5 - Test New Grant Application

General Project Information
Project Name
A "project" is a unique project, or a phase of a multi-stage project.
Reservoir Name
Reservoir must be open to public access to be eligible for this program.
Google Maps Location

Identify the location of the reservoir on Google Maps by right-clicking the reservoir and selecting the first option, which provides decimal-degree latitude and longitude. Then copy-paste the URL to the textbox here.
Location Description
General location description to provide geographic context for the project
Map of Reservoir
Accepted file types: pdf, jpg, png, jpeg, Max. file size: 100 MB.
In which region is the reservoir located?
- Xeric (XER)
- Western Mountains (WMT)
- Northern Plains (NPL)
- Southern Plains (SPL)
- Temperate Plains (TPL)
- Upper Midwest (UMW)
- Central Plains (CPL)
- Southern Appalachia (SAP)
- Northern Appalachia (NAP)
See https://www.friendsofreservoirs.com/science/reservoir-assessment/priority-habitat-impairments/ecoregions/ for a map of regions. You may search for your reservoir on the interactive map at https://arcg.is/1y5OyD2.
FOR Member/Group Sponsoring the Project
FOR membership provides bonus points that have been critical for project selection over the past several grant cycles. FOR members typically are local fishing/conservation clubs, municipalities, regional conservation organizations, etc. Contact the RFHP Coordinator or go to the Members Page https://www.friendsofreservoirs.com/members/ to see if any local group is a current member of Friends of Reservoirs. If not, joining is easy! Visit https://www.friendsofreservoirs.com/members/join-today/ for more information.
Are any other National Fish Habitat Partnerships involved in the project? (Select all that apply)
Partnering with others can help you accomplish far more at a watershed- or river-system level. We strongly encourage you to connect with your local FHPs who may work on streams, imperiled fishes, or natural landscapes to enhance your project.
Project Leader (Primary Contact)
First Last
Address
Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country
Project Leader Phone
Project Leader Email

Project Design, Methods, and Outreach
Is the project part of a multi-phase project?
- Yes
- No
We welcome multi-year projects, but do limit long-term funding of the same project year-after-year. Specifically, funding for a second year of the same/very similar work within the previous three years is capped at $50,000. Funding for a third year within the previous three years is capped at $30,000.

A phase is characterized by unique objectives and methods relative to the previous phase. A new phase is eligible for full funding.
On-the-ground Start Date
MM slash DD slash YYYY
On-the-ground End Date
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Project Methods and Approach (250 words)
Describe the methods that will be used to the meet the objectives as stated above. What are the performance measures that will be used to know if objectives are met? Examples include square-feet of shoreline restored, quantified amount of structure added, number of native plants planted, changes in water quality parameters, changes in fish sampling catch rates in affected area, rates of recruitment, or population size structure, angler catch rates, harvest rates, and measures of directed fishing effort, and measures of recreational use or economic benefit.
Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (250 words)
Brief summary of monitoring and evaluation plan (250 words or less). If available, include information on timeline for monitoring and/or evaluation. Please describe project goals, monitoring parameters, monitoring methods and schedule, and target and reference values. Monitoring may occur outside of the on-the-ground start and end dates as it often continues for a period of time after a project is completed.
Outreach and Education (250 words)
Brief summary of outreach and education plan, including stakeholder/community involvement.
Results Dissemination (250 words)
Brief summary of how results will be disseminated, including publicly available reports, datasets or other products.
Climate Change Considerations (250 words)
Please note any information on how the project will function with climate change considerations. Examples of deliverables that have an impact could include water level management adaptations to offset increasing drought conditions, littoral habitat restoration methods aimed at "chasing the shoreline" as water receds, native aquatic plant restoration
Project Deliverables and Outcomes
Deliverable Quantity Unit of measurement (#, miles, acres)

Examples: amount of natural/artificial habitat added, acres of vegetation planted/established, feet of shoreline restored/stabilized, acres of wetlands established. The official National Fish Habitat Partnership metrics include: Number of barriers removed or upgraded; Number of habitat installations; Miles connected; Acres connected; Miles conserved; Acres conserved; Miles protected; Acres protected; Number of science, data or assessment products; People engaged; and Organizations engaged. Be sure that project deliverables align with the objectives stated above.
Outcomes Narrative (250 words)
Use this area to summarize high level expected measurable outcomes (metrics) for the project. Please use this option if you feel the metrics above do not describe the metrics you are tracking.

Partnerships and Budget
Please limit your proposed budget amounts to the grant period, which must have 1:1 Non-Federal match if you are pursuing Federal funding. You are responsible for accounting for the Non-Federal match as part of grant completion.

Note: Based on 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Biological Scientists in State government made an average of $33.23/hr. Volunteers are often valued at $29.95/hr.
Funding Source Options
- Federal Funds only
- Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund only
- Either one
We are accepting applications through this form for multiple funding sources, including the non-Federal support from Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Fund. The decision on availability of these funds won't be known until mid-year 2025, and the amount could be $500,000. The match requirement is 25% (3:1) for these funds, and scoring of applications will consider leveraging of funds and resources as per usual. The maximum award is $75,000 for FY2026. Please indicate whether your project requires a particular funding source, or is flexible enough to accept either option.
Amount of RFHP Grant Request

We welcome multi-year projects, but do limit long-term funding of the same project year-after-year. Specifically, funding for a second year of the same/very similar work within the previous three years is capped at $50,000. Funding for a third year within the previous three years is capped at $30,000. A phase is characterized by unique objectives and methods relative to the previous phase. A new phase is eligible for full funding.
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Quantity RFHP Grant
Please list all Federal partners and their contributions during the grant period:
Partner Cash Amount In-Kind Contribution In-Kind Value

Note: Based on 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Biological Scientists in Federal government made an average of $44.44/hr.
In-Kind Contribution types: Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead.
Total Federal Funding Leveraged

Please total the Federal cash and in-kind contributions. This cannot be used as match due to its Federal sourcing, but does make your project application far stronger due to leveraging.
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Quantity Federal
Please list all Non-Federal partners and their contributions during the grant period:
Partner (same as above) Category Cash Amount In-Kind Contribution In-Kind Value

Partner categories: Private entity, State agency, Conservation organization, Educational institution, Youth group, Other (describe). In-Kind Contribution types: Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead.
Total Non-Federal Funding Used as Match

Please include the total non-Federal cash and in-kind contributions. This should be at least the amount of grant request for 1:1 match.
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Quantity Match
Additional Non-Federal Funding Leveraged

If this is part of a larger project with additional resources that will not be recorded as part of this grant, please indicate the value here.
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Quantity NF Leverage
Total Estimated Project Value
$0.00
Non-Federal-only Match Ratio
Must be greater than 1 for Federally-funded Large Grants.
Overall Match Ratio
Some folks are having issues with the above (+) buttons to add partners. If you have any issues whatsoever, please upload your partner list here with the same details.
Drop files here or

Max. file size: 100 MB.
Please remember that this form is best viewed in Google Chrome. We prefer submission using the digital table, in order to keep information organized.
Budget Narrative (Optional)
If you need room for greater detail explaining the role of each partner listed above, specifically in terms of their role as a funder (Cash), or their in-kind contributions in terms of Coordination, Supplies, Labor, Technical Assistance, or serving as Project Sponsor/Lead, do so here. Please also let us know if the proposed project is part of a larger multi-year effort, with resources leveraged outside or beyond the grant period.
Please describe no more than 5 project leaders and what they bring to the project in terms of knowledge, expertise, or resources:
Person Credentials or Expertise

Leaders are key people involved with the project who bring knowledge, expertise, or resources to the project. This is to demonstrate that your group has the resources to accomplish the project and is required as part of the ACE Act.
State Agency Involvement
Please describe how the state agency is involved (planning, site selection, participation in installation). Is there an associated lake or habitat management plan that states the need for structural habitat enhancement?
Agency Letters of Support and Supporting Documents
Drop files here or

Accepted file types: pdf, Max. file size: 100 MB, Max. files: 10.
A letter of support from the State Fish and Wildlife Management Agency is required as part of the approval process. Please upload at least one letter of support. You may also upload other supporting documents, such as monitoring plans, press releases, datasets, additional maps, reports of previous findings, and so on.
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Approved for Funding
This grant has been approved for funding by the RFHP.
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Comments to Applicant Regarding Score
CAPTCHA
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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Available Funding

Deadline

Applications are due by 11:59pm Central time on February 10, 2025.

Step 1 of 5 - Test New Grant Application

General Project Information

Project Description

Social and Ecological Benefits

Project Design, Methods, and Outreach

Partnerships and Budget

Download Request for Proposals

Large Fish Habitat Grant Proposals Due February 10, 2025

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Partner (same as above)	Category	Cash Amount	In-Kind Contribution	In-Kind Value

Deliverable	Quantity	Unit of measurement (#, miles, acres)

Person	Credentials or Expertise