WRIA 8 Funding for Salmon Conservation
The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council (SRC) annually seeks grant proposals for salmon habitat restoration and protection projects, salmon-focused outreach and education programs, and priority monitoring and assessment activities occurring within the WRIA 8 watershed boundaries.
Grant funds are available to implement priority projects and programs identified in the WRIA 8 Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan. WRIA 8 reviews and recommends awards for the following funding sources:
- Salmon Recovery Funding Board(SRFB) and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration (PSAR) (only available in even-numbered years)
- Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Large Capital Grant Program - Sponsors of large-scale salmon habitat acquisition and restoration projects seeking funding should reach out to Carrie Byron about applying to this regional large capital grant program managed by the Puget Sound Partnership.
- King County Flood Control District Cooperative Watershed Management Grant Program (CWM)
- Salmon Recovery Project Innovation and Community Grants
Past Funding Packages:
Below are the final funding packages approved by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council. These demonstrate the projects that received funding for the grant opportunities above.
2026 Grant Round Now Open
The table below lists available WRIA 8 grant funds in 2026. For more details, please see information on each funding program that follows this table.
Funding Program |
Amount Available |
Project Types |
NOI Deadline |
Full Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRFB - Habitat | $435,234 (estimate - depends on legislative appropriation) |
Restoration and Acquisition |
January 16, 2026 |
TBD, February 2026 |
| SRFB - Riparian | $195,480 |
Riparian habitat and stewardship |
January 16, 2026 |
TBD, February 2026 |
| PSAR | $1,457,555 |
Restoration and Acquisition |
January 16, 2026 |
TBD, February 2026 |
| CWM | $4,521,113 |
Restoration and Acquisition, Outreach and Education, Monitoring and Assessment |
January 16, 2026 |
March 20, 2026 |
Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB)/ Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration (PSAR)
Background:
The SRFB and PSAR programs primarily fund habitat restoration and protection projects, including project design. Eligible projects must be focused on Chinook salmon recovery in WRIA 8, and all proposed projects must be represented on the WRIA 8 Four-Year Work Plan and have a clear link to one or more of WRIA 8's priority recovery strategies.
Proposals for SRFB/PSAR are evaluated and ranked by WRIA 8, and funding recommendations approved by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council are forwarded to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board for final approval. Grants are administered by the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), and projects proposed for funding must meet the criteria and policies outlined in RCO's Manual 18 (Salmon Recovery Grants). Proposals must also be reviewed and cleared for funding by the state SRFB Technical Review Panel.
WRIA 8 also has $195,480 remaining in SRFB riparian funding to allocate during the 2026 grant round. WRIA 8 staff will work with sponsors to determine the best source of funding for each project
RCO and the Puget Sound Partnership also manage other large capital grant programs for habitat projects that support regionally prioritized salmon recovery projects, fish passage barrier correction, and estuary restoration. If you are interested in more information about these programs, please reach out to Carrie Byron.
Eligible Activities:
Habitat acquisition and restoration projects located within WRIA 8, planning activities (including project design and assessments and studies that generate at least a conceptual design), and riparian restoration and stewardship. See RCO Manual 18 for more detail.
Eligible Applicants:
Cities, counties, tribes, non-profit organizations, special purpose districts, private landowners, and state agencies.
Funding Availability and Match:
- SRFB: $435,234
- SRFB - Riparian: $195,480
- PSAR: $1,457,555
Exact amount of funding remains to be determined, pending state and federal budget processes. We anticipate the amount of funding for each category will be:
The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council will approve SRFB/PSAR grant funding recommendations in May and send to the SRFB for final approval in September 2026. Grant awards will be available at the time of final approval.
Match is encouraged and may increase your chances of funding, but is not required for any grant programs.
Application Process:
WRIA 8 uses King County's online Foundant system for Notices of Intent for all grant programs. Full SRFB/PSAR applications will be completed in the state's PRISM system. Applicants are encouraged to register with the Foundant system early to familiarize themselves with the system ahead of the application deadline.
The 2026 grant cycle is now open. Complete the Notice of Intent web form in the Foundant Portal by 5:00 p.m. on January 16, 2026.
WRIA 8 will conduct a pre-proposal review process using Notices of Intent to ensure alignment with WRIA 8 Recovery Strategies. Notices of Intent will be compared with recovery strategies to ensure alignment, and sponsors of proposals that are well aligned will be invited to submit full applications for funding.
Sponsors will be notified whether they have been invited to move forward with a full application by January 23, 2026. Upon approving a sponsor to move ahead with a project application, WRIA 8 will create application records for project sponsors in the PRISM Online system and will provide sponsors with their PRISM project number. Applicants must access PRISM through the Secure Access Washington (SAW) system. If you have not done so already, please sign up for a SAW account. Contact Chantell Krider if you need assistance establishing a SAW account. Applicants must submit complete applications, as defined by Manual 18, in RCO's PRISM Online application program by a date to be determined in February 2026.
Project site visits with the state Technical Review Panel and WRIA 8 Grant Review Committee will take place on a date to be determined in March 2026. WRIA 8 staff are available to support applicants during the application process, contact Carrie Byron for more information.
NOTE: The full SRFB/PSAR review timeline has not yet been published by RCO. This site will be updated as soon as that schedule is released. We will also post more details on the evaluation criteria as they are available.
- Foundant Portal
- Foundant Tutorial for Applicants
- RCO Manual 18
- WRIA 8 SRFB/PSAR Evaluation Criteria
- PRISM Online application system
- WRIA 8 Supplemental Habitat Project Application Form
- WRIA 8 Riparian Habitat and Stewardship Project Application Form
Cooperative Watershed Management Grant Program
Background:
The King County Flood Control District (FCD) Cooperative Watershed Management (CWM) Grant Program supports priority salmon recovery activities within King County watersheds. Proposals submitted to WRIA 8 for CWM funding are evaluated and ranked by WRIA 8, and funding recommendations approved by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council are forwarded to the FCD Board of Supervisors for consideration and final approval.
Successful proposals for CWM grants are administered by King County. All proposals must be represented on the WRIA 8 Four-Year Work Plan* and have a clear link to one or more of WRIA 8's priority recovery strategies.
Eligible Activities:
Habitat restoration and acquisition projects (including riparian projects), monitoring and assessment activities, implementation of management actions, and education and outreach programs. All activities must be clearly connected to WRIA 8 priorities and be located within the King County portion of WRIA 8.
Important information about proposals for monitoring and assessment activities and education and outreach:
Monitoring and assessment proposals-The WRIA 8 Technical Committee (TC) prioritizes monitoring and assessment activities for Chinook salmon recovery in WRIA 8, and the TC's monitoring principles and priorities inform CWM monitoring awards. Applicants interested in submitting a monitoring proposal should consult the WRIA 8 monitoring and assessment funding prioritization to determine alignment with WRIA 8's objectives for these funds. The TC invites investigators to consult with WRIA 8 staff and the TC when preparing proposals for monitoring and assessment funds. New for the 2026 grant round, up to 20% of funds allocated for monitoring and assessment activities will be set aside for projects to implement salmon recovery actions.Funding for management actions is intended to support next steps on key survival issues that do no fit under the habitat restoration funding category. Review guidance and details on this funding category.
Education and outreach proposals- WRIA 8 Community Engagement Framework identifies education, outreach, and community engagement priorities, and the framework will inform how CWM education and outreach resources are awarded. Applicants interested in submitting education and outreach proposals should consult the framework to determine alignment with priority WRIA 8 audiences and activities. WRIA 8 staff invites questions and inquiries from prospective sponsors.
Eligible Applicants:
Cities, towns, special purpose districts, public schools, King County, tribes, federal agencies, state agencies, and non-profit organizations.
Available Funding:
In 2026, WRIA 8 will have approximately $4.52 million in CWM funds to allocate to eligible activities. Matching funds are not required, although they are encouraged. Approximate funding amounts available for each activity category are as follows:
| Habitat acquisition and restoration projects | $3,390,835 (approx. 75% of available funding, 15% of this allocation is set aside for riparian projects) |
Monitoring and assessment |
$904,223 (approx. 20% of available funding, up to 20% of this allocation is set aside for projects that implement management actions) |
Outreach and education |
$2226,056 (approx. 5% of available funding) |
Application Process:
WRIA 8 uses King County's online Foundant system for Cooperative Watershed Management applications. WRIA 8 will use this system for both Notice of Intent and full application submission for CWM applications. Applicants are encouraged to register with the Foundant system early to familiarize themselves with the system ahead of the application deadline.
The 2026 grant round is now open. Complete the Notice of Intent web form in the Foundant Portal (also linked below under CWM Grant Resources) by 5:00 p.m. on January 16, 2026.
Sponsors of habitat projects will be notified whether they have been invited to move forward with a full application by January 23, 2026, and sponsors of monitoring and assessment and outreach and education proposals will be notified by February 6, 2026. Sponsors of management action proposals will work with WRIA 8 staff on next steps for funding applications. Upon approving a sponsor to move ahead with an application, applicants may begin working on their proposals in Foundant. Submit complete applications by 5:00 p.m. on March 20, 2026. We will upload a full version of the 2025 CWM Grant Timeline as soon as it is finalized.
A complete CWM application consists of: 1) the online CWM application form, 2) the CWM scope of work table, 3) the CWM budget worksheet, and additional materials such as maps, letters of support, design documents, photos, etc., which should also be submitted as needed to complement the required application materials in Foundant.
The WRIA 8 Grant Review Committee intends to hold in person site visits for restoration project proposals and view virtual presentations for acquisition, riparian, monitoring, and outreach project proposals in March and April. WRIA 8 staff are available to support applicants during the application process - contact Carrie Byron for more information.
CWM Grant Resources:
- Foundant Portal
- Foundant Tutorial for Applicants
- CWM Grant Program Overview
- WRIA 8 CWM Evaluation Criteria
- Monitoring and Assessment Funding Prioritization
- Management Action Request for Information
Previous Funding Opportunity - *Now Closed*
- Targeted project development
- Equity and environmental justice
Salmon Recovery Project Innovation and Community Grants
This grant round is now closed. Additional opportunities will become available as funding is identified.
Salmon recovery requires inclusive, collaborative, and innovative approaches to developing projects and advancing programmatic initiatives. The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council encourages proposals that support innovative or conceptual projects that contribute to early stages of future capital project development and/or incorporate equity and environmental justice principles into salmon recovery work. These funds provide an exciting opportunity to advance key aspects of salmon recovery by initiating project planning and development in priority areas of the watershed and fostering community engagement and collaboration to meet multiple objectives. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Carrie Byron to discuss proposals prior to submitting an application.
Eligible Activities
With these grants, the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council seeks to fund projects that fall into two categories:
Eligible Applicants:
Cities, counties, tribes, non-profit organizations, special purpose districts, and state and federal agencies.
Available Funding:
The maximum award amount is $75,000