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Riparian Grant Program - $25,000,000
This is capital funding. The budget proviso language states, “the appropriation is provided solely for the Commission to run a voluntary riparian grant program for priority riparian restoration and protection.....”. Funding is for projects that can demonstrate a benefit to state salmon recovery goals. Read the full proviso language here.
Salmon Riparian Restoration Program Outreach - $3,000,000
This is operating funding. The budget proviso language states, “One-time funding is provided solely to support the outreach, identification, and implementation of salmon riparian habitat restoration projects that are appropriated through the capital budget.”
Work Group
To guide this work, SCC formed a work group and advisory committee. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to serve on the Riparian Grants Work Group to help the SCC draft programmatic guidelines for the new Riparian Grants Program. Notes and links to past meeting recordings are available here. Links to recordings are contained within the notes.
Eligibility
Conservation districts are the only eligible entities for this program. All other organizations, agencies, and entities are encouraged to work with their local conservation district to identify, support, and partner on riparian project implementation. Find your local conservation district here.
All land ownerships are eligible under this program including private, tribal, federal, state, non-profit organization, or local government ownerships.
Riparian Grant Program funds may be used for the following eligible project types:
- Riparian restoration program outreach
- Technical assistance/planning/design/monitoring
- Landowner implemented cost share
- District Implemented Projects
- Maintenance
All stream types regardless of the presence of salmonids are eligible for riparian restoration and protection projects under this program.
This includes all management areas adjacent to freshwaters, wetlands, and marine waters that have been locally or regionally identified as an area where salmon recovery efforts would significantly benefit from enhanced protection or restoration.
Climate Commitment Act (CCA) Requirements
The Riparian Grant Program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA puts cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.
For any SCC grant program that is funded by the Climate Commitment Act, the statute requires that applicants notify, “all affected federally recognized Tribes within the project area,” about their proposed project as early as possible prior to approval of funding.
The notifications must follow the instructions below:
- Download the pre-application notification instructions here.
- Letter template (Download in Word or download a PDF)
- Please include the following email addresses: CCAnotification@dfw.wa.gov, CCA@dahp.wa.gov, CCA@scc.wa.gov
NOTE: This requirement is separate from and in addition to cultural resources requirements they cannot be combined into one process.
Reporting
Reporting on all activities is required. Cost-share projects will be reported utilizing SCC’s Conservation Practice Data System (CPDS) while all other work will be reported utilizing this form: Riparian Grant Program Reporting Form.
Additional reporting through the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) is required for the following:
- Capital Funds: Technical Assistance, District Implemented Projects, Cost-share, and Maintenance Projects
- Operating Funds: Outreach Projects
Learn more about the Riparian Grant Program
Riparian Grant Program Overview Webinar | March 5, 2024 - Download slides
