The national fish and wildlife foundation will direct the entirely award toward on-the-ground conservation initiatives, with no funds used for administrative costs

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) a $1.745 million Project Grant on September 1, 2025, under the NFWF-USFWS Conservation Partnership program (CFDA 15.663). The award, with a completion date of September 27, 2030, directs 100% of funds toward on-the-ground conservation initiatives with zero allocation to administrative costs. NFWF administers a geographically diverse portfolio of fish and wildlife conservation projects spanning all 50 states and territories, including habitat restoration for imperiled species, ecosystem recovery from natural disturbances, seasonal migration corridor protection, and community engagement in conservation activities.

The foundation's project portfolio encompasses multiple regional conservation initiatives: the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Fund supporting Alaska Native communities; the Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund protecting winter ranges for elk and mule deer; wildfire ecosystem restoration in California; forest habitat enhancement for bird species in Central Appalachia; ocean health improvement for killer whales and sea turtles; pollinator protection programs; grassland restoration in the Southern Great Plains; and aquatic system conservation in the Southeast and Great Lakes regions. Six sub-awards issued between February and May 2026 extend implementation to specialized partners including Massachusetts Audubon Society (bobolink habitat adoption), Trout Unlimited (stream restoration in Pennsylvania), Friends of the Cheat (hellbender conservation in West Virginia), University of Georgia Research Foundation (native mussel and endemic fish monitoring), Maine Department of Marine Resources (fish passage design on the St. Croix River), and Virginia Tech (hellbender captive rearing techniques), collectively addressing habitat restoration, species monitoring, fish passage improvement, and species recovery across the Appalachian and coastal regions.

These programs are diverse and geographically widespread, ranging from the alaska fish and wildlife fund, which engages alaska native communities, to the western big game seasonal habitat and migration corridors fund, which protects vital winter ranges for species like ELK and mule deer. Other programs focus on restoring ecosystems affected by wildfires in california, enhancing forest habitats for specific bird species in central appalachia, and improving ocean health for killer whales and sea turtles. The foundation also supports efforts to protect pollinators, restore grasslands in the southern great plains, and conserve aquatic systems in the southeast and great lakes. This comprehensive approach addresses various conservation challenges, from habitat restoration and species protection to community engagement and research, all aimed at furthering the conservation and management of natural resources.