Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA REG5 WPDG 25
Apply for EPA REG5 WPDG 25
- The Environmental Protection Agency in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Region 5 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.461.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-02-18.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-04-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Region 5 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants opportunity is an EPA funding program designed to help public-sector and intergovernmental partners build stronger, more effective wetlands programs. The core purpose is capacity-building: supporting recipients as they develop, improve, or refine the policies, procedures, and technical tools needed to protect, manage, and restore wetlands. Rather than focusing only on on-the-ground restoration projects, these grants emphasize strengthening the program infrastructure that makes long-term wetland conservation and improvement possible.
The grant is offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a discretionary funding opportunity, and awards are made through cooperative agreements, meaning EPA expects an ongoing level of involvement and coordination with awardees during the project period. The program falls under the environmental funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 66.461. The funding opportunity number is EPA REG5 WPDG 25, and the opportunity title is Region 5 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants.
Eligible applicants include governmental and intergovernmental entities that play a role in wetland governance and management. Specifically, the program supports state agencies, Tribal governments, territorial governments (including Insular Areas), local government agencies, and interstate or intertribal entities. The intent is to broaden and deepen wetland program capability at multiple levels of government so wetland protection and management can be more consistent, comprehensive, and effective across jurisdictions. Applicants are directed to review Section 2 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the complete eligibility rules and any conditions or limitations that apply.
From a goals and outcomes standpoint, the EPA frames the program around improving both wetland acreage and wetland condition nationwide. That includes conserving existing wetlands, restoring degraded wetlands, and improving ecological function and overall wetland health. The long-term strategy is to increase the quantity and quality of wetlands in the United States by ensuring governments have the operational capacity, technical expertise, and planning frameworks needed to run strong wetland programs over time.
Projects funded under this opportunity are expected to align with EPA’s established approach to wetland program development, particularly the Core Elements of a Wetlands Program and the Wetlands Program Core Elements Framework. For states and Tribes, EPA also highlights the development of Wetland Program Plans (WPPs) as a key organizing tool. In practical terms, this means proposals should generally connect their activities to building or improving foundational program elements such as wetland monitoring and assessment capacity, regulatory and non-regulatory tools, restoration and protection strategies, mapping and data systems, program tracking and reporting, and other comparable components that make a wetlands program durable and results-oriented.
In terms of available funding and competitiveness indicators, the maximum award amount (award ceiling) is listed as $500,000, and EPA anticipates making about 20 awards under this announcement. The opportunity was created on 2026-02-18, and the original application closing date is 2026-04-06. Taken together, those details suggest a moderately competitive grant program with multiple awards expected, but with a clear upper cap per award that encourages applicants to define focused, capacity-building work plans with measurable deliverables.
Overall, this opportunity is best understood as EPA support for governments and intergovernmental entities that want to strengthen the underlying structure of their wetlands programs, using EPA’s core-element framework as a guide. The emphasis is on building lasting program capacity that can consistently protect, manage, and restore wetlands, leading to improved wetland extent and condition over time.
FAQs: Region 5 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants (EPA REG5 WPDG 25)
What is the Region 5 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants opportunity?
It is an EPA discretionary funding opportunity designed to help public-sector and intergovernmental partners build stronger, more effective wetlands programs. The focus is on capacity-building so recipients can develop, improve, or refine the policies, procedures, and technical tools needed to protect, manage, and restore wetlands.
What is the main purpose of these grants?
The core purpose is to strengthen wetlands program infrastructure. Instead of only funding on-the-ground restoration work, the grant emphasizes the program foundations that make long-term wetland conservation and improvement possible.
Who is offering this funding?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering the grant.
What type of funding mechanism is used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Awards are made through cooperative agreements. That means EPA expects an ongoing level of involvement and coordination with awardees during the project period.
What is the funding opportunity number and title?
The funding opportunity number is EPA REG5 WPDG 25. The opportunity title is Region 5 Fiscal Year 2025 Wetland Program Development Grants.
What CFDA number is associated with this program?
The program is associated with CFDA number 66.461.
What category does this opportunity fall under?
It falls under the environmental funding activity category.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include governmental and intergovernmental entities involved in wetland governance and management, including state agencies, Tribal governments, territorial governments (including Insular Areas), local government agencies, and interstate or intertribal entities.
Where can applicants confirm full eligibility rules and any limitations?
Applicants are directed to review Section 2 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for complete eligibility rules and any conditions or limitations that apply.
What kinds of projects does EPA want to fund under this opportunity?
Projects are expected to support wetlands program development by building or improving the program elements that enable durable, results-oriented wetland protection, management, and restoration over time.
Is this grant mainly for on-the-ground wetland restoration projects?
The emphasis is not limited to on-the-ground restoration. The grant primarily supports capacity-building and strengthening the underlying program infrastructure that supports long-term wetland protection, management, and restoration.
How does EPA describe the intended outcomes?
EPA frames outcomes around improving wetland acreage and wetland condition nationwide, including conserving existing wetlands, restoring degraded wetlands, and improving ecological function and overall wetland health.
What is EPA's long-term strategy behind these grants?
The long-term strategy is to increase the quantity and quality of wetlands in the United States by ensuring governments have operational capacity, technical expertise, and planning frameworks to run strong wetlands programs over time.
Do funded projects need to align with specific EPA wetlands frameworks?
Yes. Projects are expected to align with EPA's approach to wetland program development, particularly the Core Elements of a Wetlands Program and the Wetlands Program Core Elements Framework.
What is a Wetland Program Plan (WPP), and is it relevant to this grant?
EPA highlights Wetland Program Plans (WPPs) as a key organizing tool for states and Tribes. Proposals are generally expected to connect activities to building or improving foundational program elements in a structured way, consistent with EPA's program development approach.
What are examples of activities that fit the capacity-building focus described?
Examples mentioned include developing or improving wetland monitoring and assessment capacity, regulatory and non-regulatory tools, restoration and protection strategies, mapping and data systems, program tracking and reporting, and other comparable components that strengthen a wetlands program.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $500,000.
How many awards does EPA expect to make?
EPA anticipates making about 20 awards under this announcement.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2026-02-18.
What is the application deadline?
The original application closing date is 2026-04-06.
How competitive is this opportunity likely to be?
Based on the information provided, it appears moderately competitive: EPA expects multiple awards (about 20), but there is a clear award ceiling ($500,000) that encourages focused, capacity-building work plans with measurable deliverables.
What is the overall "best fit" for applicants considering this opportunity?
This opportunity is best suited for governmental and intergovernmental entities that want to strengthen the structure of their wetlands programs using EPA's core-element framework, with the goal of building lasting capacity to protect, manage, and restore wetlands and improve wetland extent and condition over time.
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