The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), expect to soon begin soliciting proposals through the 2025 Chesapeake WILD Grants program to conserve, protect, and restore vital fish and wildlife habitat of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams. NFWF expects to release the 2025 Chesapeake WILD Request for Proposals in the coming weeks and will send a follow-up announcement once the RFP is live. Interested applicants should prepare to submit full proposals no later than 12:00PM Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

In 2025, NFWF and FWS plan to offer three distinct grant opportunities through the Chesapeake WILD Grants program:

  1. WILD Implementation grants of $75,000 to $500,000 will be awarded for proposals that result in direct and measurable on-the-ground conservation, stewardship, and enhancements of fish and wildlife habitats and related conservation values.
  2. NEW WILD Collaborative Conservation grants of up to $200,000 will be awarded to support the cultivation and enhanced coordination of existing multi-party partnerships and/or networks of partners collaborating and coordinating conservation actions that measurably contribute to WILD Program priorities. We encourage proposals that advance cross-jurisdictional conservation efforts aimed at scaling placed-based actions toward greater landscape-scale habitat conservation and restoration outcomes.
  3. WILD Planning and Technical Assistance grants of up to $75,000 will be awarded for projects that help advance future on-the-ground actions to conserve, steward, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats and related conservation values in the Bay watershed through community-based assessment, planning, design, and other technical assistance-oriented activities.

While NFWF does not require consultation prior to application, we strongly encourage interested applicants to schedule a virtual proposal lab with NFWF staff here or contact its contracted field liaisons to discuss their proposed project to gather constructive feedback in developing a competitive proposal and to obtain guidance on the most appropriate program and funding opportunity for project consideration. Applicants are also encouraged to review the CBSF Quick Reference Guide and Applicant Toolbox for further guidance on proposal development.

For immediate questions, please contact Jake Reilly (jake.reilly@nfwf.org) or Tori Sullens (tori.sullens@nfwf.org).