The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the federal-state Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partnership, is now soliciting proposals through the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (WILD) grants program to restore, conserve, and connect fish and wildlife habitat of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers and streams.

Please review the Request for Proposal for all program details, including program priorities, important program dates, eligibility criteria, and other important considerations. Full proposals must be submitted through NFWF’s Easygrants system no later than 12:00 PM (Noon) Tuesday, May 13, 2025. A recorded webinar detailing the RFP will be available on the WILD Grants program page by Thursday, April 3, 2025. Final award decisions are anticipated in August 2025.

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).