The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) is a small state agency that manages grant programs to create outdoor recreation opportunities, protect the best of the state’s wildlife habitat and working farms and forests, and help return salmon and orcas from near extinction.

The office supports the following organizations:

Together, this collection of boards and offices provide leadership, funding, and technical assistance.

A Billion Dollar Investment

Since the agency began in 1964, it has awarded more than $2.6 billion in grants to more than 10,000 projects. On average, RCO awards 270 grants for $78 million every year.

Doubling the State’s Investment

RCO doesn’t do the work alone. Since 1964, grant recipients have contributed more than $1.3 billion in matching resources, making the total investment in Washington’s great outdoors about $4 billion.

Executive Team