State Accepting Grant Applications for Trails,
Boating Facilities, Kids Outdoor Education and Recreation and More

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) will begin accepting applications Aug. 10 for grants to provide outdoor education and recreation programs for kids and to build and maintain trails, boating facilities, and firearm and archery ranges. RCO is offering free, online workshops to showcase these grant opportunities and explain application requirements. RCO grants […]

July 19, 2022
State to Accept Grant Applications for Parks, Trails and Other Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Projects

Free Webinars Feb. 17 and 22 OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) will begin accepting applications in mid-February for grants to build parks, trails, ball fields and boat moorage as well as to conserve wildlife habitat and working farms and forests. These grants are the largest source of state funding for many of […]

February 2, 2022
State Board Awards $21 Million in Grants to Aid Salmon Recovery

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board today announced the award of $21 million in grants across the state to aid in salmon recovery. The grants, given annually, went to 105 projects in 29 of the state’s 39 counties. The grants will pay for work to restore salmon habitat, including repairing degraded habitat in rivers, […]

September 22, 2021
State Awards Grants for Projects Targeting Economically Disadvantaged Communities

OLYMPIA–The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) announced today the award of $3 million for park projects in economically disadvantaged areas of Lakewood and Seattle. The grants are from the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership program, which targets economically disadvantaged urban communities that do not have enough park and […]

August 11, 2021
Volunteers Needed to Prioritize Investments in Washington’s Outdoors

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is recruiting 45 volunteers to fill positions on advisory committees that help determine how the state invests in the outdoors. The 18 committees evaluate grant proposals for parks, trails, boating amenities, firearm and archery ranges and other outdoor recreation facilities. They also evaluate proposals to conserve wildlife habitat […]

July 13, 2021
Governor Announces $4.5 Million in Grants to Get Kids Outside

OLYMPIA–Getting kids outside to explore parks and other wild places will be a bit easier this year thanks to $4.5 million in grants, Gov. Jay Inslee announced today. Awarded by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the No Child Left Inside grants focus on programs that expand outdoor education and recreation opportunities to under-resourced […]

May 25, 2021
Grants Offered for Boating Facilities

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is taking applications for grants to build or renovate facilities that serve large boats. The federal Boating Infrastructure Grant program provides funding to develop and renovate public boating facilities. Grants also may be used to provide information and enhance boater education. “Washington has nearly 230,000 registered boats, which […]

April 12, 2021
Stevenson Man to Lead State Salmon Recovery Funding Board

Long-time Salmon Recovery Advocate Phil Rockefeller Retires OLYMPIA–The Salmon Recovery Funding Board, which awards about $80 million biennially to projects to improve salmon habitat, will see a change in leadership. Jeff Breckel, 70, from Stevenson, is the new chair of the funding board. Breckel has more than 20 years of experience in salmon recovery, much […]

September 21, 2020
State Awards $18 Million in Grants to Recover Salmon

OLYMPIA–The Salmon Recovery Funding Board today awarded $18 million in grants to organizations around the state to repair rivers, remove barriers blocking fish passage and replant riverbanks in an effort to recover salmon from the brink of extinction. The grants, given annually, went to 91 projects in 29 of the state’s 39 counties. In addition, […]

September 17, 2020
Applications Being Accepted for Grants to Conserve Forests

OLYMPIA–On Sept.1, eligible organizations may begin applying for grants to conserve community forests, the Recreation and Conservation Office announced today. The new state Community Forests Program will offer grants of up to $3 million. But organizations need to hurry. Applications are due Oct. 1. The grants must be used to buy at least 5 acres […]

August 31, 2020
State Launches New Grant Program to Conserve Community Forests

OLYMPIA–Communities wanting to conserve forestlands now have a state grant program to help, the Recreation and Conservation Office announced today. Beginning September 1, communities can apply for grants of up to $3 million in the newly created Community Forests Program. The grants must be used to buy at least 5 acres of forestland and the […]

July 29, 2020
State to Accept Grant Applications for Parks, Trails and Other Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Projects

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) will begin accepting applications in mid-February for grants to build parks, trails, ball fields and boat moorage as well as to conserve wildlife habitat and working farms and forests. These grants are the largest source of state funding for many of Washington’s outdoor recreation experiences, and the […]

January 29, 2020
Governor Appoints Two Eastern Washington Residents to State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board

OLYMPIA—Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed a Wenatchee resident and an Okanogan resident and member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to serve on the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board. The board awards about $250 million in grants every biennium for the development of parks, trails, boating facilities and other outdoor recreation […]

January 23, 2020
Economy, Environment and Health Benefit from Trails, Two New Studies Show

OLYMPIA–Trails contribute more than $8.2 billion to the state’s economy, according to companion studies released today by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Done in collaboration with Washington Trails Association, Washington Bikes, and the University of Washington, the studies look at the economic, environmental, social and health benefits of trails and recommend that state […]

January 9, 2020
State Awards more than $26 Million for Salmon Recovery Projects Statewide

The Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board today announced the award of $26.1 million in grants for projects across the state aimed at bringing salmon back from the brink of extinction. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the board’s creation and the suite of projects announced today brings the total amount of salmon recovery since […]

December 16, 2019
State Seeks Volunteers to Rank Investments in Washington’s Outdoors

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office is recruiting 50 volunteers to fill positions on its 17 advisory committees, which evaluate grant proposals for parks, boating infrastructure, working farms and forests, and habitat conservation statewide. “As one of the state’s biggest investors in Washington’s outdoors, we want our state’s network of parks, trails, boating facilities […]

November 5, 2019
State Invests $25 Million in Removing Barriers to Migrating Fish

OLYMPIA–Migrating fish soon will have access to more than 82 miles of streams in Washington, thanks to $25 million in grants from the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board. The board will fund more than 50 projects in 20 counties to remove fish passage barriers that block salmon and steelhead from swimming upstream to their spawning […]

July 24, 2019
Inslee Announces $1.3 Million in Grants to Get Kids Outside

OLYMPIA–More than 14,000 kids who might not otherwise have opportunities to explore parks, forests and other outdoor places in Washington soon will be able to thanks to about $1.3 million in funding, which Gov. Jay Inslee announced today. Awarded by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the No Child Left Inside grants focus on […]

July 15, 2019
State Invests $45 million in Puget Sound Salmon, Habitat

OLYMPIA–Efforts to restore Chinook salmon, a critical food source for endangered southern resident orcas, and other Puget Sound salmon populations just got a boost thanks to more than $45 million in grants announced today. The Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board, in partnership with the Puget Sound Partnership, awarded 64 grants in counties surrounding Puget […]

July 8, 2019
State Invests $126 Million in Grants to Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities and Preserve Habitat and Working Farms and Forests

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board today announced the award of more than $126 million in grants to a suite of 333 projects that build and maintain outdoor recreation facilities and conserve wildlife habitat and working farms and forests around the state. “Not only do these grants support our state’s parks, forests and […]

July 2, 2019