BFP Boating Facilities Program

Funding

$14.9 million

Details

Grant Limit

$1 million

Details

Match Requirement

25 percent

Details

Created in 1964, the Boating Facilities Program provides grants to acquire, develop, and renovate facilities for motorized boats and other watercraft, including launching ramps, guest moorage, and support facilities.

Grant Application Schedule

Item Date

Application Webinar, Applications Open

Watch Application Webinar

August 1, 2024 

Plan Due

A comprehensive plan is required to be eligible for a grant.

September 3, 2024 

Application Due

October 31, 2024 

Technical Review

November 18, 2024 - November 19, 2024

Technical Completion Deadline

January 15, 2025 

Project Evaluation

February 19, 2025 - February 20, 2025

Board Approves Preliminary Ranked Lists

April 30, 2025 Estimate

Grant Award History

Most recent grants and evaluation results, listed by the application year.

Application Resources

Grant Manual

Announcements

Application Webinar

Watch the 2022 Application Webinar.

Project Celebrations

Typical Projects

  • Renovating boat launches
  • Adding guest moorage facilities
  • Building parking, restrooms, and other boating amenities

Who May Apply?

  • Local agencies
  • Park and recreation districts
  • Public utility districts
  • Port districts
  • Native American Tribes
  • State agencies

The above entities must be authorized legally to develop, operate, and maintain recreational facilities.

Planning Requirement

To apply for this funding, grant applicants must have completed a comprehensive recreation or conservation plan. See details on the planning page and in Manual 2: Planning Guidelines.

Funding

Funding is awarded every two years and comes from a portion of the gasoline tax paid by boaters.

Grant Limits

Project TypeGrant Limit
Acquisition $1 million
Development $1 million
Combination of acquisition and planning OR acquisition and development$1 million
Planning (architecture, engineering, environmental review, permitting)The lesser of $200,000 or 20 percent of the estimated construction cost for a development or combined acquisition and development project.

Administrative Costs

Project TypeAdministrative Costs Allowed
Acquisition 5 percent of the total acquisition costs
Development and renovationArchitecture and engineering costs are limited to 20 percent of the total development project cost.

Match Details

Match may include the following:

  • Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials
  • Appropriations or cash
  • Bonds
  • Conservation futures
  • Corrections labor
  • Donations of cash, land, labor, equipment, and materials
  • Federal, state, local, and private grants

Local agencies and special purpose districts must provide 25 percent match for each project, and at least 10 percent of the total project cost must be from a non-state, non-federal contribution.

State applicants do not need to provide match.

Tribes need to provide 25 percent match.

Eligible ProjectsIneligible Projects
AcquisitionAny facility for leased, exclusive use, or long-term moorage
Development Any facility primarily for commercial use or commercial vessels
Dredging, including both capital construction and periodic activities to remove materials deposited due to unforeseen events; dredging must extend facility usefulness for at least five years. (Revised Code of Washington 79A.25.080) Maintenance dredging
Moorage floats, fixed docks, and buoys for guest boaters Concessionaire buildings or space
Parking and staging areas Fuel sales equipment including piping, fuel pumps, and storage tanks
Permits Master plans or feasibility studies
Planning Mobile vessel transporters
Ramps and fixed hoists for launching, loading floats Projects on waters prohibiting gas-powered motors
Renovation Project primarily for non-gas powered boats, such as canoes, kayaks, or diesel-powered craft
Sewage pump-out stations and porta-potty dump stations
Support facilities upland, such as restrooms, showers, and picnic facilities used exclusively or primarily by guest recreational boaters

Long-term Commitment

Property acquired, developed, or renovated with these boating grants must be kept for public outdoor recreation use forever. More information is in Manual 7: Long-term Obligations.