BIG Boating Infrastructure Grant Program

Funding

$5 million

Details

Grant Limit

$1.4 million

Details

Match Requirement

25 percent

Details

This federal grant program provides funding to develop, renovate, or plan for boating facilities targeting guest recreational boats twenty-six feet and larger. Grants also may be used for boater education.

Grant Application Schedule

Item Date

Application Webinar, Applications Open

Register to attend the webinar

February 11, 2026 

Pre-Application Due

April 30, 2026 

Application Due

July 15, 2026 

Technical Review

July 22, 2026 - July 29, 2026

Technical Completion Deadline

August 13, 2026 

Project Evaluation

August 19, 2026 - August 26, 2026

RCO Submits Application to U.S. Fish and Wildlife

September 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026

Projects Selected for Award

October 31, 2026 Estimate

Grants Awarded

July 31, 2027 Estimate

Grant Award History

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

Application Resources

Grant Manual

Announcements

Register to attend RCO’s application webinar!

National publication BoatUs gives BIG high praise

Typical Projects

  • Renovating guest docks
  • Installing utilities to moorage docks
  • Building moorage docks and floats

Who May Apply?

  • Cities and towns
  • Counties
  • Native American tribes
  • Port districts
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Private operators
  • State agencies
  • Some special purpose districts, such as park and recreation districts or public utility districts, are eligible if legally authorized to acquire and develop public outdoor recreation facilities.

Funding

Funding generally is awarded every two years. Funding comes through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from federal gas taxes deposited in the federal Aquatic Resources Trust Fund.

  • Tier 1 generally receives $300,000 annually.
  • Tier 2 projects compete nationally for an average of $8 million to $12 million annually. Awards to Washington State projects vary.

Grant Limits

Project CategoryGrant Limit
Tier 1Applicants must ask for $5,000 to $288,046.
Tier 2Applicants must ask for $300,001 to $1,440,230.

Match Details

All applicants must contribute 25 percent in matching resources.

For applicants other than tribes and stage agencies, at least 10 percent of the total project cost must be from a non-state, non-federal source.

Match may include the following:

  • Appropriations or cash
  • Bonds
  • Donations of cash, land, labor, equipment, and materials
  • State, local, and private grants
  • Applicant’s labor, equipment, and materials

Eligible Projects

Development, renovation, and planning only for the following:

  • Boarding floats, guest moorage floats, fixed docks, piers, buoys
  • Breakwaters
  • Dinghy docks
  • Navigational aids
  • Upland support facilities such as restrooms, showers, utilities

Education and information publications such as charts, guides, and brochures

Ineligible Projects

  • Construction or renovation of boating infrastructure for the following:
    • Tie-up slips for stays of more than fifteen consecutive days by a single party
    • Dryland storage
    • Haul-out features
    • Features for trailerable or car-top boats (those less than twenty-six feet long), such as launch ramps and carry-down walkways
  • Dredging costs exceeding $200,000
  • Land acquisition
  • Maintenance

Long-term Commitment

Property developed or renovated with these grants must be kept for the useful life of the facility.