Announcements
- Read the latest ESRP newsletter here (coming 9/29/25).
- See a list of projects proposed for funding through the Climate Commitment Act.
Programs
- Restoration and Protection Grants: This grant program focuses on protecting and restoring the natural processes that create and sustain the near-shore ecosystem. The intent is to regain some of the natural services that have been lost as a result of more than a century of human development in the region.
- Beach Restoration Small Grants: This grant program has similar goals as the Restoration and Protection program with a focus on local engagement. Projects are eligible to receive awards between $30,000 and $150,000. At least $500,000 is available each biennium for the program.
- Regional Pre-Design: This grant program, also known as the Learning Program, was developed to direct future investments by investigating outcomes at a regional or ecosystem scale and informing construction siting and design. The projects help us understand how we can improve the effectiveness of habitat restoration in Puget Sound. Funding for these projects is 10 percent of the total ESRP award.
- Shore Friendly: New to the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program in 2019, this grant program funds local programs that provide stewardship incentives to landowners to create healthy shorelines. More information is on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Shore Friendly web page.
Typical Projects
- Protecting near-shore and wetland habitat
- Restoring salmon habitat
- Removing or breaching dikes
- Removing bulkheads
- Completing feasibility studies and designs
- Decommissioning roads and removing fill
Who May Apply?
- Federal agencies
- Local agencies
- Native American Tribes
- Nonprofit organizations
- Private institutions
- State agencies
- Universities and colleges
Funding
Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program funding is awarded every two years.
The Washington State Legislature provides the majority of the funding through the sale of bonds. Additional funding has come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This grant program also is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The Act supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. See RCO’s lists of proposed and funded projects and details about grant requirements for this funding on RCO’s Climate Commitment Act web page.
Grant Limits
- Restoration and Protection – $3 million
- Regional Pre-Design – suggested cap of $350,000
- Beach Restoration Small Grants – $350,000 per property
Match Details
Match is not required for any ESRP grant program in the 2026 grant round.
Eligible Projects
All projects must be in Puget Sound, east of Cape Flattery.
- Acquisition
- Design
- Feasibility studies
- Regional feasibility and predesign projects
- Restoration
Ineligible Projects
Projects that primarily provide recreational access or remediate chemical contamination are not eligible as stand-alone projects; however these activities may be eligible components of larger efforts. Grants will not be awarded for work that relieves obligatory payment or mitigation requirements.
Long-term Commitment
Any land acquired with Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program grants must be managed forever for the purposes stated in the grant agreement at the time of purchase. Grant recipients must submit a stewardship plan that identifies how the site and restoration investment is to be protected over time.
Restoration projects must be operated and maintained for 10 years after construction is completed.