Department grant programs |

A-Z

Conservation/Wildlife

Acquisition of Development Rights (Stewardship)

Eligibility & purpose: Helps to buy development rights (easements) for the protection of natural, agricultural or forestry values that would enhance nature-based outdoor recreation. Applicants compete for funds on a statewide basis. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

County Conservation Aids

Eligibility & purpose: To provide counties and WI tribes with financial assistance to enhance fish and wildlife programs.

Hunter R3 (Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation) Grant Program

Formerly known as the Hunter Recruitment, Development, Training and Education Grant Program

Eligibility & purpose: The primary purpose of the Hunter Recruitment, Development, Training and Education grant program is to provide cost-sharing grants to local clubs, organizations, communities, governments, Wisconsin Tribes, colleges, universities and technical schools to ensure the education, training and development of safe and ethical hunters and mentors with a preference towards applicants focusing on adults, females and families.

Landowner Incentive Program

Eligibility & purpose: To help private landowners create and manage habitat for species that are rare or declining by providing management advice, assistance with management plans and cost-share funding to individuals and organizations proposing projects on private lands throughout Wisconsin.

Natural Areas (Stewardship)

Eligibility & purpose: Stewardship Natural Area grants complement the State Natural Areas (SNA) Program, which is dedicated to the preservation of Wisconsin's native landscapes. Lands purchased with Natural Area funds must be within an existing SNA boundary or meet the criteria for inclusion in the SNA program. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Shooting Range Grant Program

Eligibility & purpose: Counties, cities, villages, townships, other governmental agencies or units, clubs or organizations, businesses or corporations and educational institutions can apply for assistance in outdoor shooting range construction, including: backstops and berms, target holders, shooting benches, baffles, protective fencing, signs, trenches, gun racks, platforms, restrooms and other items considered essential for the project by the department. Indoor ranges may be eligible as well, including classroom, storage and restroom facilities.

Stamp Funds - Wild Turkey, Pheasant and Waterfowl

Eligibility & purpose: To provide funding to support the development, maintenance, preservation, restoration and maintenance of each species and its associated habitat in Wisconsin. All nonprofit conservation organizations and units of government are eligible to apply.

Streambank Protection (Stewardship)

Eligibility & purpose: The Streambank Protection Program protects water quality and fish habitat in Wisconsin by establishing buffers along high-priority waterways. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Summer Tribal Youth Program

Eligibility & purpose: The department may, in partnership with any of the federally recognized American Indian tribes or bands domiciled in this state, establish a summer program that provides members of the tribe or band who are 13 to 19 years of age with an opportunity to work on projects related to the conservation of natural resources. The department may not provide funding that exceeds 50% of the eligible program costs. The tribe or band shall be responsible for the remainder of those costs.

Urban Wildlife Damage Abatement and Control (UWDAC) Grants

Eligibility & purpose: Any town, city, village, county, or Wisconsin tribe in an urban area may apply to help urban areas develop wildlife plans, implement specific damage abatement and/or control measures for white-tailed deer and/or Canada geese.

Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program

Eligibility & purpose: Counties may apply for funds to abate damage and partially compensate commercial agricultural producers for damages from white-tailed deer, black bear, turkey, Canada geese and/or elk.

Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust in Lieu Fee Mitigation Program (WWCT)

Eligibility & purpose: Land trusts, conservation groups, government organizations, or Wisconsin landowners may apply for a WWCT grant to preserve, enhance, and restore wetland resources in Wisconsin. The WWCT is an in-lieu fee wetland mitigation program that utilizes revenue generated from the sale of wetland mitigation credits to fund wetland restoration projects.

Forestry

County Forest Acquisition (Stewardship)

Eligibility & purpose: To expand nature-based recreational opportunities by adding to lands in the county forest system. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

County Forest Acreage Share Payments

Eligibility & Purpose: Towns in counties that have lands enrolled in the County Forest Law are eligible to receive payments from the DNR. Towns receive annual $.30 per acre payments based on their acreage enrolled under the County Forest Law. No application is necessary. Towns with qualifying acreage receive the payments automatically in the spring of each year and the Town determines how the payments are to be used.

County Forest Administration

Eligibility & Purpose: Any county employing a professional forester in the capacity of county forest administrator or assistant county forest administrator can receive up to 50 percent of its employee's annual salary and fringe benefit costs. In addition, funding is available for up to 50 percent of the dues to a non-profit organization that provides counsel to the county forest administrator and that serves as an organizational liaison for DNR.

County Forest Sustainable Grant

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties with lands enrolled in the County Forest Law are eligible to apply for grants to be used for special, short term or unanticipated projects that promote sustainable forestry. Projects cannot include land acquisition, surveying, paying of permanent staff or upgrades to existing computer software or hardware.

County Forest Wildlife Habitat Grant

Eligibility & Purpose: Funds are available to finance county forest wildlife habitat management with emphasis on forest wildlife habitat improvement, inventories and wildlife education. Funding is available at $.05/acre for counties that have lands in the county forest program.

Forest Fire Protection (FFP)

Eligibility & Purpose: To expand the use of local fire departments to augment and strengthen the DNR's overall initial attack fire suppression capabilities by providing grant funds for personal protective equipment (PPE), training, prevention, tools/equipment, communication equipment, dry hydrants and vehicles. Eligible Wisconsin fire departments are those that have an executed forest-fire suppression agreement with the DNR; eligible Wisconsin county/area fire associations are those with a majority of the fire department members serving organized forest fire control area designated by the DNR.

Urban Forestry Grant & Urban Forestry Catastrophic Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: To fund projects that improve a community's capacity to manage its trees and projects that help conserve, protect, expand or improve the urban forest resource. The grants are intended to support new projects, not to subsidize current, ongoing operations or replace existing funds. Catastrophic grants are available following a catastrophic storm event for which the governor has declared a state of emergency.

Weed Management Area - Private Forest Grant Program (WMA-PFGP)

Eligibility & Purpose: Local governments and Weed Management Groups interested in good stewardship of natural resources and meeting specific requirements may apply for grants to address invasive plants, both by dealing directly with invasives and by providing education, information and outreach to others. Cost-sharing of 75% is provided for eligible costs. See grant webpage for special applicant requirements.

Wisconsin Forest Landowner Grant Program (WFLGP)

Eligibility & Purpose: To assist private landowners in protecting and enhancing their forested lands, prairies and waters. The program allows qualified landowners to be reimbursed up to 50% of the eligible cost of eligible practices. Private landowners in Wisconsin are eligible for WFLGP funding if they own at least 10 contiguous acres of non-industrial private forest but not more than 500 acres within Wisconsin.

Motorized

Grant programs in this category cover grant programs related to ATVs, UTVs, boats and boating facilities, snowmobiles and public and private fleets.

ATV Enhancement

Eligibility & Purpose: Annual funding to a non-profit organization that promotes the safe and wise use of ATVs and UTVs, ATV/UTV riding and ATV/UTV education.

ATV Patrols

Eligibility & Purpose: Issued to Wisconsin county sheriff departments that participate in ATV enforcement efforts.

ATV Trails

Eligibility & Purpose: Issued to counties, towns, cities, villages and tribes to acquire, insure, develop and maintain ATV trails, areas and routes.

Boat Patrol Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Issued to Wisconsin counties and municipalities that participate in boating enforcement efforts.

Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program

Eligibility & Purpose: Tier 1 for smaller projects that add transient boating infrastructure to the area. Tier 2 for larger projects and are competitively judged at the national level.

Clean Diesel Grant Program

Eligibility & Purpose: To help reduce diesel emissions from both public and private vehicle fleets across the state.

Clean Vessel Act (CVA)

Eligibility & Purpose: A nationwide competitive federal grant program that provides funding to states as part of an effort to clean up the nation's waterways. The CVA encourages states to subcontract with private marinas/businesses as well as local units of government to construct projects.

Off-Highway Motorcycle Trails

Eligibility & Purpose: Issued to counties, towns, cities, villages and tribes to develop and maintain Off-Highway Motorcycle trails.

Recreational Boating Facilities

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties, towns, cities, villages, WI tribes, sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts and qualified lake associations for recreational boating facility projects.

Snowmobile Patrols

Eligibility & Purpose: Wisconsin county sheriff departments that participate in snowmobile enforcement efforts.

Snowmobile Trail Aids

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties and WI tribes may apply for funding to provide a statewide system of well-signed and well-groomed snowmobile trails for public use and enjoyment.

Sport Fish Restoration - Boat Access (SFR-BA)

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties, towns, cities, villages, tribes, sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts, and qualified lake associations may apply for grants to construct fishing piers and motorboat access projects.

Sport Fish Restoration - Fishing Piers (SFR-FP)

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties, towns, cities, villages, tribes, sanitary districts, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation districts, and qualified lake associations may apply for grants to construct fishing piers and motorboat access projects.

Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) Trails

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties, towns, cities, villages and tribes can apply for funds for maintenance of UTV trails, minor development, gates and signing. This is a companion program to ATV Trail Aids.

Recreation

Acquisition & Development of Local Parks (Stewardship)

Eligibility & Purpose: Helps to buy land or easements and develop or renovate local park and recreation area facilities for nature-based outdoor recreation purposes (e.g., trails, fishing access and park support facilities). Applicants compete for funds on a regional basis. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Friends of State Lands (Stewardship)

Eligibility & Purpose: Grants from this program help improve facilities, build new recreation projects and restore habitat on state properties. This grant program is part of Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Friends of State Parks and Forests (Heritage Trust Fund)

Eligibility & Purpose: Grants from this program assist in the maintenance and operations of state parks, southern state forests, state trails or state recreation areas. A Friends Group must have established an endowment fund for the benefit of the property.

Habitat Area (Stewardship)

Eligibility & Purpose: Protects and restores important wildlife habitat in Wisconsin in order to expand opportunities for wildlife-based recreation such as hunting, trapping, hiking, bird watching, fishing, nature appreciation and wildlife viewing. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) - State Program

Eligibility & Purpose: This Federal program encourages creation and interpretation of high-quality outdoor recreational opportunities. Funds received by the DNR for this program are split between DNR projects and grants to local governments for outdoor recreation activities. Grants cover 50% of eligible project costs.

Recreational Trail Program (RTP)

Eligibility & Purpose: Counties, towns, cities, villages, WI Tribes, and incorporated organizations may apply for grant funding for the development and maintenance of recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and non-motorized recreational trail uses. Funds from this program may be used in conjunction with the state snowmobile or ATV programs and Stewardship development projects.

State Trails (Stewardship)

Eligibility & purpose: Applications for grants under this subprogram must be for properties identified as part of the State Trail system. It is possible for sponsors to nominate additional trails for state trail designation. The Streambank Protection Program protects water quality and fish habitat in Wisconsin by establishing buffers along high-priority waterways. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Urban Green Space (Stewardship)

Eligibility & Purpose: These grants help buy land or easements in urban areas to preserve the scenic and ecological values of natural open spaces for nature-based outdoor recreation, including non-commercial gardening. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Urban Rivers (Stewardship)

Eligibility & Purpose: These grants help buy land on rivers flowing through urban or urbanizing areas to preserve or restore the scenic and environmental values of riverways for nature-based outdoor recreation. This grant program is part of the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program.

Recycling

Basic Recycling Grant to Responsible Units

Eligibility & Purpose: Recycling Responsible Units (cities, towns, villages, counties, tribes or solid waste management system) with a DNR-approved Effective Recycling Program may apply for funding to offset costs of residential recycling and yard waste programs. Applicants may also qualify for the Recycling Consolidation Grant.

Recycling Consolidation Grant

Eligibility & Purpose: Grant assistance available to Recycling Responsible Units with DNR-approved Effective Recycling Programs. Successful applicants will receive these funds at the same time as Basic Recycling grants.

Remediation

Dry Cleaner Environmental Response Fund

Eligibility & Purpose: A reimbursement program for dry cleaners for the investigation and cleanup costs of dry cleaning facilities.

Ready for Reuse Hazardous Substance Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Cleanup of hazardous substance contamination at brownfields.

Ready for Reuse Petroleum Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Cleanup of petroleum contamination at brownfields.

Wisconsin Assessment Monies (WAM)

Eligibility & Purpose: Local government, WI Tribes or other eligible tribal entities under 40 CFR 31.3, and eligible private entities may apply for funding to assess brownfields sites resulting from closed or closing industrial plants that are acting as impediments to economic redevelopment. Funds are awarded through Contractor Services awards.

Water

Grant programs in this category cover lakes, rivers, dams, wells and other water-related grant programs.

Surface Water Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: The surface water grant program provides cost-sharing grants for surface water protection and restoration. Funding is available for education, ecological assessments, planning, implementation, and aquatic invasive species prevention and control. With many different projects eligible for grant funding, you can support surface water management at any stage: from organization capacity development through project implementation.

Counties, municipalities, natural resource agencies, tribal governing bodies, other local units of government, accredited colleges, universities, technical schools, lake districts, and town sanitary districts are automatically eligible to apply for a Surface Water Grant. Qualified lake associations, qualified surface water management organizations, qualified river management organizations, nonprofit conservation organizations, and qualified school districts must apply for eligibility before applying for a surface water grant. Under NR 193 code, nonprofit organizations will need to reapply as Surface Water Management Organizations before receiving a grant.

ARPA Well Abandonment

Eligibility & Purpose: Financial assistance for individuals to properly abandon unused private wells. Unused wells are a direct line for contamination into clean groundwater.

ARPA Well Compensation

Eligibility & Purpose: Landowners (and other eligible applicants) can apply for financial assistance for replacing, reconstructing or treating contaminated private water supplies that serve a residence or are for watering livestock.

Dam Municipal Grant Program

Eligibility & Purpose: Cost-sharing for any county, city, village, town, tribe, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district (lake district) to improve the dam safety. Eligible projects include dam maintenance, repair, modification or abandonment and removal. Private dam owners are not eligible to apply.

Dam Removal Grant Program

Eligibility & Purpose: Any county, city, village, town, tribe, public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district or person who owns the dam may apply. Other entities may apply as the authorized representative of the actual dam owner if the dam owner is willing to allow their dam to be removed. Dam removal grant funds cover costs directly related to planning for the actual removal, implementing the dam removal and the restoration of the impoundment.

Emerging Contaminants - Small/Disadvantaged Communities Grant Program (EC-SDC)

Eligibility & Purpose: Provides financial assistance to OTM and non-profit NN public water systems serving small or disadvantaged communities. This program focuses on PFAS and manganese as emerging contaminants.

Municipal Flood Control Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Cities, villages, towns, WI Tribes and metropolitan sewerage districts may apply for grant funding to acquire land, remove structures, floodproof structures, administrative support and other related activities.

Notice of Intent/Discharge Cost-Share Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Cost-share funding grants to governmental units working with owners and operators of livestock operations to meet pollution control requirements imposed by the DNR.

Targeted Runoff Management Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, tribal governments and special purpose lake, sewerage and sanitary districts may apply for grants to reimburse costs for agriculture or urban nonpoint source pollution control in targeted, critical geographic areas with surface water or groundwater quality concerns.

Underserved Drinking Water System Grant Program (UDWS)

Eligibility & Purpose: Provides financial assistance to OTM and nonprofit NN public water systems serving underserved and small communities. OTMs and nonprofit NNs with active violations (e.g. MCLs, TTs) or active action level exceedances (e.g. lead ALEs) may receive funding to help the systems return to compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Urban Nonpoint Source & Storm Water Management Grants

Eligibility & Purpose: Cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, WI Tribes and special purpose lake, sewage or sanitary districts may apply for planning or construction projects controlling urban nonpoint source and storm water runoff pollution. Applicants must have either jurisdiction over the project area or be required to control storm water discharge with an inter-governmental agreement between the municipality and the Department of Natural Resources.

Well Abandonment

Eligibility & Purpose: Financial assistance for individuals to properly abandon unused private wells. Unused wells are a direct line for contamination into clean groundwater.

Well Compensation

Eligibility & Purpose: Landowners (and other eligible applicants) can apply for financial assistance for replacing, reconstructing or treating contaminated private water supplies that serve a residence or are for watering livestock.

Wisconsin Wetland Conservation Trust in Lieu Fee Mitigation Program (WWCT)

Eligibility & purpose: Land trusts, conservation groups, government organizations or Wisconsin landowners may apply for a WWCT grant to preserve, enhance, and restore wetland resources in Wisconsin. The WWCT is an in-lieu fee wetland mitigation program that utilizes revenue generated from the sale of wetland mitigation credits to fund wetland restoration projects.

Aid_Content Page_Department grant programs

Department grant programs

A-Z