The Boating Infrastructure Grant Program is designed to develop, renovate, and maintain public boating facilities for transient recreational boats twenty-six feet long and larger.
Donor Name: Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
State: Washington
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/05/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Categories
There are two tiers of grants offered in BIG. For the most part the categories are almost identical; however, there are a few key differences, which are as follows:
- Tier One: State Grants
- An applicant may submit a stand-alone maintenance project.
- States can use Tier One funds to administer the BIG program.
- Applications are reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by the Washington State Boating Programs Advisory Committee.
- Each year the US. Fish and Wildlife Service makes funding available to each state. The State can submit one or many projects.
- RCO’s director uses the annual appropriation to award grants to the ranked list of Tier One grant applications submitted during the even-numbered year. If not enough applications were submitted, RCO will run a supplemental grant round in the odd-numbered year.
- Tier Two: National Grants
- An applicant may submit maintenance activities as part of a development or renovation project only.
- Applications are reviewed by RCO staff and the Boating Programs Advisory Committee for eligibility and then forwarded, without state evaluation, to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the national competition.
- Each year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service accepts Tier Two grant proposals. The State can submit multiple projects.
- The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awards grants to Tier Two projects the year after proposals were submitted.
Typical Projects
- Renovating guest docks
- Installing utilities to moorage docks
- Building moorage docks and floats.
Funding Information
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.
Eligible Projects
- Development or renovation of 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.
Eligibility Criteria
Grants may be made to the following organizations:
- 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.
For more information, visit RCO.
