The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is now accepting proposals for the 2024 Boating Boating Access Grant Program.
Donor Name: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
State: California
Counties: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/03/2023
Size of the Grant: $8.6 million
Details:
The program provides funds to state fish and wildlife agencies for fishery projects, boating access, and aquatic education. The funding for this grant program comes through revenue from manufacturers’ excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, import duties on fishing tackle and pleasure boats, and a portion of gasoline fuel tax attributable to small engines and motorboats.
The Boating Access sub-program of the Sport Fish Restoration Grant program provides federal funds for facilities that create or add to public access for recreational boating and improvements to waterways that increase access to recreational boating opportunities.
Projects that seek to acquire, develop, renovate, maintain, or improve facilities that create or enhance public access to the waters of the United States or advance the suitability of these waters for recreational boating. These facilities may include auxiliary structures to ensure safe use by recreational boaters. Projects may include surveys planning access to recreational waters for any size or type of recreational boats. Maintenance and operations projects can be funded for boating access sites, facilities, and structures. Facilities funded through the program must be accessible to all recreational boaters, thought the state may limit uses for public safety, property protection, noise abatement, or aquatic resource protection. Examples of restrictions include but not limited to boat motor power, speed limits, no‐wake zones, or hours of use, etc.
Funding Information
Total funding available under this solicitation is approximately $8.6 million.
Eligible Activities
Project activities eligible for Boating Access grant funds include:
- Planning, permitting, and design for Boating Access Facilities.
- Construction of Boating Access Facilities.
- Amenities for Boaters, including compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), at Boating Access Facilities:
- This may include restrooms, wash-down stations, fish cleaning stations for boaters, ramps, courtesy or loading docks, maneuvering areas, parking areas, walkways, beaching areas for boats, picnic tables, garbage facilities for boaters, shade structures, lighting, signage, etc.
- Launching and landing facilities for paddle craft and non-motorized boats.
- Outreach to boaters about available boating access and amenities.
- Aquatic Invasive Species Information and Education – including inspection (not enforcement) As long as the purpose is to keep Boater Boating.
- In some instances, vegetation management – If it’s all about keeping boaters accessing the water.
- Pump out facilities for vessels that have on-board sanitary holding tanks.
- Fueling docks for boaters.
- Potable water supplies for boaters.
- Dinghy docks.
- Operation and Maintenance of boating access facilities.
- Administration and Coordination of boating access programs (personnel, travel, training, planning, etc.)
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include state and local government agencies, public entities, Tribes, and nonprofit organizations.
For more information, visit CDFW.
