The Sustain Our Great Lakes (SOGL) program is soliciting proposals to benefit fish, wildlife, habitat and water quality in the Great Lakes basin.
Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/11/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
The program will award up to $8.7 million in grants in 2025 to improve and enhance: 1) stream and riparian habitat to benefit species and improve water quality 2) green stormwater infrastructure in the Great Lakes Communities 3) invasive species control to protect restored habitat and 4) activating restored habitats and greenspace. The program is administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in partnership with the Caerus Foundation, Cleveland-Cliffs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and USDA Forest Service. Significant program funding is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), a federal program designed to protect, restore, and enhance the Great Lakes ecosystem.
Program Priorities
In 2025, grant funding will be awarded in four categories:
- Habitat Restoration to Conserve Species and Improve Water Quality
- This category will direct up to $3.3 million to projects that improve stream and riparian habitat to benefit priority fish and bird species, including those prioritized in GLRI Action Plan III Focus Area 4 and state or federally threatened and endangered species, and improve water quality. Funding will be awarded in support of the following habitat and species-based strategies.
- Green Stormwater Infrastructure in Great Lakes Communities
- The green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) category will direct up to $2.6 million to green infrastructure projects that improve stormwater capture and storage to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including reducing runoff, combined sewer overflows, basement backups, and flooding through nature-based design. Much of the region is covered in impervious surfaces and these threats pose significant risks to communities, with disproportionately severe impacts to low-income communities and communities of color. GSI projects should utilize natural design elements/nature-based solutions to reduce and treat stormwater where it falls while delivering environmental, social and community benefits.
- Invasive Species Control to Protect and Enhance Restored Habitat
- The invasive species control category will direct up to $1.8 million to support invasive species control efforts needed to sustain or enhance the benefits of previous habitat restorations. Funding under this strategy will be limited to control efforts focused on terrestrial, coastal, and aquatic invasive plants. Projects should be designed to span a minimum of 3 years or 3 field seasons to increase sustainability and long-term success for retreatment. Proposed projects should be of sufficient size, scope, or unique ecological value to necessitate a strategic re-investment in invasive species control.
- Activating Restored Habitats and Greenspace
- Funding in this category will support up to $1 million in grants that activate sites that have been previously restored, including those previously funded by GLRI or NFWF. Sites should be activated by increasing community engagement, public access to natural areas/greenspace, community participation, ownership and long-term stewardship of previously restored sites to maintain high quality habitat. Projects should strategically advance multiple priorities including enhancing community engagement and participation while also conducting needed on-the-ground stewardship or restoration. All proposals should describe the rationale or plan for selecting the project location, the public access or greenspace elements proposed, and identify the communities and/or target audiences that will be served by the project and how they will be meaningfully and actively engaged to encourage public use of the site.
Funding Information
- Up to $8.7 million is expected to be available for grant awards in 2025. In the past three years, the program has awarded an average of 40 grants per year, representing an application success rate of 23 percent.
- Individual grant awards will range from $200,000 to $1,000,000.
Grant Period
Anticipated completion time for funded projects will typically be two to three years (or field seasons) following finalization of a grant agreement.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions.
For more information, visit NFWF.
