What Happened?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced more than $14.27 million in competitive grants will be allocated through the Boating Infrastructure Grant program. The funds will be distributed to 10 states and the District of Columbia. An additional $2.48 million will be dispersed between 27 states willing to match smaller, noncompetitive grants for boating infrastructure projects.
The Goal
The Boating Infrastructure Grant funds are supported by the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. Boaters and manufacturers feed this national fund through taxes placed on the industry. The purpose of these grants is to help communities repair boat-related facilities while enhancing recreational programs that attract tourists and spur economic growth. Examples of projects funded by the program include:
- Floating docks
- Fixed piers
- Mooring buoys
- Sewage pump-out stations
- Infrastructure construction
- Maintenance and repairs
- Environmental support for fish and wildlife habitat
Recipients of the BIG funds must use the money to build, upgrade and maintain facilities to support transient recreational boaters piloting boats larger than 26 feet in length. The funds should also be put toward educational outreach materials and programs to inform the community and tourists of the waterfront recreational opportunities.
Grant Details
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partners with local governments, nonprofits and private entities to conserve and protect fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. The serve’s Boating Infrastructure Grant Program provides federal assistance to local organizations and agencies to support eligible projects. The program operates two funding tiers:
- Tier One: Noncompetitive Each state and the District of Columbia can receive grants up to $100,000 annually
- Tier Two: Nationally Competitive
A nationally competitive process ranks proposals by a national panel and selects outstanding projects based on specific criteria
Similar Opportunities
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program also offers the Boating Access Program that support plans to create and improve access to waterways across the country. Projects typically funded through this program involving developing new access facilities or improving existing facilities that connect residents and tourists to waterways.
Under the Sport Fish Restoration Act each state and the District of Columbia must set aside 15 percent of its annual Sport Fish Restoration apportionment toward boating access projects. The funds supporting this project also come from boat-related taxes.
Another Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program is the Clean Vessel Act Grant Program. These funds are awarded to states and the District of Columbia for the construction, operation, maintenance and improvement of pump-out stations and waste facilities for recreational boats. The grants should be directed to the construction projects as well as educational programs focused on proper disposal of boater sewage.
When an organization has met the specific environmental criteria for clean disposal of waste, the Clean Vessel Act symbol can be displayed to signify the standards have been met. The grants are awarded out similar to the Boating Access Program through a nationally competitive process that ranks and evaluates submissions each year.
Animal Protection
Gov1 has reported on other U.S. Fish and Wildlife grants, as well as strategies to protect zoos.