On April 24, 2026, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced a request for proposals for the Sustain Our Great Lakes Program. Sustain Our Great Lakes is a public–private partnership designed to sustain, restore and protect fish, wildlife and habitat in the basin by leveraging funding, building conservation capacity, and focusing partners and resources toward key ecological issues. The program achieves this mission, in part, by awarding grants for on-the-ground habitat restoration and enhancement. Significant program funding is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Approximately $11 million is expected to be available for grant awards in 2026. In the past three years, the program has awarded an average of 30 grants per year, representing an application success rate of 23%.
To learn more and apply, read the full request for proposals: Sustain Our Great Lakes 2026 Request for Proposals