NWTF’s Waterways for Wildlife 2026 Application Period Closing Soon
EDGEFIELD, S.C. — Conservation partners seeking to receive funding for water-related conservation projects through the NWTF’s Waterways for Wildlife Initiative are urged to submit proposals before the application deadline, Feb. 6, 2026.
Applications must be completed in full to be considered for funding and should be submitted via the Survey123 proposal form along with any supporting documentation, such as maps, photos, budget tables and other supporting materials. Proposals can be submitted here. Funding for projects that have been approved through the Waterways for Wildlife& Initiative will be available starting April 1, 2026.
This marks the fifth year of the NWTF’s Waterways for Wildlife Initiative opening funding opportunities for projects that occur in riparian systems benefiting wildlife and water resources within the initiative’s ten-state region.
Eligible parties for funding in 2026 include federal, state and local agencies and entities; conservation organizations; colleges/universities; and private landowners currently working through an existing recognized federal, state or locally sponsored conservation assistance program.
Since launching its first round of funding in 2022, the Waterways for Wildlife Initiative has become a powerful force for on-the-ground change. The NWTF and its partners invested $2.8 million in the first 14 conservation projects, followed by $5.3 million supporting 20 new projects in 2023 and $16.3 million toward 16 projects in 2024. This past year, the 2025 allocation provided over $2.7 million in funding across 14 projects, bringing the total investment by the NWTF and its partners for the Waterways for Wildlife Initiative to over $27 million since 2022.
For 2026, the initiative is once again accepting financial assistance applications for projects aimed at restoring and strengthening riparian systems at meaningful scales. Projects with a direct benefit to water conservation and proposals that expand the long-term or large-scale restoration of riparian ecosystems are encouraged. Projects that will improve water conservation, reconnect floodplains, remove invasive species or advance long-term, landscape-level restoration will be prioritized.
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.3 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $22 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to create healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.