Grants to Washington nonprofit organizations, government agencies, tribes, and special districts to reduce flood hazards. Applicants must submit an LOI prior to applying. Funding is also intended for projects to address community needs, such as improving water quality, preserving agriculture, and increasing opportunities for recreation, provided they are part of a larger strategy to restore ecological functions and reduce flood hazards.
Ideal projects are part of an integrated strategy designed to holistically manage the floodplain within a watershed or specific reach of a river. The strategy must identify means to reduce flood risk to affected communities, restore ecological function, support community and environmental resiliency to future climate impacts, and provide additional community benefits. In areas where agriculture is a land use, projects must minimize negative impacts to agriculture and identify strategies to support local agricultural interests. Projects should be part of a watershed or a reach-strategy that connect rivers with their floodplains, giving floodwater room to spread out and allowing room for the dynamic processes that form critical habitats to be restored.
The focus of the Floodplains by Design program are the major rivers and their estuaries in a given watershed. Projects on large river systems are more likely to receive funding than projects on small river systems or creeks.
Multi-benefit outcomes can include (but are not limited to):
For more information about Characteristics of FbD Projects, see: https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/2106028.pdf#page=14.
Eligible Project Types and Activities can be found starting at https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/2106028.pdf#page=21.
Additional Geographic Information:
For a map and list of counties in each region, see: https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/documents/2106028.pdf#page=6Estimated Total Program Funding:
Estimated Size of Grant:
Any Floodplains by Design projects, regardless of scale, are expected to adhere to a 2 to 4 year timeline.
The grants will be awarded for the 2023-2025 Biennium.
Apply Online:
https://secureaccess.wa.gov/ecy/eagl
For more information, contact:
Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program
Department of Ecology
P.O. Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600
Phone: 360-407-6600
General Information/Program Management:
Scott McKinney, Floodplains by Design Program Coordinator
scott.mckinney@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-6131
Project Managers:
Southwest Regional
- Matt Gerlach, (360) 407-0271, Matt.Gerlach@ecy.wa.gov
- Alex Rosen, (360) 407-6521, Alex.Rosen@ecy.wa.gov
Central Regional Office
- Sandra Floyd, (509) 571-5679, Sandra.Floyd@ecy.wa.gov
Eastern Regional Office
- Lynn Schmidt, (509) 329-3413, Lynn.Schmidt@ecy.wa.gov
Northwest Regional Office
- Lisa Nelson, (425) 649-4253, Lisa.Nelson@ecy.wa.gov