Teaming with Wildlife: State Wildlife Grants

State Wildlife Grants

Common Murre/USFWS - R. Rohleder

The State Wildlife Grants Program provides federal money to every state and territory for cost-effective conservation aimed at preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. This program continues the long history of cooperation between the federal government and the states for managing and conserving wildlife species, going back to landmark laws like the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act and the 1950 Dingell-Johnson Sportfish Restoration Act.

State Wildlife Grants Overview (.pdf, 18 KB)
State Wildlife Grants Five Year Accomplishments Report (.pdf, 15 MB)
State Wildlife Grant Success Stories
State Wildlife Grants: Funding Totals (.pdf, 8 KB)

Congressional Champions Call for Increased State Wildlife Grants Funding!

Teaming with Wildlife Displays for State Wildlife Grants

In a strong show of support for America’s wildlife, Representatives and Senators crossed ideological, regional, and partisan lines to sign a letter urging funding for the federal State Wildlife Grants, the nation’s core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered in every state. The letter, addressed to the Chairman and Ranking Member of both the House and Senate Interior Appropriations Committees, supports a funding level of $85 million for the State Wildlife Grants Program in Fiscal Year 2010.

The House letter were led by a bipartisan group from across the nation, including Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL).

FY 2010 House Dear Colleague Letter
FY 2010 Senate Dear Colleague Letter (Coming Soon)
Get Your Member of Congress to Sign On
Full List of FY 2010 Letter Signers

President Requests $73.8 Million for State Wildlife Grants in FY09. Members of Congress Call for Even More!

Kids with Challenger the eagle

President Bush’s fiscal year 2009 budget request includes $73.8 million for State Wildlife Grants, which matches the level of funding provided in the final budget for 2008. In another tight budget year, we are fortunate that State Wildlife Grants is not being cut. At the same time, we all know that the needs are much greater.

In response to the hard work of the Teaming with Wildlife coalition, m0re than 150 Representatives and 62 Senators have signed letters calling on the Appropriations Committees to do even better than the President and provide at least $85 million for State Wildlife Grants.

List of FY 2009 Dear Colleague Letter Signers (updated 4/7/08)
Senate FY 2009 State Wildlife Grants Dear Colleague Letter (.pdf 622KB)
House of Representatives FY 2009 State Wildlife Grants Dear Colleague Letter (.pdf, 543 KB)

Fiscal Year 2008 Funding

President Bush's 2008 Budget Proposal included $69.5 million for the State Wildlife Grants Program. Thanks to the efforts of the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition, a record 60 Senators and 162 Representatives signed Dear Colleague letters supporting $85 million for State Wildlife Grants in 2008. These letters encouraged the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to go beyond President Bush's Budget Proposal and provide $85 million and $72.5 million respectively. In the end, Congress had to cut $22 billion from their initial proposals for non-military discretionary spending. The final “omnibus” appropriations bill included $73.8 million for the State Wildlife Grants Program in fiscal year 2008. Out of the total amount, the bill set aside about $4.9 million for a to-be-determined competitive grants program and about $6.2 million for Tribal Wildlife Grants.