The 2025 Watersheds Small Grants Program, coordinated by Pierce County Planning & Public Works, provides small-scale funding to support local community projects aimed at enhancing habitat and water quality throughout Pierce County, Washington. The program is operated in partnership with watershed councils and other local organizations to empower nonprofits, schools, tribes, local governments, and individuals to improve environmental health in the region’s four key watersheds: Nisqually, Puyallup-White River, Chambers-Clover Creek, and Key Peninsula-Gig Harbor-Islands (KGI).

The application window for the 2025 cycle runs from March 3 to April 30, 2025, with an informational Zoom session scheduled for March 12, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Applicants may apply for individual grants of up to $2,500, with an increased cap of $3,000 for projects in the KGI watershed, where funding is provided under the Lu Winsor Environmental Grant initiative.

Grants are awarded to projects that align with each watershed council's current Action Agendas or workplans. Eligible projects include riparian plantings, invasive species removal, community clean-ups, rain garden installations, and nature-based education initiatives. Applicants should propose new or ongoing projects that provide tangible benefits to the environment and promote watershed health.

Notably, the program welcomes a broad applicant pool with no restrictions on applicant type. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, educators, local governments, tribes, businesses, and individuals. However, grant funds may not be used for profit-making ventures, fundraising efforts, lobbying, or advocacy work. All applicants are responsible for reporting the grant income on their federal income taxes, and incomplete applications will not be considered.

In 2025, there may be additional funding opportunities through the Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Watershed Resilience Program, targeting projects in the Puyallup and Nisqually watersheds that contribute to salmon recovery, climate resilience, and overall watershed health. Interested applicants should contact Hannah King at Hannah.King@dnr.wa.gov for further information about this parallel funding opportunity.

Applications and additional guidance (e.g., ranking criteria and forms for each watershed) are available through the program’s website. The grant program serves as a catalyst for grassroots environmental action and promotes stewardship through community-led efforts.