Pierce County’s 2025 Watersheds Small Grants Program offers targeted funding for community-driven environmental projects that improve water quality and habitat across the county’s four major watersheds: Nisqually, Puyallup-White River, Chambers-Clover Creek, and KGI. This annual grant program is administered in partnership with local watershed councils, nonprofits, and agencies to support educational and restoration activities aligned with each watershed’s current Action Agenda or workplan.

The application window for the 2025 grant cycle is open from March 3 to April 30, 2025. Individual awards are capped at $2,500 for most watersheds, while KGI Watershed applicants may apply for up to $3,000 through the Lu Winsor Environmental Grants. The grant is accessible to a wide range of applicants—including nonprofits, schools, teachers, tribes, local governments, and individuals—provided the proposed project benefits habitat or water quality in Pierce County.

Qualifying projects may include riparian buffer plantings, invasive species removal, rain garden installations, nature-based education programs, and community clean-up events. All proposals must demonstrate alignment with their watershed council’s goals. However, applications for for-profit activities, political lobbying, fundraising, or general advocacy efforts are not eligible. Projects must also be environmentally focused and feasible within the funding cap.

An informational session will be hosted virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. to guide applicants through the program and application process. Additional funding may become available through the Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Watershed Resilience Program to support salmon recovery, climate resilience, and broader watershed health in the Nisqually and Puyallup watersheds. Those interested in this potential opportunity should contact Hannah King at Hannah.King@dnr.wa.gov.

Applications must be complete to be considered and are evaluated using ranking criteria specific to each watershed. The program encourages a grassroots approach to improving environmental literacy and stewardship throughout the region. Applicants may sign up through the county’s website to receive notifications about future grant opportunities.