State Wildlife Grant Program - Overview
About
The State Wildlife Grant (SWG) Program provides Federal grant funds to State fish and wildlife agencies for developing and implementing programs that benefit Species in Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and their habitats. Grant funds may be used to address a variety of conservation priorities identified in the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP); such as research, fish and wildlife surveys, species restoration, habitat management, and monitoring. Identified and described in the SWAP, SGCNs have experienced significant population declines. Threats to these species are described, and include such factors as habitat loss or fragmentation, competition from non-native species, and other stressors. The SWAP identifies their habitats, as well as actions needed to restore or maintain viable populations of these species.
SWG Projects
The original SWAP guided major accomplishments; restoration of priority habitats including longleaf and shortleaf pine and native grasses on Wildlife Management Areas, State Parks, and private lands. It helped establish the Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center which helps recover freshwater mussels and snails in Alabama’s key rivers and streams. It supported important research on rare, aquatic life, removed barriers to fish migration and breeding, and reintroduced threatened species. This Wildlife Action Plan is critical to helping Alabama fulfill its responsibility to conserve its abundant fish and wildlife and natural habitats for future generations.
For a complete list of these projects see Projects Funded by SWG.
Source of Funds
Congress appropriates funds for the State Wildlife Grant Program on an annual basis. Funds are apportioned to States, commonwealths, and U.S. territories based on a formula that considers each State’s population and total geographical area. Grant funds are disbursed to States for approved grants at a maximum federal share of 75% for planning grants and 65% for Plan implementation grants. Congress also allocates a portion of appropriated funds to a competitive SWG subprogram.
General comments can be sent by email to Traci Wood.
For mail, fax, and telephone contact information, please see below.
Traci D. Wood
Alabama Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries
Habitat and Species Conservation Coordinator
Landowner Incentive Program & State Wildlife Grants
64 N. Union St., Suite 567
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-353-0503 (O)
334-242-3032 (F)