The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), in partnership with NEIWPCC, seeks proposals for projects that preserve, restore, or improve native species habitat in the Lake Champlain Basin.
This funding opportunity is intended to:
- Improve wetland, riparian, or aquatic habitat;
- Restore and maintain a healthy, diverse fish and aquatic life community;
- Implement flood resilience practices;
- Enhance understanding of native species and their habitats
Examples of projects include, but are not limited to, riparian plantings, native species surveys, or identification and prioritization of habitat for conservation.
“Conserving and restoring habitat is critical to protecting species native to the Lake Champlain Basin,” said Dr. Eric Howe, NEIWPCC Program Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. “This funding opportunity can support a variety of habitat conservation projects that will provide long-term benefits for fish and wildlife populations, improve water quality, and strengthen the Basin’s resilience to flooding and other challenges.”
Approximately $600,000 in funding is available to support awarded projects. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded in the small grants category, and grants between $50,001-$175,000 will be awarded in the large grants category. Eligible organizations may submit one proposal per grant category.
The awarded projects will advance the goals of the long-term Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action (plan.lcbp.org). This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program, and in partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.
Proposals are due at 5:00 PM EST on October 30, 2025. An informational webinar covering healthy ecosystems (large and small), clean water, and aquatic invasive species (AIS) grants will be offered on September 9, 2025 at 12:00PM (register for the Zoom webinar at this link
). Please note that clean water and AIS grant opportunities have been, or will be, released under a separate Request for Proposals, but the informational webinar will cover all of the above grant categories. Awarded clean water projects are targeted to begin work in May 2026 and must be completed by March 2028.
More information, including grant guidelines and applications, is available on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s website at lcbp.org/grants.
The Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The program works in partnership with federal agencies, state and provincial agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, local communities, businesses, and citizen groups. NEIWPCC—a regional commission that helps the states of the Northeast preserve and advance water quality—serves as the primary program administrator of LCBP at the request of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee and administers the program’s personnel, finances, and contracts. NEIWPCC is a program partner of LCBP. For further information, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit https://www.lcbp.org/.
