OWEB invests in  variety of grant types which help Oregonians take care of local streams, rivers, wetlands and natural areas.

Click here for upcoming grant application deadlines, forms and materials by grant type.

The regular Board grant program includes grants for watershed restoration, monitoring, watershed assessment and action planning, watershed council support, watershed education and outreach, land and water acquisition, and small grants. In addition, the Board may from time to time, as funds are available, request proposals for technical assistance and research.

A regular grant applicant may be any person, tribe, watershed council, soil and water conservation district, not-for-profit institution, school, community college, state institution of higher education, independent not-for-profit institution of higher education, or political subdivision of this state that is not a state agency. A state agency or federal agency may apply for funding under this section only as a co-applicant with one of the other eligible entities. Any of these applicants or co-applicants may also serve as a fiscal agent for grants. 

1. What needs to be done and why?
2. Who will manage the funds? How will the financial parts of the project be managed? If contracting, how will you select a contractor? Choice of a fiscal agent is an important consideration when applying for a grant from OWEB.
3. Will I need permits or other approvals, including local land use approval, for the project? Permits must be approved before OWEB can release funds for a project.
4. If applicable, do I have the landowner’s permission to access the site and implement the project? Do I have the landowner’s commitment to maintain the project when it is complete?
5. What is the project likely to cost? Are material or labor costs likely to increase between when the application is submitted and the project starts?

1. Applicant name and contact information; landowner information, and name and location of the proposed project.
2. Estimated line item budget identifying all sources and amounts and the project elements proposed for Board funding.
3. Description of previous accomplishments if requesting funding for a multi-year project.
4. Identification of volunteers and partners and their contributions.
5. Project schedule.

Before a project begins, grantees must obtain all applicable local, state and federal permits and show that their project complies with local land use laws. Grantees must also agree to post a sign identifying the project and noting that OWEB is a source of funding. Materials produced through educational projects must include a notation that OWEB funds were used.

Upon completion of the project, grantees must submit a report to OWEB describing the work that has been done and documenting all expenditures along with the Oregon Watershed Restoration Inventory Reporting Form. Grantees must also monitor, evaluate and maintain their projects for a specified number of years and provide at least one annual progress report to OWEB. Other conditions may also be placed on the grant. These will be specified in the Grant Agreement and agreed upon before the project begins.