EPA Wetland Program Development Grants

EPA grants supporting state, tribal, and local efforts to build and refine wetland protection programs — wetland mapping, monitoring, water quality standards, restoration planning, and voluntary protection initiatives.

The EPA Wetland Program Development Grants (WPDG) program provides funding for projects that build the institutional capacity to protect, monitor, and restore wetlands at the state, tribal, regional, and local level. The program is unusual in that it explicitly funds program development and capacity work — wetland mapping and inventory, monitoring program design, water quality standards development, restoration prioritization frameworks, and voluntary stewardship initiatives — rather than just on-the-ground projects.Awards typically range from $50,000 to $500,000. Eligible applicants include state, tribal, and local governments, interstate and intertribal associations, and certain nonprofit organizations partnering with these entities. EPA Region 3 administers a competitive cycle for the Mid-Atlantic states.For Pennsylvania watershed groups doing wetland protection work in headwater areas, vernal pool conservation, or floodplain reconnection, WPDG is one of the few federal funding sources specifically for wetland-focused program development. Pair with PA DEP wetland staff for a stronger application.