Funding and grants for Puget Sound

About EPA funding for Puget Sound

EPA receives money from Congress to help protect and restore Puget Sound. These funds are used to help implement Washington's Puget Sound Action Agenda using cooperative agreements with designated state agencies, local and Tribal governments, universities and non-governmental organizations.

On this page you will find information about current and past opportunities for federal funding through EPA.

Visit EPA Geographic Funding at Work on Puget Sound Recovery for an overview of EPA’s efforts to protect and restore water quality and ecological integrity in Puget Sound.

Funding opportunities

EPA is accepting applications for “Strategic Implementation Leads” for each of the following focus areas: (1) Habitat/Marine, (2) Shellfish, and (3) Stormwater.

For more information and how to apply, visit funding availability for Puget Sound Action Agenda - Strategic Implementation Leads. Applications are due May 11, 2026.

Past funding awarded

Puget Sound Riparian Systems Lead (2023)

The Puget Sound Riparian Systems Lead's goal is to make and manage subawards which contribute to fully functioning riparian systems by advancing riparian management objectives, fostering innovation and partnering to improve our ability to protect and restore riparian systems, and increasing our riparian acreage in Puget Sound.

Tribal Implementation Lead 2.0 (2022)

The Tribal Implementation Award 2.0 supports implementation of Tribal priorities in the Puget Sound Action Agenda, and coordinates and integrates this program with Puget Sound management conference partners who also support Action Agenda implementation.

Strategic Initiative Leads (2020)

Strategic Initiative Leads implement the Action Agenda, serve as Implementation Strategy Leads, and participate in a number of Puget Sound Management Conference work groups and processes in the areas of habitat, shellfish, and stormwater.

Implementation Strategies – Science Awards (2017–2021)

Led by the Puget Sound Partnership, in coordination with the University of Washington Puget Sound Institute (PSI) and Oregon State University, to provide science support to Strategic Initiative Leads to update, complete, or initiate implementation strategies using the approaches developed through prior awards to the Puget Sound Partnership and PSI.

Takes the ecosystem perspective by:

Integrating across Vital Signs and implementation strategies under development.
Preparing the scientific basis required for future implementation strategies to ensure a balanced and comprehensive program.

Supports the foundational science basis for Puget Sound recovery and long-term protection programs. This work complements the focus on implementation strategies by:

Identifying, prioritizing, and promoting critical information needs identified by implementation strategies.
Ensuring critical evaluation and technical peer review of intermediate and final implementation strategy plans.

Tribal Implementation Lead Award (2016-2021)

Led by the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission to facilitate implementation of projects of high Tribal priority that are consistent with the action agenda.

Over $21 million awarded from 2016-2021.

Tribal Capacity Awards (2010-2019)

Awarded to 19 Tribes and three Tribal consortia to support Tribal participation in regional coordination boards and management conferences as well as to implement recovery activities consistent with the Action Agenda.

Over $38 million awarded from 2010-2019.