What We Do
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) supports conservation projects that align with the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), an international strategy for protecting migratory birds and their habitats. Through its competitive grants, NAWCA funds efforts to restore, enhance, and manage wetlands and associated upland habitats critical for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other wildlife.
NAWCA’s four grant services—U.S. Standard Grants, U.S. Small Grants, Mexico Grants, and Canada Grants—bring together public-private partnerships and require at least a 1-to-1 funding match. These projects deliver far-reaching benefits, from enhancing bird habitats to improving water quality, reducing flood risks, and creating recreational opportunities for communities.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Council (the Council) reviews eligible proposals in two cycles per year. The Council may directly approve Small Grants and recommends Standard Grant projects to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission (MBCC), a seven-member commission authorized by NAWCA. The MBCC meets to consider recommended projects for approvals each spring and fall.
Grant Program1 | # of Partners2 | # of Projects | Grant Amount | Match Amount | Total Acres3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CG | 172 | 609 | $753,145,213 | $754,110,348 | 16,683,998 |
| EG (FY2000 only) | 25 | 6 | $500,000 | $1,364,870 | 0 |
| MG | 647 | 373 | $81,691,297 | $176,422,354 | 4,192,745 |
| SM | 1,964 | 977 | $67,537,838 | $222,447,183 | 484,272 |
| ST | 4,797 | 1,434 | $1,385,501,283 | $3,380,040,836 | 11,239,714 |
| Total NAWCA (CG,EG,MG,SM,ST) | 7,007 | 3,399 | $2,288,375,631 | $4,534,385,592 | 32,600,729 |
| Total NAWCA (not including EG) | 7,001 | 3,393 | 2,287,875,631 | $4,533,020,722 | 32,600,729 |
| NAWCA Standard (CG,MG,ST) | 5,564 | 2,416 | $2,220,337,793 | $4,310,573,539 | 32,116,457 |
| NAWCA US (SM,ST) | 6,240 | 2,411 | $1,453,039,121 | $3,602,488,020 | 11,723,986 |
Grant Program1 | # of Partners2 | # of Projects | Grant Amount | Match Amount | Total Acres3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Grant (CG) | 8 | 8 | $35,847,996 | $35,847,999 | 62,371 |
| Mexico Grant (MG) | 28 | 7 | $3,998,529 | $15,300,113 | 106,677 |
| US Standard Grant (ST) | 149 | 18 | $46,274,682 | $99,109,565 | 91,425 |
| Total NAWCA (CG,EG,MG,SM,ST) | 185 | 33 | $84,347,607 | $150,257,677 | 260,473 |
1CG = Canada Grant; EG = Evaluation Grant; MG = Mexico Grant; SM = US Small Grant; and ST = US Standard Grant.
2Partner count is not cumulative since some partners are shared between multiple grant programs and between multiple window years.
3Total acres includes activities with Grant/match additive and Grant/match non‐additive acres for US Small and US Standard grant programs. Total acres includes activities with only Grant/match additive acres for Canada and Mexico grant programs.
