What We Do

Since 1991, more than 6,938 partners have received more than $2.15 billion in grants for more than 3,381 projects. Those partners have contributed another $4.3 billion in matching funds to improve more than 32 million acres of habitat, totaling more than $6.45 billion for wetland conservation that also benefits people, birds and other wildlife.

You can learn more about the projects by visiting our project summary database.

All NAWCA FY1991‐2024‐1

Grant Program1

# of Partners2

# of Projects

Grant Amount

Match Amount

Total Acres3

CG172609$753,145,213$754,110,34816,683,998
EG (FY2000 only)256$500,000$1,364,8700
MG647373$81,691,298$176,422,3544,192,819
SM1,964977$67,537,838$222,447,183484,272
ST4,7261,416$1,339,226,601$3,280,931,27111,148,289
Total NAWCA (CG,EG,MG,SM,ST)6,9383,381$2,242,100,950 $4,435,276,02732,509,378
Total NAWCA (not including EG)6,9323,3752,241,600,950$4,433,911,157 32,509,378
NAWCA Standard (CG,MG,ST)5,494 2,398$2,174,063,112 $4,211,463,97432,025,106
NAWCA US (SM,ST)6,171 2,393$1,406,764,439 $3,503,378,45511,632,561
NAWCA FY2024‐2

Grant Program1

# of Partners2

# of Projects

Grant Amount

Match Amount

Total Acres3

Canada Grant (CG)88$35,847,996 $35,847,99962,371
Mexico Grant (MG) 287$3,998,529$15,300,113106,677
US Standard Grant (ST) 12618$44,501,082$88,658,76498,288
Total NAWCA (CG,EG,MG,SM,ST)16133$84,347,607 $139,806,876267,336

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.

Our Services

The NAWCA program provides matching grants to wetlands conservation projects in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There is a Standard and a Small Grants Program. Both are competitive grants programs and require that grant requests be matched by partner contributions at no less than a 1-to-1 ratio.

Freshwater wetlands surrounded by conifers at Moosehorn
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grants: US Small Program

The Small Grants Program is a competitive, matching grants program that supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States that further the goals of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. These projects must involve long-term protection, restoration, and/...

Waterfowl taking flight in a wetland
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grants: Mexico Program

In 1989, the U.S. Congress passed into law the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) with the intention of protecting, restoring, and managing wetland ecosystems and other habitats critical to maintaining healthy populations of migratory birds throughout North America. In 2002,...

A male Steller's eider with a pair of spectacled eider at the edge of a tundra pond
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grants: Canada Program

NAWCA Canada provides matching grants that support public-private partnerships for long-term conservation projects that benefit all wetland-associated migratory birds. Projects funded through this program contribute to achieving the overall goals of the umbrella North American Wetlands...

Our Laws and Regulations

North American Wetlands Conservation Act

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act authorizes grants to public-private partnerships in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. to protect, enhance, restore, and manage waterfowl, other migratory birds and other fish and wildlife, and the wetland ecosystems and other habitats upon which they depend...

Laws, Agreements & Treaties