Status: 2026 Awards Announced
Funding Opportunity Number: F26AS00014
Assistance Listing Number: 15.653
Application Period: June 18, 2025 - August 17, 2025
Award Announcement: June 29, 2026
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Interior announced 16 awards totaling $16.2 million for the 2026 National Outreach and Communications Program funding cycle. These projects will support innovative initiatives to increase participation in recreational fishing and boating at the local, state, and national level.
2026 Award Recipients
| Proposal Title | Applicant | Funding Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing for Solutions Mitigating Conflict and Implementing Best Practices in South Florida's Recreational Shark Fisheries | University of Miami Rosenstiel School | $118,434.00 |
| Sustaining Regional R3 Coordination | Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) | $124,020.00 |
| Capitol Cast Youth Fishing Adventure (America's 250) on the National Mall | US Angling Confederation | $125,000.00 |
| First Cast Foundations of Recreational Fishing and Coastal Conservation for Beginning Anglers | Mississippi State University | $246,757.00 |
| The South Carolina Super Slam | South Carolina Department of Natural Resources | $260,930.00 |
| Fishing and Boating Outreach in Florida Video Series | National Safe Boating Council | $304,075.00 |
| Rio Ready | Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust | $321,678.00 |
| Iowa Take the Tackle Along | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | $340,000.00 |
| Fish Arkansas Your Water, Your Story | Arkansas Game and Fish Commission | $545,000.00 |
| Maryland Outreach and Marketing to Increase Sound Angling and Boating Participation | Maryland Department of Natural Resources | $613,454.00 |
| Strategic Angler and Boater R3 Support to Address State Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Needs | Wildlife Management Institute, Incorporated | $1,020,838.00 |
| Casting Beyond Your Comfort Zone a Multifaceted, Multi Audience Approach to Increasing Fishing in Delaware | University of Delaware | $1,098,664.00 |
| Rhode Island Recreational Angling and Boating Marketing and Communication R3 | Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) | $1,221,480.00 |
| Hooked for Life Scaling the National Fishing in Schools Program | Fishing Education Foundation | $2,050,950.00 |
| Getting Families Fishing and Boating Initiative | Wildlife Forever | $3,714,734.00 |
| Before You Boat Reaching and Educating Boaters to Grow Safe and Sustainable Boating | BoatUS Foundation | $4,131,598.00 |
2026 National Outreach and Communications Program Awards
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received 127 eligible applications requesting approximately $212 million in federal assistance for the 2026 NOCP funding cycle. A review panel of subject matter experts from state and federal agencies, as well as industry groups, evaluated all eligible proposals using published scoring criteria, assessing strategic alignment with NOCP statutory purposes, use of R3 best practices, innovation, measurable outcomes, stakeholder coordination, feasibility, and impact potential.
The panel provided recommendations to the FWS Director, who made final award selections as delegated by the Secretary of the Interior. Award decisions reflect Administration priorities for the use of Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund resources.
Funded projects will advance one or more of the five statutory purposes of the NOCP:
- Improve communications with anglers, boaters, and the general public regarding angling and boating opportunities
- Reduce barriers to access and participation in angling and boating activities
- Advance the adoption of sound angling and boating practices in the U.S.
- Promote conservation and the responsible use of the nation's aquatic resources
- Further safety in angling and boating
Background and Funding Source
The National Outreach and Communication Program was established by the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178) to reverse declining trends in participation rates in angling and boating in the early 1990's. Fishing and boating participation are important to our nation's economy and fund much of our nation's aquatic resource conservation through the sale of state fishing licenses and the grant programs funded from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.
The NOCP is funded by 2% of the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, supported by excise taxes on fishing equipment, motorboat fuel, and other sources. Because of this, the annual amount of funding available will vary depending on the trust fund income generated by excise taxes. Since 2007, the amount awarded for the NOCP has been between $10.7 and $14.2 million per year.
2026 Application Cycle - Reference Materials
The 2026 NOCP funding opportunity closed on August 17, 2025. The materials below are provided as reference resources to demonstrate program requirements, evaluation criteria, and guidance provided to applicants during the 2026 funding cycle. The NOCP is a recurring program; however, the timing of future funding opportunities has not been determined. Future opportunities will be posted on GrantSolutions.gov.
- Supplemental Scoring Information: 2026 NOCP Supplemental Scoring Criteria
- Notice of Funding Opportunity: F26AS00014 National Outreach and Communication Program NOFO
- Frequently Asked Questions: National Outreach and Communications Program Funding Opportunity - Frequently Asked Questions
- Information Session Power Point Presentation: Information Session Power Point Presentation
For questions about the National Outreach and Communications Program: NOCP-Information@fws.gov