Johnny Morris Fish Habitat Conservation Grant

The Reservoir Fisheries Habitat Partnership (RFHP) is pleased to announce the FY2027 Request for Proposals for on-the-ground fish habitat enhancement projects in reservoirs. RFHP is one of 20 federally recognized National Fish Habitat Partnerships and the only partnership dedicated specifically to manmade reservoirs.

RFHP seeks projects that:

  • Address large-scale or system-level habitat issues
  • Implement best management practices
  • Foster strong partnerships across landscapes
  • Improve ecological function and recreational fishing

Available Funding

For FY2027, RFHP anticipates approximately $500,000 in Bass Pro Shops funding to support habitat improvement projects.

Grant Size

  • Maximum request: $100,000
  • Requests up to $75,000: Standard 25% match required
  • Requests above $75,000: Must follow the tiered match requirement (see Section 3)
  • Smaller requests are welcome and encouraged

RFHP expects to fund approximately 6–9 projects in the 2027 cycle.

All match contributions must be expended within the project period, and funds may only reimburse costs incurred after contract approval. Funds are disbursed via reimbursement as expenses are incurred via invoicing. Federal and non-federal funds can be used as match. The 501(c)3 fiscal agent for the NFHP program will administer the grant agreements and funds are disbursed on a reimbursable basis as costs are incurred. That is, in lieu of RFHP/Friends of Reservoirs, the fiscal agent is Beyond the Pond/NFHP.

Match Requirements (Tiered System)

Base Match Requirement

  • Requests up to $75,000 require a 25% match (1:3).

Tiered Match Requirement for Requests Over $75,000

For grant requests above $75,000, the minimum match increases by 5% for every $5,000 (or fraction thereof) above $75,000.

Tiered Match Table

Grant Request Amount Above $75,000 Additional Match Required Total Required Match
$75,000 — — 25%
$80,000 $5,000 +5% 30%
$85,000 $10,000 +10% 35%
$90,000 $15,000 +15% 40%
$95,000 $20,000 +20% 45%
$100,000 $25,000 +25% 50%

Match contributions may be cash, in-kind, or a combination of both.

Multi-Year Project Eligibility

Multi-year projects are allowed; however, RFHP limits repeated funding of the same or substantially similar project phases.

  • Second year of similar work within the last 3 years: Maximum $50,000
  • Third year within the last 3 years: Maximum $30,000

A new phase is defined by distinct objectives and methods compared to prior phases and is eligible for up to the full $100,000.

Application Deadline

All applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Central Time on March 10, 2026.

Applicants may assume a project start date of November 1, 2026, though the final start date will depend on the execution of the contract documents.

Proposal Requirements

Applicants must review the RFHP grant requirements, available on the RFHP website or as a downloadable PDF.

All applications must be submitted through the RFHP Online Submission Portal.

Required Components

  • Project Title and Applicant Information
  • Executive Summary
  • Project Narrative (objectives, methods, partnership roles, timeline)
  • Statement of Need
  • Expected Outcomes and Metrics
  • Budget and Budget Justification
  • Match Documentation
  • Maps, Designs, or Technical Appendices (if applicable)
  • Letters of Support (optional unless otherwise noted)

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Relevance to RFHP Mission
  • Ecological Benefit and Expected Outcomes
  • Technical Feasibility and Methods
  • Strength of Partnerships and Collaboration
  • Match Level (above minimums preferred)
  • Cost-Effectiveness
  • Long-Term Sustainability

Online Application System

Step 1 of 6 - Test New Grant Application

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Instructions

Complete this form in full to submit your grant application. Save and Continue functionality: You may save and continue at any time. This will create a share-able URL which can be used by anyone in your planning group, and will email a copy of the link to you on demand. Do not lose this link! Note that single file uploads are not saved during Save and Continue (because they cannot be validated by malware checkers). Save and Continue links are active for 120 days before expiring.

General Project Information

A "project" is a unique project, or a phase of a multi-stage project.
Reservoir must be open to public access to be eligible for this program.
Identify the location of the reservoir on Google Maps by right-clicking the reservoir and selecting the first option, which provides decimal-degree latitude and longitude. Then copy-paste the URL to the textbox here.
General location description to provide geographic context for the project
Accepted file types: pdf, jpg, png, jpeg, Max. file size: 100 MB.
In which region is the reservoir located?
See https://www.friendsofreservoirs.org/science/reservoir-assessment/ecoregions/ for a map of regions. You may search for your reservoir on the interactive map at https://rfhp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/2d4000a109dc42a89b6082e0ef44cf56.
FOR membership provides bonus points that have been critical for project selection over the past several grant cycles. FOR members typically are local fishing/conservation clubs, municipalities, regional conservation organizations, etc. Contact the RFHP Coordinator or go to the Members Page https://www.friendsofreservoirs.org/members/ to see if any local group is a current member of Friends of Reservoirs.

If not, joining is easy! Visit https://www.friendsofreservoirs.org/members/join-today/ for more information.
Partnering with others can help you accomplish far more at a watershed- or river-system level. We strongly encourage you to connect with your local FHPs who may work on streams, imperiled fishes, or natural landscapes to enhance your project.
Project Leader (Primary Contact)
Address

Terms and Conditions

Awardees must agree to:

  • Comply with all reporting requirements
  • Participate in status checks and evaluation activities
  • Maintain accurate financial records for possible auditing
  • Adhere to all state and federal regulations applicable to project work

Contact Information

For questions about this RFP or project eligibility, please contact:

Doug Nygren
RFHP Coordinator
forcoordinator@gmail.com

Become a Contributing Sponsor

Become a part of projects that need your support.

Become a Sponsor