Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program | Montana Invasive Species

Overview

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, in coordination with the Montana Invasive Species Councils, offers state-funded grants for the prevention and control of aquatic invasive species (AIS). The goal of the grants is to protect Montana's natural resources from severe and unacceptable damage from AIS by increasing local capacity and involvement in addressing AIS issues.

DNRC provides fiscal management of the grant program and approves funding decisions, while MISC manages the application and review process and provides recommendations to DNRC. The legislature appropriated funding of $278,580/year for FY25. DNRC may incur up to 10% of the yearly appropriation for administering the program.

How to Apply

Apply Here

The Montana Invasive Species Council is no longer accepting grant applications for FY25.

For questions and comments please email DNRAISGrants@mt.gov or submit a contact form here.

Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Guidelines

2024-2025 Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Guidelines

Submittable Help

Grant Limits and Types

$50,000 per project. Projects can be up to 18 months with a one-year extension if needed. Grantee must request any extension in writing to DNRC for approval.

On-the-ground projects: Projects or programs that address AIS priorities and other eligible projects. Typically, these are monitoring and control projects.

Education and outreach projects: Expand capacity and distribution of AIS outreach and education to improve AIS awareness and reinforce the Clean Drain Dry message.

AIS research projects: Applied research investigating techniques and strategies to improve AIS prevention, early detection, education or control. Projects must be applied research that addresses existing AIS priorities, gaps, questions or needs.

Current state-wide priorities that have been identified and vetted with former grantees and stakeholders for the upcoming AIS grant cycle include grants related to:

Monitoring / early detection projects to expand local capacity and involvement in multi- AIS taxa early detection efforts.
AIS outreach projects that expand AIS awareness at the local level.
AIS research projects including eDNA research related to dreissenid mussel early detection addressing eDNA Science Advisory Panel recommendations.

Locally-led proposals that address the state-wide priorities will receive ranking preference, however all eligible grant requests will be evaluated and considered.

Click HERE for the complete AIS Grant Program Guidelines, including the application process and ranking criteria.

For Grant Recipients

Progress Reports

Recipients must submit progress reports quarterly or with every reimbursement request. The following materials are required:

Helpful Documents:

Please submit all completed and signed documents to DNRAISGRANTS@MT.Gov

Final Reports

An outline of the final report is found in Attachment C of your grant agreement. The following materials are required:

Please submit all completed and signed documents to DNRAISGRANTS@MT.Gov

Reporting to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks

All recipients are required to:

SECTION 4. PROJECT SCOPE.

4.2 To ensure effectiveness, consistency, and accuracy in messaging, Recipient agrees to coordinate with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) on the narratives and graphic identity of education and outreach materials produced through this Agreement. Branding resources are located at: http://cleandraindry.mt.gov/Resources.

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SECTION 8. REPORTS.

8.3 Recipient agrees to operate watercraft inspection station in accordance with FWP Aquatic Invasive Species Management Program: Watercraft Inspection Station Operation Protocols.

In addition to reporting requirements in Attachment C, Recipient will provide DNRC with watercraft inspection data, including number of vessels inspected, number of fouled boats, number of drive-bys reported, dates and hours of operation.

8.4 All survey data will be submitted through FWP’s Mobile data collection app Survey123. Recipient must work with FWP to obtain access to that application prior to beginning survey efforts.

ANY positive survey results WILL BE REPORTED WITHIN THREE DAYS to Craig McLane, FWP (CMcLane@mt.gov, 406-444-1224) and Liz Lodman, DNRC (liz.lodman@mt.gov, 406-444-0547). Reporting survey results to the press will be a joint effort between FWP and the Recipient, which will typically be accomplished via a joint press release.

Recipient agrees to follow FWP’s monitoring protocols located at: http://cleandraindry.mt.gov/Resources

For plankton sampling, Recipients are required to obtain a scientific collector’s permit from FWP at: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/commercialwildlifeandscientificpermits/scientific

Contact FWP’s fisheries office for information at 406-444-2449.