Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by California Waterfowl Foundation

Applications will be open for the 2027 season from October 19th to November 29th, 2026. Contact Jason Coslovich at (408) 644-3525 or jcoslovich@calwaterfowl.org.

Jason Coslovich

California Waterfowl administers this initiative under the Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP), run by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The effort aims to enhance breeding conditions for waterfowl, pheasants, and upland nesting birds by compensating landowners who maintain undisturbed vegetation on rice levees and road edges during spring and summer.



Participating landowners must leave rice levees or roads undisturbed from the previous growing season, with road corridors requiring a minimum 5-foot width. Rice fields with enrolled levees must be planted in the growing season. Reconstructed levees after the previous season disqualify applications.

A payment that requires some percentage of matching contributions by the recipient.

Cost Share

Air Quality

Carbon Capture

Certification

High Tunnel

Landscape

Regenerative

Soil Health

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Reduced Tillage

Conservation

Education

The program provides $0.25 per linear foot of levee or road enrolled, with $50,000 available for this program in the 2026 nesting season. California Waterfowl and U.S. Geological Survey staff monitor enrolled fields for nesting activity from April 1st to July 15th, with weekly checks on active nests. Payments arrive shortly after July 15th upon meeting all requirements.

Applications for the 2026 cycle ran February 15 – March 29, 2026 and are now closed; check back for future rounds. Enroll via California Waterfowl.

California Waterfowl's Delayed Cereal Grain Harvest Program incentivizes farmers to delay harvesting cereal grain fields, allowing ground-nesting birds to hatch and fledge safely. Cereal grain fields, such as winter wheat and triticale, can play an important role as 'surrogate uplands.' It is a sub-program of the Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP).



Eligible crops are wheat, triticale, oat, barley, and rye. Eligibility criteria: minimum 20 acres; at least 75% crop cover with 8+ inch average height; summer water within 1 mile of the field; and located in Central Valley planning regions. Fields must not be harvested before July 15th.

Incentive payments (2025 season) by monitoring level: Standard $50/acre (biologist monitoring from levees/roads only); Monitoring A $65/acre (on-foot rope-drag nest searching); Monitoring B $75/acre (ATV-based rope-drag nest searching).

Applications for the 2026 cycle ran February 15 – March 29, 2026 and are now closed. Contact Jason Coslovich, (408) 644-3525, jcoslovich@calwaterfowl.org.

California Waterfowl's Fallow Agriculture Program incentivizes farmers to maintain vegetative cover on fallow fields for nesting habitat, targeting waterfowl and pheasants by compensating landowners who delay field termination. It is a sub-program of the Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP).



Fields must be 20+ acres with at least 50% vegetation coverage averaging 8+ inches tall, with reliable summer water within 1 mile (irrigation canals, wetlands, or rice fields), located within Central Valley planning regions. Cover may be volunteer vegetation or planted cover crops with a minimum 10% legumes. Fields must remain undisturbed until July 15th to qualify for payment.

Incentive rates (2025 season): volunteer vegetation $30/acre; established planted cover crops $110/acre. Total funding available: $100,000. Payment occurs shortly after the July 15th deadline if all conditions are met.

Apply during the annual application window (February 15 – March 29 for 2026) via California Waterfowl; check back for the next round. See the individual sub-program pages for enrollment details.

Luke Matthews

Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program Coordinator

The Nesting Bird Habitat&#x2004;Incentive Program (NBHIP) aims to address declines in local breeding waterfowl and ring-necked pheasant populations. It incentivizes landowners to cultivate upland cover including cover crops, cereal grains, grasses, forbs, and pollinator plants. NBHIP is funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) — approximately $2 million per year from a $10 surcharge on upland game bird and state duck hunting validations (established via AB 614, October 2021; authorized by AB 2697, 2018). The California Waterfowl Association leads private-land incentives on behalf of CDFW, and the U.S. Geological Survey conducts biological monitoring.



The Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP) aims to address declines in local breeding waterfowl and ring-necked pheasant populations. It incentivizes landowners to cultivate upland cover including cover crops, cereal grains, grasses, forbs, and pollinator plants. NBHIP is funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) — approximately $2 million per year from a $10 surcharge on upland game bird and state duck hunting validations (established via AB 614, October 2021; authorized by AB 2697, 2018). The California Waterfowl Association leads private-land incentives on behalf of CDFW, and the U.S. Geological Survey conducts biological monitoring.

Private landowners in California are eligible.

NBHIP umbrellas four enrollable sub-programs: Delayed Cereal Grain Harvest; Fallow Agriculture; Rice Levee, Road Edge, and Agricultural Corridor; and Upland Management Agreements (long-term). Applications for 2026 ran February 15 – March 29 and are now closed.

The program accepts applications from February 15 – March 29 (2026 window now passed). Enrollment is within California's Central Valley and associated planning regions designated by the Central Valley Joint Venture.

The Upland Management Agreements (UMA) initiative, administered through California Waterfowl's Nesting Bird Habitat Incentive Program (NBHIP), provides financial support to private landowners for enhancing upland and grassland habitats — essential breeding grounds for ground-nesting waterfowl and pheasants facing habitat decline in California.



Private landowners can participate if their property contains upland perennial grass habitats (10 acre minimum) with summer water located within 1/2 mile of the upland. Landowners must allow nest monitoring access and, if they manage wetland units, maintain wetlands at minimum depths of 12–24 inches from April 1–August 1.

Water Management

Participants receive $30/acre in annual payments made in arrears under 3-year agreements. For 2025, $100,000 was available for the nesting season. Upon approval, landowners receive an Annual Work Plan detailing required management actions, with incentive payments issued after completion.

List of California Waterfowl Foundation Funding Opportunities