Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB)

Contact the ERAL program lead, then submit a pre-application in the WCB Project Portal (WCB Grant Opportunities page).

Deadline text on the page: No program deadline. WCB "is now accepting pre-applications through the new WCB Project Portal" (two-phase: pre-application, then invited full application).

James Croft

ERAL program contact

General office

The Wildlife Conservation&#x2004;Board's Ecosystem Restoration on Agricultural Lands (ERAL) Program funds wildlife habitat built into working farms and ranches, such as hedgerows and filter strips, tailwater ponds, wetland development, riparian and floodplain restoration, protective fencing and native grassland restoration. Projects must be on privately owned agricultural land with a willing owner and stay in place under a long-term management agreement (usually at least 25 years). A partner such as your Resource Conservation District or a nonprofit usually applies with you through the WCB Project Portal.



The Wildlife Conservation Board's Ecosystem Restoration on Agricultural Lands (ERAL) Program funds wildlife habitat built into working farms and ranches, such as hedgerows and filter strips, tailwater ponds, wetland development, riparian and floodplain restoration, protective fencing and native grassland restoration. Projects must be on privately owned agricultural land with a willing owner and stay in place under a long-term management agreement (usually at least 25 years). A partner such as your Resource Conservation District or a nonprofit usually applies with you through the WCB Project Portal.

- "All projects must be located on privately owned, agricultural land where agriculture is a major land-use activity, and there is a willing property owner."
- "All projects must provide on-site habitat benefits to wildlife."
- "All projects must be durable and include a long-term management plan and agreement that ensures that habitat features will remain on the landscape for a time period commensurate with wildlife population needs (a standard agreement is at least 25 years)."
- Grantees per WCB guidelines: nonprofits, public agencies, tribes (and Prop 4 entities).

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

Long-term management agreement (standard at least 25 years).

Published amounts: No amounts published.

Apply through the WCB Project Portal (WCB Grant Opportunities page).

Deadline text on the page: No program deadline; pre-applications through the WCB Project Portal.

The Wildlife Conservation Board's Inland Wetlands Conservation Program funds wetland protection and restoration in the Central Valley, from Red Bluff to Bakersfield, including acquisition of land, water or conservation easements for wetlands or wildlife-friendly agriculture and restoration of public or private lands. Grantees are nonprofits (for example waterfowl conservation groups), agencies and Tribes working with willing landowners; partners apply through the WCB Project Portal.



- Central Valley Joint Venture area, focused on the valley floor from Red Bluff to Bakersfield (Sacramento, Yolo-Delta, Suisun, San Joaquin and Tulare regions).
- Eligible activities: "Acquisition of land or water for wetlands or wildlife friendly agriculture"; "Acquisition of conservation easements"; "Restoration of public or private lands"; "Enhancement of existing degraded habitats".

Per WCB General Grant Guidelines and easement policies.

Published amounts: No amounts published.

"Call (916) 926-2546 with any questions prior to completing an application package." Apply through the WCB Project Portal (WCB Grant Opportunities page). "The Board must approve any project to be funded."

Deadline text on the page: "While applications are accepted on a year-round basis, the WCB generally meets four times a year. Typically, Board meetings are held in February, May, August and November."

John Walsh

Deputy Executive Director, Land Acquisition (program contact)

Jen Stanfield

Restoration contact

Oak Woodlands questions line

WCB funding for projects that conserve and restore California oak woodlands, open to landowners as well as conservation organizations, cities and counties. The program is meant to bring ranchers and conservationists together for both sustainable ranch and farm operations and healthy oak woodlands. It funds conservation easements (acquisition) and oak woodland restoration, with applications accepted year-round.



- Open to "landowners, conservation organizations, cities and counties".
- "All applications that comply with the program requirements and meet program eligibility criteria will be scheduled for Board consideration once the real estate due diligence is completed and sufficient money exists to fund the request."
- Statewide, with "opportunities to address oak woodland issues on a regional priority basis."

Payment per unit of land to do or avoid certain practices related to land management.

Easement

Easement projects follow WCB conservation easement minimum requirements and appraisal policy; restoration projects follow the WCB General Grant Guidelines.

Published amounts: No amounts published; projects are funded when "sufficient money exists to fund the request."

"Upon receipt of a pre-proposal application WCB will review the proposal and based on its merits, and funding available will request a full proposal or deny the pre-proposal." Submit through the WCB Project Portal (see the WCB Grant Opportunities page); contacting WCB staff first is strongly recommended.

Deadline text on the page: "Applications will be accepted on a year-round basis." Pre-applications go through the WCB Project Portal (launched March 6, 2026); the Board generally meets quarterly.

WCB Project Portal help desk

California's state program for buying conservation easements on rangeland, grazing land and grassland, so ranches stay in livestock grazing and are not converted to non-agricultural uses. A willing landowner can apply, alone or with a land trust, RCD, public agency or other partner. Applications are accepted year-round and approved by the Board once real estate due diligence is done. Easements on more intensive farmland are pointed to the Department of Conservation instead.



- "Eligible applicants and partners include a willing landowner, a local public agency, special district, resource conservation district, joint powers authority, nonprofit organization or state agency."
- "Projects must protect the integrity of the rangeland, grazing lands and grasslands."
- Easement terms must comply with the "Principles of Compatible Use"; the landowner must disclose known environmental conditions and certify the easement is not required as mitigation and that the use is consistent with local land use plans and zoning.

Perpetual conservation easement protecting long-term livestock grazing. WCB Conservation Easement Minimum Requirements (updated June 2026) apply.

Published amounts: No amounts published. Easements are bought at a DGS-approved fair market value appraisal on a willing-seller basis (Land Acquisition Program page). "Project proposals that contain funding partners may receive a higher priority than those applicants requesting 100 percent of the necessary funds to acquire the conservation easement."

Cara Allen

Riparian program contact

The Wildlife Conservation Board's California Riparian Habitat Conservation Program funds projects that protect and restore streamside areas, including riparian replanting, floodplain reconnection, invasive plant control, stream reconfiguration and wildlife-friendly fencing to manage livestock along riparian corridors. Grants go to nonprofits, public agencies and Tribes, which often do the work on private ranches with the landowner; partners apply through the WCB Project Portal.



- WCB-eligible grantees per the General Grant Guidelines.
- Riparian restoration, protection, planning, design and environmental clearance projects.

Per WCB General Grant Guidelines; WCB Wildlife Friendly Fence Specifications apply to fencing.

Published amounts: No amounts published.

Apply through the WCB Project Portal (WCB Grant Opportunities page). "Projects that may result in a change to water rights are encouraged to consult early with" the State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights.

Deadline text on the page: No program-specific deadline posted; pre-applications through the WCB Project Portal.

Aaron Haiman

Stream Flow Enhancement Program contact

Shannon Lucas

Restoration and Development Manager (Riparian, Stream Flow Enhancement, Public Access...)

The Wildlife Conservation Board's Stream Flow Enhancement Program funds projects that change the amount, timing or quality of stream flow for fish and wildlife, including water transactions with willing sellers (leases, transfers, instream dedications, forbearance) and on-farm water conservation such as irrigation ditch lining or piping, stock-water systems, tailwater recovery, off-channel storage and changing points of diversion. Grants go to nonprofits, public agencies, Tribes and other eligible entities, which partner with irrigators and ranchers; conserved water must be protected for at least 20 years.



- WCB-eligible grantees (nonprofits, public agencies, tribes; Prop 1 entities) per the General Grant Guidelines.
- Water conservation projects must be "coupled with adequate long term (≥20 years) protections for the conserved water".
- Primary focus on "enhancing flow in streams that support anadromous fish; support special-status, threatened, endangered, or at-risk species; or provide resilience to climate change."

Conserved water must be protected for 20 years or more.

Published amounts: "From 2016 to 2021, the SFEP has granted approximately $134 million in funding to 128 projects."

List of California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) Funding Opportunities