Conservation and Development Grants and Loans
DNRC administers a wide range of grants and loans for Montana, assisting cities and towns, conservation districts, private landowners, and other groups in managing natural resource issues at the local level.
Visit DNRC's Grants & Loans Page for information about funding opportunities, eligibility, and how to apply.
Current Opportunities
- Reclamation and Development Planning Grants – Grant cycle is open. Applications will be accepted until October 15, 2025.
- Renewable Resource (RRG) Planning Grants - Grant cycle is open. Applications will close at 11:59pm on September 26, 2025.
- Technical Assistance Grants: Renewable Resource Program - Grant cycle is open. Applications will be accepted until funds are expended.
- Renewable Resource Program Emergency Grants - Grant cycle is open. Applications will be accepted until funds are expended.
Western Montana Conservation Commission Grants Current Opportunities
- Septic Maintenance and Education Grants - Grant cycle is open. Applications will be accepted until funds are expended.
- Residential and Community Green Stormwater Infrastructure Grants - Grant cycle is open. Applications will be accepted until funds are expended.
- Septic Connectivity or Septic System Replacement Grants - Funds for this grant program are pending. If you have a project to discuss, please email us at dnrcarddwmcc@mt.gov.
- Showcase Green Stormwater Infrastructure Grants - Funds for this grant program are pending. If you have a project to discuss, please email us at dnrcarddwmcc@mt.gov.
Conservation District Grants Current Opportunities
- FY 26 CD Education Mini Grants - Rolling Deadline
Forestry Division - Grants
Current Opportunities
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WMCC RESIDENTIAL & COMMUNITY GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE (GSI) GRANT PROGRAM AND APPLICATION GENERAL INFORMATION
Visit our website and check out our guidelines for more specifics: WMCC-EPA-Grant-Subaward-Guidelines.pdf
Eligible projects will develop or expand residential and community green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) programs that provide cost share, outreach, and programming on the benefits of using GSI to manage water quality impacts of stormwater runoff water. In addition to providing funds for materials, supplies and cost-shares for other services, successful programs will engage and educate residents and/or natural resource professionals about the conservation co-benefits of using GSI to mitigate toxic pollution from stormwater runoff in Western Montana watersheds that are part of the Columbia River Basin.
If you have any immediate questions please contact our general email DNRCARDDWMCC@mt.gov or grant staff directly.
Kristen Jordan, Grant Program Specialist, Kristen.Jordan@mt.gov
Heidi Fleury, Grant Program Specialist, Heidi.Fleury@mt.gov
Krista Lammers, Grant Administrative Specialist, Krista.Lammers@mt.gov
WMCC SEPTIC EDUCATION AND MAINTENANCE GRANT PROGRAM AND APPLICATION GENERAL INFORMATION
Visit our website and check out our guidelines for more specifics: WMCC-EPA-Grant-Subaward-Guidelines.pdf
Eligible projects will develop or expand residential septic maintenance programs that provide cost share, outreach, and programming on septic water quality impacts. In addition to providing a maintenance cost-share or other services, programs or events will engage and educate residents and/or natural resource professionals about toxic pollution from septic leachate in Western Montana watersheds that are part of the Columbia River Basin.
If you have any immediate questions please contact our general email DNRCARDDWMCC@mt.gov or grant staff directly.
Kristen Jordan, Grant Program Specialist, Kristen.Jordan@mt.gov
Heidi Fleury, Grant Program Specialist, Heidi.Fleury@mt.gov
Krista Lammers, Grant Administrative Specialist, Krista.Lammers@mt.gov
DO YOU NEED HELP APPLYING FOR A RENEWABLE RESOURCE PLANNING GRANT?
DNRC is offering local governments Technical Assistance to apply for planning grants. Technical Assistance funds are designed to assist local governments that:
- Do not have an established relationship with a professional engineering firm. OR
- Have not been successful in applying for DNRC planning grants in the prior biennium.
DNRC will prioritize requests for Technical Assistance from local governments who meet the above criteria.
If Technical Assistance is approved, DNRC will assign a contracted technical service provider to assist the local government with a Renewable Resource Planning Grant Application.
Technical Assistance is limited to $3,000 or 20 hours @ $150/hour. Technical service providers are contracted with and paid by DNRC once a Renewable Resource Planning Grant Application is submitted.
If you have questions, please contact Katherine Certalic kcertalic@mt.gov .
PURPOSE
The RRG Planning Grant Program provides funding to governmental entities for professional and technical services necessary to produce a high quality RRG grant application which leads to a project that conserves, manages, develops, or protects Montana’s renewable resources. PLANNING GRANT GUIDELINES.
PROGRAM CONTACT
Katherine Certalic
Phone: 406-444-3146
Email: KCertalic@mt.gov
All conservation districts in Montana are eligible for apply for CD grant funding through the Conservation District Account administered by DNRC. The following criteria will be applied in evaluating CD grant funding requests.
- CD has a need for funds beyond mill for general operations. 76-15-530, MCA
- CD has levied the maximum county mills allowed for the current fiscal year. 76-15-530, MCA
- A conservation district is not eligible to receive a grant unless it has exhausted its authorized mill levies. 76-15-530 MCA
- CD has submitted its Annual Financial Report to the Department of Administration- Local Government Services. 2-7-503, MCA
- CD has prepared and submitted a preliminary budget to the county clerk and recorder. 7-6-40, MCA.
- A statement of assets including account balances and the district’s plans and timeline for expending.For the most up to date grant guidelines, please visit the CD Resource Documents Site.
To inquiry about ideas, and/or project feasibility, contact the CD Specialist for your District who will work with you to develop the proposal including a detailed scope, schedule, and budget.
https://dnrc.mt.gov/Conservation/Conservation-Programs/Conservation-Districts/
Stephanie Criswell, Steph.Criswell@mt.gov, 406-444-6669
Mary Hendrix, Mary.Hendrix@mt.gov, 406-431-2639
Veronica Grigaltchik, Veronica.Grigaltchik@mt.gov, 406-437-4501
Kasydi Lucas, Kasydi.Lucas2@mt.gov, 406-594-0726
Catey Bauer, Catey.Bauer@mt.gov, 406-465-0948
DNRC Reclamation and Development Grants Program - Planning Grants
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) manages the Reclamation and Development Grants Program (RDGP) to fund projects that indemnify the people of the state for the effects of mineral development on public resources and that meet other crucial needs to protect Montana’s environment. Crucial state need projects must serve the public interest and the total environment of the citizens of Montana. The purposes of the reclamation and development grants program are to:
- repair, reclaim, and mitigate environmental damage to public resources from nonrenewable resource extraction; and,
- develop and ensure the quality of public resources for the benefit of all Montanans.
The purpose of the RDGP planning grant program is to assist local governments with planning and preparation for these types of projects.
Applicant Eligibility
Reclamation and Development Grants Program planning grants are available to city, county, or other local political subdivisions or Tribal governments within the state. Federal agencies, private corporations, non-profits and individuals are not eligible to receive RDGP planning grant funding.
Project Eligibility
The RDG Program funds planning for the following project types:
- Reclamation ($75,000): Projects that repair, reclaim, and/or mitigate environmental damage to public resources from non-renewable resource extraction (mining, hazardous waste, and oil and gas)
- Drought Management Plan ($75,000): Development of a drought management plan for a watershed or region of the state. Drought management plans must identify drought mitigation projects (see below) to implement.
- Drought Mitigation Project Planning ($75,000): Planning for specific projects that address drought across a watershed, as the main purpose of the project. The project must be identified in an existing plan such as a drought management plan or a watershed management plan that ties the need for the project to the watershed for region.
- High Hazard Dams ($75,000): High hazard dam (Montana Dam Safety Act, MCA 85-15-106) projects that will mitigate damage to natural resources as a result of failure. Planning grants must clearly demonstrate natural resource benefits.
- Channel Migration Zone (CMZ) Mapping ($75,000): Channel migration zone (CMZ) mapping projects that plan for large-scale flood assessment or other natural resource benefits to a watershed or region of the state. Projects must identify the natural resource needs of the area and include prioritization of projects benefiting natural resources.
- Other Crucial State Need ($50,000): Projects that meet a crucial state need must prevent or eliminate severe and unacceptable damage to natural resources or capture extraordinary public benefit that would otherwise be lost. They must have a regional, watershed, or statewide importance. Public benefit from this type of project must directly relate to natural resources.
Program Guidance and Application Instructions are available on the DNRC Planning Grants page. This application must be submitted by someone within the applying entity (city, county, conservation district, etc.).
Questions? Contact:
Samantha Treu, samantha.treu@mt.gov, 406-422-3369