active Federal Grant

USDA NRCS Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP)

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

$100,000–$1,000,000

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗

The short version

Grants of $100K–$1M to wetland mitigation bank sponsors, including small businesses, for banks serving agricultural producers.

WMBP provides competitive grants to bank sponsors to develop and establish wetland mitigation banks for use by agricultural producers who need to comply with wetland conservation (Swampbuster) provisions. Eligible sponsors include small businesses and for-profit entities that own or control suitable land. NRCS is making $3 million available in FY 2026 for approximately seven awards. Priority is given to banks in states with significant wetland-compliance demand.

Funding type: Grant
Level: Federal
Amount range: $100,000 – $1,000,000
Realistic amount: Most awards fall between $150,000 and $500,000, scaled to the size of the proposed mitigation bank, credit demand, and leverage from the sponsor.
Deadline: Applications due September 8, 2026
Status: active
States: Nationwide

Who qualifies

State and local governments, federally recognized tribes, nonprofits, universities, and for-profit organizations including small businesses
Applicant must be a bank sponsor that will develop and establish a wetland mitigation bank for agricultural producers
Bank must serve producers with wetlands subject to Food Security Act conservation-compliance provisions
Priority is given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres, and conservation-compliance requests
Active SAM.gov/UEI registration required

Who is not eligible

Entities that do not own or control suitable land for wetland bank development
Banks intended primarily for non-agricultural mitigation buyers
Projects that do not meet NRCS wetland mitigation banking standards

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Restoration, creation, or enhancement of wetlands for mitigation credits
Site preparation, earthwork, and water-control structures
Native vegetation establishment
Monitoring and adaptive management during the development period
Long-term site maintenance and protection
Engineering, design, and permitting costs directly tied to bank establishment

Ineligible expenses

Land acquisition (sponsor retains ownership; grant does not buy land)
Credit marketing or sales activities
Costs incurred before award start date
Activities not directly tied to bank establishment

How to apply

1

Assess site and market demand

Identify land suitable for wetland restoration, creation, or enhancement and confirm demand from agricultural producers needing compliance credits in your state or service area.

~12 hrs
2

Register in SAM.gov and Grants.gov

Obtain or renew UEI and active SAM.gov registration, then complete Grants.gov registration. Start early; registration can take several weeks.

~4 hrs
3

Prepare bank-development proposal

Draft the project narrative, wetland banking instrument, credit methodology, budget, and environmental documentation. Show long-term site maintenance and credit-release schedule.

~40 hrs
4

Submit via Grants.gov by September 8, 2026

Upload the SF-424, narrative, budget, and all required attachments. Submit at least 48 hours before the deadline.

~3 hrs
5

Negotiate grant agreement and establish bank

If selected, execute the grant agreement and begin bank development. NRCS reimburses eligible costs as incurred.

~8 hrs

Insider tip

Target the 11 priority states listed in the NOFO and secure pre-award letters from local NRCS state offices or Farm Service Agency staff confirming producer demand — demand evidence is often the decisive scoring factor.

Deadline & timing

Posted July 23, 2026. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. SAM.gov/UEI registration is required. Priority states listed in the NOFO include Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Required documents

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance
Wetland mitigation bank proposal and banking instrument
Line-item budget and budget narrative
Site characterization and hydrologic design
Credit-release schedule and long-term maintenance plan
Evidence of landownership or control
Active SAM.gov UEI and registration

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Researched and verified 2026-08-24 against the official program source. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.