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HomeMy WebLinkAbout011426 - RCO Newsletter - January 2026ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them. <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/1d9e606c-e643-9cc9-ddd8-3c4e3a1ffa7e.png> Message from the Director Happy New Year from RCO! It’s hard to believe that 2025 is over and we’re already halfway through January 2026. This year looks to be a busy one. We’ll be accepting applications for more than a dozen grant programs, starting with the Salmon Recovery Funding Board grants later this month and then half the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board’s grant programs in February. This month, we’re featuring stories about improvements to some of our grant programs; efforts being made to stop invasive species; a revitalized grant program that helps underserved communities plan for parks, trails, and more; and a peek behind the scenes at a key component in our grant process. Thank you for reading! Announcements * Heather Green <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=b6b8fb7c44&e=186c5ff3d1> joined RCO as a salmon grants manager in December. * Kendall Kohler, an outdoor grants manager for the Salmon Section, left RCO December 15 for a position as a habitat biologist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. * Maria Marlin, an outreach and education specialist with the Invasive Species Council, left RCO December 31 to be a grant manager at the Washington Department of Ecology. * Sasha Medlen, an outdoor grants manager for the Salmon Section, is leaving the agency on January 15 for a position at the Washington Department of Ecology. * The Information Technology Section welcomed interns Damon Brown and John Walker in January. Both attend South Puget Sound Community College and plan to graduate from the Cybersecurity and Network Administration program in June 2026. * Salmon Recovery Funding Board grant round opens January 15. * Recreation and Conservation Funding Board meets January 27. <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=629f7bb04e&e=186c5ff3d1> * Recreation and Conservation Funding Board’s spring grant round opens February 11. <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/6628f188-5808-40ba-cf42-3707749d7c48.png> Accepting Applications for Grants to Help Recover Salmon RCO will begin accepting applications for the 2026 Salmon Recovery Funding Board grants <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=97bc729eda&e=186c5ff3d1> January 15. These grants fund projects that restore degraded salmon habitat and protect high-quality habitat. Typical projects include replacing barriers to fish migration; replanting stream banks; removing dikes, levees, and shoreline armoring; buying pristine habitat; and more. This year, all the salmon grant programs are running concurrently. Applications will be accepted for the Salmon Recovery Program, Riparian Grant Program (for lead entities with 2026 carry-over), Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration’s regular and Large Capital Program, and the Targeted Investments program. Attend the online application workshop January 29 at 10 a.m. to get more information about the programs and to have your questions answered. The webinar is free, but attendees must register to attend <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=e4e6b1b30b&e=186c5ff3d1> . Additionally, the workshop will be recorded and posted to the RCO website for later viewing. <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/dfee782f-dd67-3cd8-b690-d7393215d9e5.png> The Key to Our Grant Programs Each year, RCO staff works with seventeen committees <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=168b950517&e=186c5ff3d1> to ensure grant funding makes it to needed projects around the state and the application review process remains fair and transparent. The key to funding successful projects is the more than two hundred advisors who serve on these committees. These advisors are community members and nonprofit and government representatives who play an essential role in our grant process. Advisors dedicate their time, expertise, perspective, and passion to provide applicants with feedback about their projects, score applications, and inform policy decisions. In December, RCO’s director appointed fifty-nine new advisory committee members in preparation for the upcoming recreation and conservation spring grant round, which opens February 11. These new advisors will help RCO ensure the grant review process is competitive and that money is awarded to projects that will make a difference in Washington’s communities. We are always looking for people to join one of our advisory committees! Learn more about becoming an advisory committee member <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5 e&id=868f5cd1af&e=186c5ff3d1> . <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/2dc0e08e-0e44-ee94-3177-86f327707d4c.png> Spring Outdoor Recreation and Conservation Grant Round Opens in February Mark your calendars—the spring grant round opens February 11! We’ll be accepting applications for outdoor recreation and conservation projects. These programs fund projects to build parks, trails, athletic fields, and boating facilities, and conserve wildlife habitat and working farms and forests. We’re kicking off the grant round with a series of webinars that will include information about the grants, eligibility requirements, deadlines, changes for 2026, and how to apply. There will be three separate meetings, divided by interest. Each will be recorded and posted to RCO’s YouTube account as well. * Parks Application Webinar || 9-10:30 a.m. <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=4f4f33905f&e=186c5ff3d1> Covers the Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=588e5f1624&e=186c5ff3d1> , Boating Infrastructure Grant <https://rco.us4.list -manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=23c77485ab&e=186c5ff3d1> , Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program-Recreation <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86dd d51107b5e&id=3c49179621&e=186c5ff3d1> , and Youth Athletic Facilities <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=3282f21442&e=186c5ff3d1> programs. * Conservation Application Webinar || 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=43dae97264&e=186c5ff3d1> Covers the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s habitat <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=c01a92329c&e=186c5ff3d1> grant programs. * Working Lands Application Webinar || 1-2:30 p.m. <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=5a243d5a0d&e=186c5ff3d1> Covers the Community Forests Program <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=f83a3a8eae&e=186c5ff3d1> and the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Farmland <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=3caa69bb51&e=186c5ff3d1> and Forestland <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86dd d51107b5e&id=a6d9aef771&e=186c5ff3d1> preservation programs. The webinars are free, but attendees must register to attend. In August, we’ll be accepting grant applications for Boating Facilities Program <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=b1ce70591e&e=186c5ff3d1> , Firearms and Archery Range Recreation <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=b2cfb83ef6&e=186c5ff3d1> , Nonhighway and Off-road Vehicles Activities <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=6cf6791d23&e=186c5ff3d1> , and Recreational Trails Program <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86dd d51107b5e&id=c7faa20f40&e=186c5ff3d1> . <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/22453b12-91c2-4cb7-ec40-9717a46eb265.png> Grants for Outdoor Recreation Planning Later this year, RCO will accept applications for grants to help underserved communities plan for parks, trails, athletic fields, and more. Planning for Recreation Access <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=e77b3ed2c7&e=186c5ff3d1> grants fund long-range comprehensive parks planning, as well specific site planning, like architectural design work and more. The program prioritizes projects in areas with less recreation access, especially in small, rural communities and diverse neighborhoods in dense, urban areas. In its inaugural grant round in 2023, the grant provided more than $6.5 million to fund fifty-two projects in twenty-four of the state’s thirty-nine counties. This year, about $1.7 million is available. Eligible applicants include cities, towns, counties, Native American Tribes, nonprofits, and special purpose districts such as park and recreation, port, and school districts. Updated policies will be published on the RCO website in the coming months and applications will be accepted mid-year. With the help of this funding, grant recipients can get one step closer to building the outdoor spaces of their communities’ dreams. <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/0bad6675-c1ed-f8a6-d17f-d1482980ce5f.png> Board Rolls Out Improvements to Grant Programs At its October meeting <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=66dfe43971&e=186c5ff3d1> , the Recreation and Conservation Funding Board made several changes to policies and evaluation criteria to improve two of its grant programs–the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program’s Farmland Preservation and Forestland Preservation programs. The board permanently removed a requirement for applicants to bring 10 percent of the project costs from a local source and will allow cost increase requests. The board hopes these changes will remove barriers for grant applicants. In addition, the board approved a series of changes to the evaluation criteria in the Farmland Preservation program. These changes eliminated criteria that no longer aligned with best practices in the industry and will improve clarity for applicants and evaluators based on feedback from past grant rounds. For example, the benefits to the community scoring criterion is now split into two different criteria. One for the fish and wildlife benefits and the other for the community benefits. Splitting the criteria eliminates a potential conflict between conservation values for a single criterion and addresses feedback from applicants. Earlier in the year, while the board was contemplating what policy and evaluation criteria changes to make, it requested public feedback for the proposed changes. The public response was highly supportive of them, and the final adopted changes reflect that feedback. <https://mcusercontent.com/f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e/images/0082c36d-bc11-b26b-e1be-c9ff5d86117f.png> Stopping Invasive Species in “Our” Tracks The Washington Invasive Species Council completed the second year of its outreach and prevention project to help stop the spread of noxious weeds in Washington’s shrubsteppe. Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, this project distributes PlayCleanGo <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=2946a164fc&e=186c5ff3d1> boot brush stations to land managers in central and eastern Washington. Noxious weed seeds can be spread unknowingly in “our” tracks on footwear. Brushing boots before and after recreating can dislodge the seeds and ensure they are not spread. Each station includes a customizable sign panel where recipients can add their logos and highlight up to two noxious weeds relevant to their areas. Council staff also worked with the vendor and the City of Wenatchee to create four bilingual sign panels to increase the information’s accessibility. Thirty stations were distributed in 2024 and twenty in 2025. Recipients included federal, state, and local agencies; Tribes; and non-governmental organizations. The Washington Invasive Species Council is thrilled to announce it has funds to buy up to eight more stations for interested land managers. The only requirement is the installation site must be within or border shrubsteppe habitat. Contact the Washington Invasive Species Council <mailto:invasivespeciesinfo@rco.wa.gov> to learn more! <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=b1d397cfd7&e=186c5ff3d1> <https://rco.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f12461e10aed86ddd51107b5e&id=cb5c52c4df&e=186c5ff3d1> <https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/color-link-48.png> view this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/rco.wa.gov/rco-newsletter-january-2026?e=186c5ff3d1> © 2026 Recreation and Conservation Office, all rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? 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