The Ohio River Basin Fish Habitat Partnership (ORBFHP) is now accepting proposals for Fiscal Year 2027 National Fish Habitat Partnership funding.
Across the Ohio River Basin, partners are protecting healthy aquatic systems, restoring degraded habitat, reconnecting fragmented rivers and streams, improving water quality, and conserving the hydrologic conditions fish need to thrive. The FY27 funding opportunity is designed to turn strong partnerships and well-developed conservation projects into measurable benefits for fish, mussels, and communities.
Applications are due October 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants may request $15,000 to $100,000, with a required 1:1 non-federal match; a 3:1 non-federal match is encouraged. Projects may run for up to two years. Funding is provided through the National Fish Habitat Partnership (NFHP) and administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Advancing National Fish Habitat Conservation Priorities
ORBFHP is one of 20 regional Fish Habitat Partnerships working through NFHP to conserve fish habitat at a landscape scale. Our work in the Ohio River Basin contributes directly to the National Fish Habitat Partnership’s National Conservation Priorities.
For FY27, applicants should demonstrate how their proposed work advances one or more of these priorities:
- Protect and maintain intact and healthy aquatic systems.
- Conserve hydrologic conditions for fish.
- Restore physical and living habitat supporting viable populations in impacted or at-risk systems.
- Reconnect fragmented fish habitat.
- Conserve or restore water quality for fish.
- Enhance recreational, commercial, subsistence, or traditional fishing opportunities.
These national priorities provide the framework for the work we fund. ORBFHP then applies that framework to the particular conservation needs, species, habitats, and opportunities of the Ohio River Basin.
What Does That Look Like on the Ground?
A project on the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania shows how these priorities can come together.
Near Tionesta, the Hunter Station Bridge project reconnected a one-mile side channel of the Allegheny River that provides important nursery habitat for endangered mussels. The project replaced an outdated stream crossing with an arch-stream culvert, restored a wetland, and reestablished the side channel’s hydrologic connection to the river.
During pre-construction surveys, crews discovered five times the expected density of federally listed northern riffleshell and clubshell mussels. More than one million mussels were safely relocated before construction began.
The project ultimately combined infrastructure improvements with aquatic habitat restoration while advancing several core fish habitat conservation goals: reconnecting fragmented habitat, restoring natural hydrologic connections, improving habitat for at-risk native species, and leveraging partnerships to achieve a larger conservation outcome.
It also demonstrates the collaborative model behind NFHP. Two ORBFHP awards were combined with other federal and private funding to help bring the project to completion.
Investing in Measurable Results
ORBFHP has supported 97 projects across the partnership. Together, those projects have leveraged more than $16.7 million in state, federal, and private funding. Alongside partners working throughout the basin, these efforts have helped mitigate or remove 221 aquatic barriers and reconnect nearly 58,000 miles of rivers and streams.
For FY27, we are looking for projects that continue building that kind of impact.
Strong proposals will address the root causes of habitat decline and produce durable, measurable conservation outcomes. Priority consideration will be given to projects that reconnect substantial habitat; contribute to larger watershed restoration efforts; use current science and appropriate design practices; address climate resilience; include meaningful monitoring; and demonstrate strong collaboration and leverage.
Projects should also make a clear connection between the work proposed and the fish habitat outcome it will achieve. The question is not simply, “What will you build or restore?” but “How will this project improve the aquatic system for fish, mussels, and people?”
Join the FY27 Applicant Webinar
Interested in applying? ORBFHP will host an informational webinar on September 18, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
The webinar will walk prospective applicants through the FY27 funding opportunity, application requirements, ORBFHP and NFHP conservation priorities, and the factors reviewers will consider when evaluating proposals.
ORBFHP will also hold virtual office hours on September 23, September 24, and September 25 for applicants who would like to ask questions as they develop their proposals.
Registration information for the webinar and office hours is available with the FY27 RFP materials.
Ready to Apply?
The FY27 RFP is open now, and proposals are due October 9, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Eligible activities include on-the-ground habitat restoration and enhancement, barrier removal and fish passage, channel and floodplain reconnection, riparian restoration, water-quality improvements, monitoring, engineering and design associated with implementation, and scientific assessments or data tools with a clear pathway to conservation action.
Applicants should review the full FY27 RFP before beginning an application and be prepared to demonstrate both alignment with ORBFHP strategic priorities and NFHP National Conservation Priorities and clear, measurable fish habitat outcomes.
Completed applications should be submitted in Word or PDF format to pierce.vanvalkenburg@americanrivers.org with “FY27 ORBFHP RFP” included in the subject line.
The National Fish Habitat Partnership is built on a simple idea: meaningful fish habitat conservation happens through partnerships working at the scale of rivers and watersheds. In the Ohio River Basin, that means bringing together local expertise, science, agencies, conservation organizations, communities, and other partners to protect healthy waters and restore those that need our help.
If you have a project that can protect, restore, or reconnect fish habitat and deliver lasting benefits for the Ohio River Basin, we want to hear from you.
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