F26AS00008_FY 2026 - Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act - Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Tier 1

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through its Office of Conservation Investment, has released the Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program Tier 1 under the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act. The BIG Program was established under the 1998 Act, which amended the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, and it is funded through the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. The program is designed to provide cost-sharing awards to eligible state agencies and territorial governments for the development, renovation, and maintenance of boating infrastructure that serves transient recreational vessels 26 feet or longer. These vessels, which may be operated, leased, rented, or chartered primarily for pleasure, are defined as transient if they remain no more than 15 days at a facility. The purpose of the BIG Tier 1 Program is to improve public boating facilities and associated amenities that ensure safe and accessible use for eligible recreational boaters. Eligible activities supported under the grant include the construction or renovation of boat slips, piers, mooring buoys, courtesy docks, day docks, and gangways. Funds may also be used for related amenities such as fuel stations, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and utilities, as well as for safety and security features like lighting, signage, markers, and communications systems. Other allowable activities include planning, permitting, engineering, cultural or environmental studies, and limited dredging where necessary to support access for eligible vessels. Maintenance of previously funded facilities and administration of BIG awards are also eligible costs. Certain activities such as acquisition of real property, construction of retail or lodging facilities, or major new infrastructure not directly tied to transient boating are considered ineligible. Applicants eligible for funding are limited to governor-designated state agencies within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, and the territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The mayor-designated agency of the District of Columbia is also eligible. Applicants must provide at least 25 percent of the total project cost in non-federal match unless they are located in the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, where cost-share requirements are waived. Matching contributions may come from the applicant agency, subrecipients, or third parties and must meet all requirements in federal grant regulations. Federal funds may not exceed $300,000 per Tier 1 award. Applications must be submitted electronically through either Grants.gov or GrantSolutions.gov by the closing date of October 27, 2025, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated start date for projects is March 20, 2026, with project periods typically lasting two to three years and extendable up to five years with approval. Awards will be announced in March or April 2026 following eligibility and administrative reviews. Applicants are encouraged to begin required registrations in SAM.gov and Grants.gov well in advance, as these processes can take several months. Required application documents include the SF-424, budget forms (SF-424A or SF-424C), disclosure forms, a project abstract summary, and a detailed project narrative that includes need, objectives, results, approach, relationship to other awards, budget narrative, and supporting maps or diagrams. Evaluation of applications involves eligibility and administrative reviews rather than competitive scoring, as Tier 1 awards are not nationally competitive. Applications are reviewed for completeness, compliance with program regulations, cost-sharing accuracy, and alignment with program objectives. All facility components must demonstrate exclusive or proportional benefit to transient vessels of at least 26 feet, with clear documentation of eligible uses. Risk review factors such as financial integrity, past performance, and management capacity may also be considered. Award notices are issued electronically, and recipients must comply with all federal reporting, performance, and financial requirements. Post-award, recipients must maintain facilities for their useful life, ensure public access, and comply with facility operation rules, including providing pump-out service where required. Reporting requirements include financial reports, performance reporting in the TRACS system, and disclosure of significant developments or compliance issues. Federal Buy America preferences apply to all infrastructure projects, requiring the use of American iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials unless a waiver is granted. The national program contact for the BIG Tier 1 Program is Paul Van Ryzin, reachable at Paul_VanRyzin@fws.gov or by phone at 720-498-0335. Applicants may also consult regional contacts listed in the notice for state- and territory-specific guidance. The program’s estimated total funding for FY 2026 is $4,000,000, with approximately 25 awards expected, averaging $250,000 based on prior year allocations. The award ceiling for individual projects is $300,000. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review all program regulations, requirements, and restrictions before applying.

Begin SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration early, contact regional office at least four weeks before deadline, and document cost sharing and eligible facility uses clearly.