NFWF Announces $8.8 Million to Revitalize Great Lakes Habitats and Communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 21, 2026) – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced $8.8 million in grants to restore key habitats for wildlife, improve water quality and increase access to nature throughout the Great Lakes basin. The grants will leverage $11.7 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $20.5 million. 

The grants were awarded through the Sustain Our Great Lakes program (SOGL), a partnership between NFWF and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Caerus Foundation, Cleveland-Cliffs, General Mills, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The program aims to fulfill the objectives of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program designed to protect, restore and enhance the Great Lakes ecosystem.

“The Sustain Our Great Lakes program continues to support public-private partnership-based projects that restore critical habitat, improve water quality and enhance community open space within the Great Lakes states,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The 26 grants awarded across seven states will help ensure a cleaner and healthier Great Lakes system for wildlife and communities.”

The Great Lakes are among the most important natural resources in the world. With more than 20 percent of the earth’s surface fresh water, 10,000 miles of shoreline and 30,000 islands, they provide drinking water for tens of millions of people and habitat for a vast array of plants and wildlife, including more than 200 globally rare species.

“Collaboration is at the heart of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,” said Anne Vogel, EPA Region 5 Administrator and Great Lakes National Program Manager. “Through partnerships like Sustain Our Great Lakes, we combine GLRI investments with support from federal agencies, foundations, and private-sector partners to deliver on‑the‑ground projects that restore habitat, improve water quality, and expand access to nature across the basin.”

“A healthy ecosystem is critical for the future of the Great Lakes,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Midwest Regional Director Will Meeks. “These conservation efforts will deliver incredible outcomes for fish, wildlife and people. Our communities are strengthened from this work and we’re grateful to continue this partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and many others.”

The projects supported by the 26 grants announced today will support projects in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and Wisconsin to sustain, restore and protect fish, wildlife and habitat; improve water quality; and enhance natural areas for communities. The projects will improve the quality and connectivity of streams, enhancing wetland and upland habitats, and control invasive species to benefit priority species, including brook trout, least bittern and other migratory birds. 

Investments made to conserve and enhance the region’s immense network of coastal marshes, inland wetlands and forests will bolster critical ecological services such as water filtration and storage, flood control and nutrient cycling. These projects will also support local economies by creating jobs and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Collectively, the 26 projects receiving grants will: 

• Restore more than 19 miles of stream and riparian habitat 
• Restore 2,102 acres of wetland and upland habitat 
• Add 12 million gallons of stormwater storage capacity 
• Install more than 3 million square feet of nature-based infrastructure 
• Plant more than 4,200 trees

Since 2006, Sustain Our Great Lakes has awarded 555 grants worth more than $151.2 million and leveraged an additional $192.6 million in matching contributions, generating a total conservation investment of more than $343.8 million. A complete list of the 2025 grants made through SOGL is available here.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) works with partners to foster sustainable and impactful conservation solutions so that people and nature thrive together. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation’s largest conservation foundation. Since its founding, NFWF has funded more than 23,900 projects that have generated a total conservation impact of more than $12 billion. Learn more at nfwf.org.

About Cleveland-Cliffs
Cleveland-Cliffs is a leading North America-based steel producer with focus on value-added sheet products, particularly for the automotive industry. The Company is vertically integrated from the mining of iron ore, production of pellets and direct reduced iron, and processing of ferrous scrap through primary steelmaking and downstream finishing, stamping, tooling, and tubing. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland-Cliffs employs approximately 30,000 people across its operations in the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.clevelandcliffs.com.

About the Caerus Foundation
The Caerus Foundation aims to expand educational opportunities for young people, alleviate human suffering, cultivate a more inclusive arts community, and preserve the natural world for future generations. The Foundation’s environmental efforts include protecting and restoring ecosystems with emphasis on the Midwest. Caerus also supports science education and awareness building to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards and engage communities in safeguarding natural areas.

About the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a grantmaking organization dedicated primarily to sustained investment in the quality of life of the people of Southeast Michigan and Western New York. The two areas reflect the devotion of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. to his hometown of Detroit and greater Buffalo, home of his beloved Buffalo Bills NFL team. Prior to his passing in 2014, Mr. Wilson provided that a significant share of his estate be used to continue a life-long generosity of spirit by funding the Foundation that bears his name. Based in Detroit, the Foundation began with a grantmaking capacity of $1.2 billion over a 20-year period, which expires January 8, 2035. This structure is consistent with Mr. Wilson’s desire for the Foundation’s impact to be immediate, substantial, measurable, and overseen by those who knew him best. For more information visit www.rcwjrf.org.

About the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency protects human health and the environment. EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office oversees the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative which was established in 2010 and is used to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the largest system of fresh surface water in the world – the Great Lakes. For more information, visit the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative website.

About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

About the USDA Forest Service
The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state, private, and Tribal landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov.

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Contact: 

Matt Winter, 202-857-0166, matt.winter@nfwf.org