Future Fisheries Improvement Grant Program

The Future Fisheries Improvement Program aims to support projects that restore, enhance, or protect habitat for wild fishes in Montana. With an annual budget of between $500,000 and $650,000, the program seeks proposals from any entity looking to benefit wild fish populations. An independent citizen review panel evaluates submissions, recommending the most impactful projects for funding. Projects can range from riparian fencing, re-vegetation of stream banks, installation of fish-friendly irrigation screens, and the removal or installation of fish passage barriers, to water conservation efforts and habitat enhancement in lakes and reservoirs. The program utilizes funds from Montana fishing license sales and the Resource Indemnity Trust Fund interest, allocating approximately $1.2 million over each biennium for these initiatives.