We invest in access, research, habitat, and stewardship opportunities

Apply for Active Grant Opportunities

The GLFT pursues its mission through investments in four broad funding categories:

Link to Access to the Great Lakes Fishery page
Fish Icon

Access to the Great Lakes Fishery

Link to Ecological and Biological Research to Inform Management page

Ecological and Biological Fisheries Research to Inform Management

Link to Habitat Protection and Restoration page

Habitat Protection and Restoration

Link to Great Lakes Stewardship page

Great Lakes Stewardship

The Trust accepts proposals for our Research and Habitat programs annually and under our Access and Stewardship programs on alternating years. Please review the Grant Calendar for important deadlines. If the GLFT is currently accepting proposals for one of our grant categories, it will be listed on our Opportunities page.

Application guidance documents and relevant policies for each program are included on the program-specific pages. The guidance documents identify the requirements and priorities for each grant program and are based on the policies and priorities set by the board of trustees.

Apply for Active Grant Opportunities

Application guidance documents and relevant policies for each program are included on the program-specific pages. The guidance documents identify the requirements and priorities for each grant program and are based on the policies and priorities set by the board of trustees.

Additional project-specific considerations, priorities, and requirements are provided in the policies and guidance documents which are listed in the How to Apply section. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact GLFT staff prior to submission of a grant proposal to discuss project eligibility, goals, and alignment with GLFT priorities. Staff are available to assist applicants with navigating the online grant proposal submission process.

Eligibility

Organizations eligible to apply for GLFT grants include nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) designation from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), or nongovernmental organizations holding charitable status in their country, as well as educational and governmental—including tribal—organizations. Please review the individual grant program pages for project-specific eligibility criteria.

Additional Information

Additional information for each of our grant opportunities is linked on the program pages, including our application guidance documents and relevant policies for each program. The guidance documents identify the specific requirements for each grant program and the policies highlight requirements identified by our board.

Our Grant Library is also a useful resource for grant seekers; it includes information about projects that have received funding support from the GLFT.

Grant Calendar


Jan 10, 2025
Research
Preproposal Deadline
Jan 10, 2025
Human Dimensions
Preproposal Deadline
Jan 21, 2025
Stewardship
Proposal Deadline
Feb 11, 2025
Research
Preproposal SAT Review
Feb 11, 2025
Human Dimensions
Preproposal SAT Review
Feb 21, 2025
Habitat
Proposal Deadline
Mar 11, 2025
Stewardship
Board Review
Apr 8, 2025
Habitat
SAT Review
Apr 14, 2025
Human Dimensions
Proposal Deadline
Apr 14, 2025
Research
Proposal Deadline
May 13, 2025
Habitat
Board Review
Aug 11, 2025
Human Dimensions
Full Proposal SAT Review
Aug 11, 2025
Research
Full Proposal SAT Review
Aug 12, 2025
Research
Full Proposal Board Review
Aug 12, 2025
Human Dimensions
Full Proposal Board Review
Oct 1, 2025
Special Projects
Proposal Deadline
Nov 12, 2025
Special Projects
Board Review

Check out our Grant Library; it includes information about projects that have received funding support from the GLFT.