Oregon Invasive Species Council Awards $170,000 in Invasive Species Education & Outreach Grants

The Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) is pleased to announce the Invasive Species Education and Outreach Grant recipients. The Invasive Species Education and Outreach Grant is the first-ever state-funded grant program overseen by the OISC and is dedicated to supporting projects that increase awareness of the impacts, spread, prevention, detection, and management of invasive species issues in Oregon.

The OISC received over $700,000 in requested funds from 34 qualified applications representing all regions of the state. Proposed projects included awareness efforts encompassing numerous high-priority invasive species, from terrestrial weeds and insect pests to aquatic invasive species, pathogens, and invasive wildlife. 

“We wanted to encourage a variety of applicants,” said Sam Chan, aquatic invasive species expert with Oregon Sea Grant and 2024 chair of the OISC. “The Council is interested in collaborative projects that demonstrate large-scale impacts as well as smaller, meaningful opportunities to engage diverse communities.”

The ten projects selected for funding showcase the outstanding collaboration and coordination efforts of entities across Oregon working on invasive species issues. To award as many high-priority projects around the state as possible, the OISC revised the scope of some applications and added $20,000 to the initial grant announcement of $150,000. Grantees and their partners are collectively providing more than $149,000 in matching funds - nearly a 1:1 match - toward the state’s investment in invasive species awareness. 

“The Oregon Invasive Species Council is thrilled to acknowledge the diversity of collaborative projects proposed by the successful applicants,” said Josh Emerson, ballast water program manager for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and current chair of the OISC. “The Council looks forward to highlighting these education and outreach efforts at future meetings.”

Supported by one-time funds received from the Oregon Legislature in 2024 through SB5701, this competitive grants program provides financial resources to implement outreach and education efforts crucial to engaging and activating a wide network of Oregonians to protect the state from harmful invasive species. Successful applicants demonstrated high-priority project goals tied to the OISC Education and Outreach Strategies outlined in Oregon’s Statewide Strategic Plan for Invasive Species.