2024 OISC Invasive Species Education & Outreach Grant Now Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 1, 2024

Contact: Robyn Draheim, OISC Coordinator coordinator@oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org

Sam Chan, OISC Chair samuel.chan@oregonstate.edu

SALEM, Oregon - The Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) is excited to announce that $150,000 in 2024-2025 biennium funds will be available to the OISC to fund education outreach project grants. The OISC will determine priorities and awards, while the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) oversees the fiscal administration of the OISC Education Outreach Grant Program.

The goal of the OISC is to fund as many high-priority projects as possible with the available funding and to make the process of developing a successful grant application as straightforward as possible. Invasive species threaten Oregon’s economy, ecosystems, working landscapes, infrastructure, and natural heritage. Unchecked, invasive species can imperil public health, fish and game populations, and outdoor recreation and transform ecosystems, resulting in widespread and long-lasting economic and environmental damage. Meaningful outreach and education are crucial to engaging and activating a wide network of people to protect Oregon from invasive species.

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

The OISC is hoping to solicit a broad array of applications that serve to inform and engage the public and/or specific audiences on invasive species, their impacts, pathways of introduction, prevention, and management relevant to protecting our clean water, working landscapes, food, wildlife, and the unique beauty of our state for future generations.

● Project budgets must be at least $5,000. Projects over $20,000 must show a collaborative, larger-scale watershed, community, or statewide education or outreach impact. Project scalability is desirable. Funding requests must align with the projects’ scale and reach.

● Grants will be awarded based on the availability of funds. Who is eligible to apply? A grant applicant must be an eligible legal entity—a local or tribal government, non-profit organization, educational institution, or individual (an individual is not eligible for indirect or administrative costs). Eligible Legal Entities must have a FEIN number. A state or federal agency may apply for funding only as a co-applicant with an eligible entity.

Project goals should relate to understanding the impacts, spread, prevention, detection, or management of invasive species issues in Oregon and be relevant to protecting our clean water, working landscapes, wildlife, and the unique beauty of our state for future generations.

Important Dates

Application window: August 1, 2024 - October 15, 2024

Grant Awards announced: January 2025

Grant Cycle Dates: January 2025 - June 30, 2026

Grant application and additional information can be found at https://www.oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org/grants

Sign up for grant notifications and other invasive species alerts:

Oregon Invasive Species Network: Sign up here (google group)

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ODA Gov Delivery https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORODA/subscriber/new

Or email Tristen Berg at Tristen.BERG@oda.oregon.gov to request to be added to the Oregon Noxious Weed list serve.