Best Fisheries Grants in Iowa

The Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship, established by the American Fisheries Society in 2007, honors a dedicated fisheries scientist. This $15,000 award supports graduate students engaged in thesis research on marine conservation topics. Applicants must be enrolled in a North American university's M.S. or Ph.D. program and be AFS members in good standing. The fellowship encourages innovative research addressing various conservation issues, not limited to fisheries.

Iowa fisheries and related organizations can seek funding to develop or expand electronic monitoring and reporting systems for catch, effort, and compliance in U.S. fisheries. Focused on modernizing fisheries data collection and management, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation program supports tools like e-logbooks, onboard cameras, sensors, and improved data management systems.

Iowa fisheries and watershed organizations restoring trout and salmon habitat can access funding through the Trout and Salmon Foundation for specific stream and fishery improvement projects. Matching grants up to US $5,000 support physical stream restoration, habitat enhancement, and related work that improves fish reproduction, growth, survival, or expands trout and salmon fisheries.

Organizations planning fisheries and aquatic connectivity projects in Iowa can apply for the National Fish Passage Program, which funds work like dam removals, culvert replacements, and fishway installations. Grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service support projects across the U.S., with awards from US $500 - US $2,000,000 for science-based habitat restoration.

Organizations planning on-the-ground reservoir fish habitat projects in Iowa can apply for Friends of Reservoirs’ Bass Pro Shops Large Grant, offering up to US $100,000 for habitat enhancement. Projects should address large-scale or system-level issues, use best management practices, build partnerships, and improve ecological function and recreational fishing opportunities.

U.S. Civil Society Microgrants

We seek to support projects that engage Pulitzer Center journalism to amplify the voices of affected communities, foster public debate, and drive meaningful audience engagement with our focus areas.

Audience engagement has been at the core of the Pulitzer Center’s work since its founding in 2006. In addition to grants and fellowships that facilitate breakthrough journalism, we support initiatives that connect the reporting to the audiences that need it the most. Our goal is pursuing real-world impact: engaging and mobilizing communities, increasing understanding and connection, and influencing decisions locally and globally. 

This microgrant aims to support civil society organizations and groups in the United States to utilize Pulitzer Center-supported reporting as part of projects that contribute to a more informed and empowered community.

 For this grant cycle, we are seeking grant proposals for civic engagement projects to be completed by early December 2026 that focus on one of the following issues:

• Climate and the environment, with a focus on U.S fisheries and fishing communities or climate and labor
• Information and Artificial Intelligence
• Global health, with specific focus on mental well-being or connections to the Global South

The objective is to use Pulitzer Center-supported journalism as the inspiration for the projects supported by this civil society microgrant. By leveraging this reporting, we expect to build projects that amplify the voices of affected communities, foster public debate, and drive meaningful audience engagement that will lead to impactful conversations in communities in the U.S. and beyond.

Grants range from US$2,000 to US$4,000. Project proposals can support existing activities or support the launch of new activities.