Best Fisheries Grants in Kentucky

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.

Fisheries and related organizations in Kentucky working on catch monitoring, reporting, or data systems may be eligible for US $200,000 - US $500,000 to implement electronic monitoring and reporting technologies. Focused on modernizing fisheries data nationwide, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation supports projects in all U.S. state and federal fisheries, including commercial, recreational, and for-hire sectors.

Kentucky fisheries and watershed organizations improving trout and salmon habitat can access funding through Trout and Salmon Foundation for stream restoration and enhancement projects. Matching grants up to US $5,000 support physical habitat work, with on-site labor sometimes counted toward the match, and may help catalyze additional volunteer, material, and financial support.

Organizations improving fish passage and aquatic connectivity in Kentucky can apply for US $500 - US $2,000,000 to support fisheries and fish conservation projects. Grants from the US Department of the Interior: Fish and Wildlife Service help fund dam removals, culvert replacements, and fishway installations as part of the National Fish Passage Program’s nationwide efforts.

Organizations planning on-the-ground reservoir fish habitat enhancement projects in Kentucky can apply for Friends of Reservoirs’ Bass Pro Shops Large Grant, with awards up to US $100,000. Projects should tackle large-scale habitat issues, use best management practices, build cross-landscape partnerships, and improve both 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.