Wildlife Research Grants Program
Seattle City Light offers wildlife research funding to qualified recipients for the purpose of developing understanding, management, and protection of wildlife resources in the North Cascades ecosystem. Since 1995, we have funded a wide range of research projects on topics like riparian plant communities, aquatic invertebrates, shorebirds in the Skagit Delta, lynx ecology, land bird monitoring, mountain goats, American pika, wolverines, amphibians and grizzly bears.
The research projects have produced not only many graduate school theses, dissertations and technical reports, but also more than a dozen peer-reviewed professional journal publications. The projects have helped to inform agencies on such topics as mountain goat reintroduction, assessment of potential grizzly bear habitat, and substantial new information on wolverine movements and ecology.
Grants Available
Individual grants are awarded annually and can range from $5,000 to $65,000, depending on the scope and quality of the proposal.
Proposals will be accepted according to the schedule below. Please note that dates may shift, so check back periodically:
Grant Schedule 2025
- Pre-proposals Due - Jan. 10, 2025
- Invitation for Full Proposals - Jan. 31, 2025
- Full Proposals Due - Feb. 26, 2025
- Scientific Peer Reviews Completed - March 21, 2025
- Funding Decisions Made by Wildlife Research Advisory Committee - April 10, 2025
- Projects must meet all the Wildlife Research Program's goals as outlined in the Mission & Goals statements in the Wildlife Research Grants Program Booklet.
- Selected projects should complement or build onto the existing body of wildlife research.
- Professional standards must be met for all research funded.
- Projects may not duplicate or substitute for usual agency responsibilities and programs.
- Due to the limited grant budget, applicants are strongly encouraged to contribute in-kind services and obtain co-funding from other sources.
- Qualified applicants should submit a pre-proposal according to the guidelines specified in the Wildlife Research Grants Program Booklet.
- The Wildlife Research Advisory Committee will review the pre-proposals and invite a select number of applicants to submit a full proposal.
- Full proposals go through a scientific peer review.
- The Wildlife Research Advisory Committee makes final funding decisions based on how well the proposal meets the Wildlife Research Program's goals and based on the peer reviews.
- Selected applicants enter into a grant agreement with Seattle City Light.
More Information
For more information about application requirements for a Wildlife Research Grant, please view our Wildlife Research Grants Program Booklet below.
Questions? Contact the Wildlife Research Grants Program Manager for more information.
Examples of Past Projects
Habitat Selection by Lynx in the North Cascades
By Gary M. Koehler, Ph.D., and Keith B. Aubry, Ph.D.
Factors Affecting Spotted Owl Persistence in Northwest Washington: a 20 Year Retrospective
By Thomas Hamer and Jake Verschuyl
Snow Drought and Pikas: Ecological Consequences of Anomalies in Atmospheric Moisture and Snowpack
By Aaron N. Johnston, Jason E. Bruggeman, Aidan T. Beers, Erik A. Beever, Roger G. Christophersen, and Jason I. Ransom
