Shore Friendly is an incentive program for private landowners of marine shorelines in Puget Sound that was originally developed and federally funded in 2014. The goals of the program are to reduce shoreline armor and restore shoreline habitat across the Sound for fish, wildlife, and communities. The Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP) works together with local lead organizations to implement the Shore Friendly program and offer stewardship incentives that inspire and engage landowners and communities to change how they manage shorelines.
If you are a landowner and would like to learn more about the Shore Friendly program, please visit the Shore Friendly website or check out this example of a Shore Friendly project. If you’d like to connect directly with resources for your area, select your local Shore Friendly organization from the table below.
Find Your Local Shore Friendly Program
| Program Coverage | Local Program | Program Lead |
|---|---|---|
|
Clallam County |
Northwest Straits Shore Friendly | Northwest Straits Foundation |
| Island County | Island County Shore Friendly | Island County |
| Jefferson County | Northwest Straits Shore Friendly | Northwest Straits Foundation |
| King County | Shore Friendly King County | Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group |
| Kitsap County | Shore Friendly Kitsap | Kitsap County |
| Mason County | Shore Friendly Mason | Mason Conservation District |
| Pierce County | Shore Friendly Pierce | Pierce Conservation District |
| San Juan County | Northwest Straits Shore Friendly | Northwest Straits Foundation |
| Skagit County | Northwest Straits Shore Friendly | Northwest Straits Foundation |
| Snohomish County | Northwest Straits Shore Friendly | Northwest Straits Foundation |
| Swinomish Reservation | Shore Friendly Swinomish | Swinomish Indian Tribal Community |
| Thurston County | Shore Friendly Thurston | Thurston Conservation District |
| Whatcom County | Northwest Straits Shore Friendly | Northwest Straits Foundation |
Program History
Incentive programs for landowners of marine shorelines in Puget Sound have been implemented since 2014 by numerous organizations and governments throughout the Sound. These programs have successfully engaged landowners to consider armor removal and restoration on their property through incentives. When federal grant funding for these programs expired, the Puget Sound Partnership's Ecosystem Coordination Board requested that WDFW ask the Legislature for ongoing state funds to support the continuation of these types of programs and the program is now part of the ESRP's biennial investment plan with strong support and current grant funding awarded through 2023.
Shore Friendly Grants Application Schedule
2025-2027 Grant Round
| TASK | DATE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| RFP released |
Jan. 17, 2024 |
Release Shore Friendly Grants RFP. |
| Grant Competition Informational Webinar |
Jan. 18, 2024 |
Informational webinar for Shore Friendly Grants. |
|
Pre-proposals due |
Feb. 15, 2024 |
Pre-proposals due in PRISM. |
|
Pre-proposal review complete; invitation to submit full proposal |
March 8, 2024 |
Pre-proposal review complete; applicants invited to submit Full Proposals to Shore Friendly Grants. |
|
Applicant presentations |
April 22 – 24, 2024 |
Applicant presentations to reviewers. |
|
Final applications due in PRISM |
May 15, 2024 |
Final applications due for Shore Friendly Grants. |
|
Technical review |
June 10 – 13, 2024 |
Technical review week. |
|
2025-27 Preliminary Investment Plan released |
Oct. 1, 2024 | Funding notification is dependent upon the final 2025-27 state budget. Funds are anticipated to be available on July 1, 2025. |
|
Final investment plan |
Spring 2025 |
Determined by WA Legislature. |
|
Anticipated grant period |
July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2031 |
Local programs will be awarded 6-year contracts with three biennial funding agreements during the grant period. |
Shore Friendly Grant Program Information
The Shore Friendly program has received funding through the 2021-2023 biennium as part of the ESRP Investment Plan.
How is the Shore Friendly program funded?
ESRP received a $15.7 million appropriation from the Washington State Legislature for the 2021-23 biennium, including nearly $2.5 million in funding for the Shore Friendly program. Acknowledging the potential for a wide funding gap at the outset of the 2019-21 grant process, ESRP actively sought to support the program with outside funding partnerships. The Habitat Strategic Initiative generously offered to leverage and align Environmental Protection Agency National Estuary Program funding to support the transition of Shore Friendly programs to ESRP in the short-term.
What type of work will these programs fund?
ESRP is primarily funded by state capital dollars. Local and sub-regional Shore Friendly programs conduct many activities that are eligible for funding through the capital budget. Examples of eligible activities include technical site visits, permit support, engineering designs, construction cost shares, and capital program administration. Workshops and other general education activities will be funded in the 2021-23 biennium through a state/federal partnership with the Habitat Strategic Initiative.