California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) QZ Grant Program has the following announcement:
The application period for the 2025 cycle will open on March 9, 2026, and will close on April 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
Up to $2M is expected to be awarded, pending available funding.
If a reservoir is currently covered by a two-year 2025 QZ Grant, that reservoir will not be considered for a QZ Grant until the 2027 solicitation.
A presentation will be conducted via MS Teams on March 13, 2026
information will be posted on the webpage at: dbw.parks.ca.gov/QZGrant
The 2026 QZ grants are expected to begin in October and will span two years.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements:
- Grant applicant must own/manage any aspect of the water in a reservoir;
- The reservoir must be open to the public for recreation; and
- Grant applicant must demonstrate that the reservoir is uninfested with dreissenid mussels
To demonstrate that the reservoir is uninfested, applicants must provide mussel monitoring data collected since March 2025. Monitoring data can be from surface surveys, artificial substrates, and plankton tows.
Tier 2 Implementation Grant:
- To be eligible for an implementation grant, applicants must provide a letter from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) at the time of application that states CDFW has reviewed and accepted a prevention plan for the reservoir (per Fish and Game Code Section 2302 and California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 672.1(b)).
Tier 1 Planning and Assessment Grant:
- Applicants that do not already have a CDFW-accepted prevention plan can apply for a planning and assessment grant in order to develop a CDFW-accepted prevention plan for the reservoir.
For questions regarding quagga/zebra mussel monitoring, or for prevention planning, including how to obtain a letter from CDFW, contact CDFW at Invasives@wildlife.ca.gov or Telephone: (866) 440-9530.
Additional information will be sent prior to opening of the grant application window. This notice will also be posted on the DBW website.