F26AS00009_FY 2026 - Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act - Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Tier 2 | F26AS00009

Opportunity Information: Apply for F26AS00009

The FY 2026 Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Tier 2 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F26AS00009) is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act authority at 16 U.S.C. 777g-1. It is designed to fund, on a cost-sharing basis, projects that maintain, renovate, or build boating infrastructure and related amenities that serve transient recreational boats. In this program, "transient" means recreational vessels that stay at a facility for no more than 15 days, and the target users are pleasure-operated boats that are at least 26 feet in length, including vessels that may be operated, leased, rented, or chartered primarily for recreational use. A key requirement is that the improved or constructed facilities provide public access, even if the facility itself is publicly or privately owned.

The types of projects BIG Tier 2 supports are practical, on-the-water and shoreside improvements that make it easier and safer for qualifying visiting boaters to dock and access basic services. Eligible work can include construction or upgrades to boat slips, piers, mooring buoys, dinghy or courtesy docks, day docks, and gangways. It can also include amenities that are commonly needed by transient boaters, such as fuel stations, restrooms, showers, utilities, and laundry facilities. The program also recognizes the importance of safety and navigation support, so it can fund items like lighting, communications equipment, buoys, beacons, signals, markers, signs, and certain security features. In addition, Tier 2 awards allow for administrative elements tied to the grant itself, such as administration, coordination, and monitoring of the Tier 2 project, as long as these costs align with program rules.

Funding under this Tier 2 opportunity is capped at a maximum federal share of $1,500,000 per award (the award ceiling). The program is explicitly cost-sharing, meaning the applicant and its partners cannot rely on federal funds alone. At least 25 percent of the total project cost must come from non-federal sources as match, which may be provided by the recipient agency, a subrecipient, and/or another third party. Applicants are expected to closely follow the BIG Program regulations at 50 CFR 86, which lay out what is eligible versus ineligible, as well as participation and compliance requirements. Those regulations, along with the funding announcement, are the main references for determining whether a proposed facility, cost item, or project approach fits the program.

Eligibility is limited to specific government entities. Only the governor-designated agencies of the 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands may apply, along with the mayor-designated agency for the District of Columbia. Other organizations, including local governments, nonprofits, marinas, port authorities, and private facility owners, cannot apply directly under this announcement. However, those entities may still be involved if they work through the eligible state or territorial agency as partners or subrecipients, depending on how the designated applicant structures the project. If there is any uncertainty about which agency is officially designated to apply in a given state or territory, the announcement directs applicants to contact the appropriate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office of Conservation Investment.

From a timing and administrative standpoint, this opportunity is listed under CFDA/Assistance Listing 15.622 (natural resources), uses the grant funding instrument type, and is categorized as state government eligible applicants. The posting shows a creation date of August 28, 2025, and an original closing date of October 27, 2025. While the announcement does not state the expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, it does emphasize that this is the Tier 2 version of BIG, which generally corresponds to larger, more substantial infrastructure efforts that can justify a higher federal share (up to the $1.5 million cap) and include more complex project coordination and oversight.

Overall, BIG Tier 2 is aimed at improving public-access boating destinations for larger transient recreational vessels by expanding or upgrading docking capacity, navigational and safety features, and basic boater services. The practical takeaway is that projects should clearly serve visiting boaters in the 26-foot-and-up category, demonstrate public access, fit within the eligible activity framework of 50 CFR 86, and be backed by a solid non-federal match plan of at least 25 percent.

• The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "F26AS00009_FY 2026 - Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act - Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Tier 2" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.622.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-08-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-10-27. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments.

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