History of Grantmaking

The Great Lakes Fishery Trust (GLFT) provides funding in four primary program areas to enhance, protect, and rehabilitate Great Lakes fishery resources. When warranted, the trust also funds special projects outside of our regularly scheduled competitive grant programs to assure timely response to important issues affecting the Great Lakes ecosystem.

OVERALL GRANTMAKING

The trust was created in 1996, and the first round of grants were awarded in 1998. Since then, the trust has awarded over $91.8 million in funding through investments in fishing access, habitat protection and restoration, research, and creating stewards of the Great Lakes. Exhibit 1 highlights the total amount of funding granted in each of the program areas since the trust’s inception through 2021.

RESEARCH

32.8 M

ACCESS

18 M

HABITAT

20 M

STEWARDSHIP

15.5 M

SPECIAL PROJECTS*

4.2 M

*Proposals funded outside of our routine, regularly scheduled, competitive grant programs to assure timely response to important issues affecting the Great Lakes ecosystem.