Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Program

Applying for a Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant

What Can I Apply For?

Applicants may apply for up to $75,000 per application. Grant funding is provided as reimbursement for completed project expenditures.

Applications are submitted annually for Research, Education/Development, and Local Cooperative (landowner cost share) projects.

Specific Project Types

Local Cooperative Projects (New and Continuing)

Local Cooperative projects involve on the ground treatment of noxious weeds and require the participation of a minimum of three adjacent landowners. Participating landowners will develop a cooperative weed management area, map noxious weeds in the project area, develop long term weed control plans and must have a committed dollar amount for treatment prior to application submission.

Local Cooperative projects are required to have a minimum of 50% hard match for commercial application, herbicide, and revegetation costs.

Administrative costs are available for Local Cooperative project coordinators that have not received a Special County/Reservation Grant.

Local Cooperative projects should:

• support the State Weed Management Plan and meet Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) criteria,
• adhere closely to herbicide costs listed in the State Term Contract for Agricultural Chemicals,
• all herbicides must be used at state bid prices,
• have measurable objectives that describe how renewable resources will be enhanced,
• utilize appropriate integrated management techniques,
• provide a time schedule for beginning and completing all phases of the project,
• incorporate an annual monitoring plan to effectively track progress, and
• provide educational opportunities for land managers. 

* New Local Cooperative projects require completion of an environmental assessment (EA) for the project area. EA requirements under the Noxious Weed Trust Fund Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (May 2010) include:

• General Vegetation
• Soils (includes soil maps)
• Ground and Surface Water (includes project maps and well locations)
• Air quality
• Habitat of fish & wildlife
• Threatened, endangered and species of concern (includes list of animals from MNHP or FWP)
• Historical and archeological sites (includes a letter from the Montana Historical Society)

*See instruction tab for more details on completing the EA

Research Projects

Research projects may include chemical, non-chemical, biological, and integrated approaches to weed control. Creative proposals for investigating new weed management techniques are encouraged. Matching funds are not required and any in-kind match or forgone indirect costs can be noted in the application.

Research projects should:

• support the State Weed Management Plan,
• be developed in cooperation with land managers to address land management needs,
• increase knowledge of noxious weeds and/or improve an important aspect of noxious weed management,
• enhance a new or existing method of weed management,
• provide the foundation for a positive long term effect on threatened natural resources,
• contain specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely project objectives,
• explain the purpose of the research, what research has been done in the past, and what improvement and/or increased knowledge the project will produce,
• effectively disseminate project results to end users, and
• provide a time schedule for beginning and completing all phases of the project.

*Applicants are encouraged to contact the State Biological Control Coordinator at 406-258-4223 to discuss and collaborate on biological control components of the project.

Education/Development Projects

Education/Development projects include mapping, monitoring, planning, and education. Matching funds are not required and any in-kind match or forgone indirect costs can be noted in the application.

Education/Development projects should:

• support the State Weed Management Plan,
• build partnerships and include collaborative resources from weed management resources,
• promote public awareness about noxious weed impacts and illustrate opportunities for action,
• be based on sound ecological principles,
• include a detailed action plan of how the project will be completed,
• contain specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely project objectives,
• specify how project success will be monitored and measured, including long-term evaluation, and
• provide a time schedule for beginning and completing all phases of the project.

*Applicants are encouraged to contact the State Education Coordinator at 406-328-4785 to discuss and collaborate on educational components of the project.

How Do I Apply?

Register & Apply Online

• Applicants may apply for up to $75,000 per application.
• All applications must be submitted by an authorized organization (county weed district, conservation district, MSU extension or a non-profit).
• Refer to the Grant Instructions tab above for complete details and requirements.
• Register online at funding.mt.gov and choose Agriculture as your program of interest.

Application forms are submitted electronically using the online Montana Grants and Loans system. Applications are available annually starting in June/July. Complete registration and application instructions can be found on the Grant Instructions tab above, or click here to download the current Grant Guidelines.

Grant Presentations

Applications are reviewed by Department staff and the Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council. Grant hearings are held annually in March, where each applicant provides a ten minute presentation (PowerPoint, photos, etc.) for their project. Applicants are notified of the date and time of their presentation prior to the grant hearings.

Funding Deliberations & Project Selection

NWTF grants are competitive. Applications are evaluated based on the degree to which they address specific criteria found in the guidelines below. The Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council provides funding recommendations to the Department for final funding approval by the Director.

Local Cooperative Evaluation Criteria

Research Evaluation Criteria

Education/Development Criteria

Grant Award Process

Applicants selected for funding are notified approximately three weeks after the NWTF grant hearings. A contract is written to define all project terms, conditions and responsibilities of the applicant and will clarify all legal patents and proprietary rights that will result from the proposed activity.

Once the contract is reviewed and signed by all applicable parties, the recipient will be able to request reimbursement for eligible costs incurred. The contract is effective upon the final signature(s) and date.

Projects must comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, licensing and regulations for funds to be awarded. Evidence of such compliance may be required before grant reimbursement is issued.

Applicants not approved for funding will be notified in writing of the decision.

Grant Reporting Requirements

Award recipients are required to submit status reports in April and November of each year of the grant. Status reports address project activities from both the preceding time period and the upcoming time period. A final status report form summarizing the activities, impacts, and results of the entire project is required before the final claim is approved. Find more detailed information under the Instruction tab.

Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant Instructions

WebGrants Instructions

Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) applications are submitted through the online WebGrants application portal. Refer to the WebGrants instructions in the files below:

• WebGrants: Registration Instructions
• WebGrants: General Grantee Instructions
• WebGrants: User Manual

Environmental Assessments (EA's)

New local cooperative projects require completion of an environmental assessment for the project area. Continuing local cooperatives that have added new herbicides or expanded the project area are also required to complete an EA regarding the new information.

Download the appropriate instructions on completing the environmental assessment below:

• Environmental Assessment Resources
• Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement: Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant Program (May 2010)

Claims

• The Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) is a reimbursable grant program.
• Claims are submitted for incurred expenses online at funding.mt.gov.
• Receipts, invoices, spray records, and document spreadsheets are required for each claim as applicable. 
• Download Claim Instructions here

Status Reports

• Submit project status reports online at funding.mt.gov.
• Status reports are due April 15 and November 30 of each project year.
• A final comprehensive status report is required at project completion.
• Photo points are required with the final report for local cooperative projects. Remember to take "before" and "after" photos.
• Final status reports are submitted no later than 30 days after the term date as stated in the grant contract.
• Download Status Report Instructions here

Extensions & Revisions  

• Grantee Instructions: Extension Request
• Grantee Instructions: Budget Revision for a Research or Education Grant
• Grantee Instructions: Herbicide / Budget Revision for Local Cooperative Grant

State Bids (Herbicide Costs)

• Current Year State Bid: Agricultural Chemicals

Grant Writing Workshop Files

• NWTF Grant Program Information - See the overview tab above
• Funding.mt.gov (WebGrants) Information
• Grant Application Forms- Instructions
• EA Info (Veg, Fish, TES, Air, Historic, Soils & Groundwater)
• EDDMapS West
• Training videos
  • Grant Forms
  • Environmental Assessments

Refer to the Grant Instruction section below for a full list of available documents.

Noxious Weed Trust Fund: Grant Instruction Forms and Files

General Instructions

• 2020 Grant Guidelines
• Grant Participant Weed Management Plans
• Grant Cooperator Interest Form
• WebGrants Grantee Instructions: Herbicide / Budget Revision for Local Cooperative Grant
• WebGrants Grantee Instructions: Grant Status Reports for Special County / Reservation Grants
• WebGrants Grantee Instructions: Extension Request
• WebGrants Grantee Instructions: Claim Requests (2017)
• WebGrants Grantee Instructions: Budget Revision for a Research or Education Grant
• NWTF Local Cooperative Grant Status Report Instructions
• Instructions for Herbicide, Revegetation, and Budget Forms
• Claim Spreadsheet Template

Environmental Assessment Instructions

• Environmental Assessment (EA) Resources
• Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement: Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant Program
• Environmental Assessment - Soils, Ground & Surface Water (links to resource websites)

Grant Writing Tutorials

• Grant Writing Tutorial: Soils and Groundwater Environmental Assessments
• Grant Writing Tutorials: General Vegetation, Fish and Wildlife Habitat, Threatened and Endangered Species, Air Quality and Historical and Archaeological Sites Environmental Assessments
• EDDMapS WEST Step-by-Step
• Funding.mt.gov 101 (WebGrants Overview)
• WebGrants Grant Application Forms Instructions

Project Evaluation Forms

• NWTF Evaluation Criteria: Research Projects
• NWTF Evaluation Criteria: Local Cooperative Projects
• NWTF Evaluation Criteria: Education Projects
• NWTF Evaluation Criteria: Development Projects

Noxious Weed Trust Grant Program Funding History

Funded Projects by County and Year

•   2021 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2020 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2020 NWTF Grant Map of Locations
•   2019 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2019 NWTF Grant Map of Locations
•   2018 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2018 NWTF Grant Map of Locations
•   2017 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2017 NWTF Grant Map of Locations
•   2016 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2015 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2014 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2013 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2012 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2011 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards
•   2010 Noxious Weed Trust Fund (NWTF) Grant Awards

Cooperative Forestry Agreements

•   Final Award 20-DG-11010000-018
•   Final Award 19-DG-11010000-007
•   Final Award 18-DG-11010000-015
•   Final Award 17-DG-11010000-003
•   Final Award 17-DG-11010000-016
•   Final Award 16-DG-11010000-015
•   Final Award 15-DG-11010000-013

Click Here for: NWMAC Appointment Application(Fillable PDF)

Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council

Members of the Council provide guidance to the Noxious Weed Trust Fund grant program, which assists counties, local communities, tribes, researchers and educators in efforts to combat noxious weed problems in Montana.

Council members are appointed by the Director of the Department to help guide counties, local communities, tribes, researchers and educators in efforts to combat the most serious weed problems in Montana.

The Council reviews each NWTF grant application and attends the week long grant hearings held annually in March. Grant funding recommendations are made by the Council at the conclusion of the hearings and presented to the Director for approval.

Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council SOP & Responsibilities

Noxious Weed Trust Fund History - White Paper

Upcoming Meetings

Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council Appointments

Noxious Weed Management Advisory Council Agendas and Minutes