The Targeted Investment program was adopted by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) in 2020. A Targeted Investment is a project that addresses a SRFB-identified priority to accelerate progress towards achieving salmon recovery. Each biennium, the SRFB determines if there are funds available (above and beyond the annual SRFB allocations) and chooses one or more priorities. When funding is available, project applications will be accepted during the regular SRFB grant round during the second year of the biennium (even years). Each salmon recovery region may submit only one project proposal.
For the 2022 & 2023 biennium (during the 2022 grant round) the SRFB priority was Southern Resident orca recovery and actions that benefit specific stock groups that are a high priority in the Southern Resident Orca Task Force recommendations.
The SRFB will select one or more priorities for the next biennium (2024 & 2025) during the summer of 2023. Potential priorities during the next biennium include the following:
Approaching recovery: The investment improves habitat for an Endangered Species Act-listed species nearing recovery goals, as set by the National Marine Fisheries Service status reviews. The targeted investment would address an outstanding habitat restoration and/or protection issue or threat that, if corrected, would move the listed species closer to the recovery goal.
Southern Resident orca recovery: The investment focuses on actions that benefit specific stock groups that are a high priority in the Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force recommendations.
Populations at risk: The investment focuses on improving habitat for endangered, threatened, or non-listed populations in decline or at-risk of extinction, where at-risk populations are identified by indicators such as fishery closures or updated status reviews.
Future threat abatement: The investment focuses on removing or contributing to the abatement of a threat that will nullify recovery efforts (e.g., climate change, predation).
Emergency response: The investment focuses on advancing salmon habitat protection and restoration in watersheds that have experienced natural and/or anthropogenic disasters that have or will result in significant adverse impact on a population.
