Island County opens 2026 Conservation Futures program funding cycle

Island County opened its 2026 Conservation Futures funding cycle on Jan. 15, with the county website serving as the central hub for applications, maps, meeting materials and contact information. The page posted by county staff provides program materials including background information, Citizens Advisory Board materials, agendas and minutes, and a public portal for submitting applications and receiving notifications.

The county page lists contact points for applicants and community members seeking information. Those contacts include the CFP Coordinator and the Department of Natural Resources, and the county provides two local office locations: Whidbey at 1 NE 7th Street in Coupeville and Camano at 121 N East Camano Drive. The online posting functions as the official announcement of the opening of the funding cycle and as the primary resource for applicants and interested residents.

For Island County residents, the reopening of the Conservation Futures process is the seasonal signal that local conservation and open space projects can move forward through a formal application route. The county’s provision of maps, agendas and minutes on the same page is intended to help applicants track past decisions, upcoming advisory board business and the geographic focus of previous awards. The Citizens Advisory Board materials on the page give community members a chance to understand the board’s schedule and posted actions as the cycle proceeds.

The public portal linked on the county page will be the channel for submitting applications and receiving automated updates and notifications. Residents who plan to apply or who want to follow funding decisions should consult the posted materials early, monitor advisory board agendas and use the portal to ensure they receive timely notices as the process unfolds.

The Conservation Futures program sits at the intersection of local land stewardship and broader efforts to protect places that define island life, from shorelines and farms to small forest parcels. Making application materials, maps and meeting records easily accessible aims to improve transparency and participation across Whidbey and Camano islands.

What comes next for residents: review the county page and posted resources, prepare applications through the public portal, and contact the Whidbey or Camano office if you need clarifications about the process. Watch advisory board agendas and minutes on the same page for meeting dates and decisions as the 2026 funding cycle advances.