Federal State Wildlife Grant (SWG) funds are appropriated on an annual basis and distributed to States and Territories according to a formula based on land area and population. At this time, the SWG program is not a continuous or guaranteed funding source. This program is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides funds to be used with matching non-Federal funds (or in kind match) for programs and projects that benefit wildlife species, especially species of greatest conservation need. One of the goals of the SWG program is to keep common species common, thereby preventing additions of wildlife species to Federal and State threatened and endangered species lists.

The term wildlife refers to any free ranging fauna, including mussels, snails, crayfish, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

This additional funding source complements funds already received by the DNR through the Pittman–Robertson (conservation of birds and mammals) and Dingell–Johnson (conservation of sport fish) Acts, by filling gaps between these and other funding sources. To date, Michigan has used SWG funds to initiate and expand efforts that address existing priorities for nongame wildlife. The WCS represents a more comprehensive framework for identifying and directing future activities for wildlife conservation in Michigan.

Congress provided the following guidelines for using SWG funds:

• Priority should be placed on those species in the greatest need of conservation.
  
  
• Funds should be used to address the life needs and habitat requirements of species to preclude the need to list them as threatened or endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
  
  
• Funds are intended to supplement, not replace, existing wildlife funding sources.
  
  
• Currently, funds are to be used for conservation-related programs and projects only, and may not be used for recreational, law enforcement or educational activities, unless these are deemed critical to the conservation of the species in question.