Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Fund in the US

Deadline: 14-Apr-23

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (“NFWF”) requests Pre-Proposals under the Colorado Greater Sage-Grouse Fund (“Fund”) for projects that will restore, improve, preserve, and/or conserve greater sage-grouse habitat in Colorado.

NFWF established and administers the Fund with monies it received as compensatory mitigation for authorized impacts of the Gateway South Transmission Project to greater sage-grouse in Colorado, as approved by the Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) and its Record of Decision for the project.

Funding Priorities

This RFP seeks projects that will restore, improve, preserve, and/or conserve greater sage-grouse habitat. They may include, but are not necessarily limited to, any or a combination of the following: 

• Fee Title and Conservation Easement Acquisitions for Conservation and/or Preservation
  • Goals:
    • prevent greater sage-grouse habitat destruction or degradation, and 
    • reduce fragmentation of shrub-steppe (i.e., sagebrush) habitat.
• Sagebrush Restoration and Improvement Activities
  • Goals:
    • create contiguous patches of shrub-steppe (i.e., sagebrush) habitat with optimal sagebrush cover and height, and 
    • increase high-quality nesting, brood-rearing, and winter habitats.
• Juniper / Conifer Removal Activities
  • Goals:
    • reverse juniper/conifer encroachment on shrub-steppe (i.e., sagebrush) habitat to increase contiguous patches of greater sage-grouse habitat, and 
    • increase light penetration to support a forb and grass understory.

Funding Available

NFWF expects to award up to approximately $16.79 million from the Fund to projects through this RFP. Up to approximately $13.43 million of this amount may be made available for conservation easement / fee title acquisitions; up to approximately $1.67 million of this amount may be made available for sagebrush restoration; and up to approximately $1.67 million of this amount may be made available for juniper / conifer removal.

Geographic Focus

The preferred geographic focus for project activities is the Northwest Colorado Biological Significant Unit ("BSU") located in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. Projects in other BSUs in Colorado will be considered if projects in the preferred geographic focus area are not available.

Eligible Entities

Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c)3 organizations, U.S. Federal government agencies, state government agencies and other political subdivisions of the state, local and municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, businesses, unincorporated individuals, and educational institutions. 

Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds

• Awards under this Fund may not be used to support an applicant’s ongoing efforts to comply with legal requirements, including permit conditions, mitigation, and settlement agreements. 
• Awards under this Fund may not be used for political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, or litigation. 

For more information, visit NFWF.