Deadline: 31-Dec-24
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to announce the Highlands Conservation Act Program – Base Funding Round.
The Highlands Conservation Act Program (HCA) is administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to assist Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in the permanent protection of land and natural resources in the Highlands Region. HCA grants support land conservation projects in which a State, County, or Municipal entity acquires land or an interest in land from a willing seller to conserve resources of high conservation value.
Goals
- The HCA program supports the goals set forth in the Biden-Harris Administration’s America the Beautiful Initiative, including the conservation of 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by the year 2030. Land conservation in the Highlands Region is increasing the climate change resiliency of the landscape and is protecting drinking water resources used by millions of people. The HCA grant program is connecting people with nature and the outdoors by creating new recreation areas in a region where one in nine Americans live or are within a two-hour drive.
- The HCA grant program is protecting strategically important natural areas that sustain a diversity of fish and wildlife species, including the Service’s priority at-risk species.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding: $5,850,000
- Expected Award Amount
- Maximum Award: $1,462,500
- Minimum Award: $25,000
- Expected Award Funding: $1,462,500
- Expected Award Date: January 31, 2025
- Expected Number of Awards: 4
Eligibility Criteria
- State governments
- Only the Lead State Agency (or Agencies), as determined by the Governor of each Highlands State, may be the applicant for funding under the Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program. If the Governor assigns multiple Lead Agencies, those Agencies must coordinate on funding requests prior to submission and ensure no more than the maximum allowable amount is requested through this funding opportunity. All or part of the funds received by the Lead State Agency may be subawarded to a County or Municipality within the Highlands Region, or to another State Conservation Agency.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.