F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round
Fish and Wildlife Service · Highlands Conservation (15.667)
Posted 19 May 2026 · 30 days left
In plain terms
The US Fish and Wildlife Service funds land conservation projects in the Highlands Region of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, covering up to 50 percent of project costs. Only state government agencies designated as Lead State Agencies by each state's Governor may apply, with grants from 25,000 to 3,850,000 US dollars, by 31 October 2026.
A generated summary of the donor's text; the original wording is below.
Summary
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 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.Governors of the four Highlands States may submit proposals for up to 50% of the total cost of land conservation projects in the Highlands Region.Funding appropriated under the HCA is typically divided into two separate categories – Base and Competitive. Eligible applicants may submit requests for the Competitive Funding Round in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Base Funds. A project may not be proposed for funding in both funding opportunities.More information on the HCA program is available at www.fws.gov/program/highlands-conservation-act-grant
Excerpt from the donor's page. The full text, annexes and forms are on the original call.
Who can apply
- government
Eligibility and conditions
Show the eligibility text from the source
Applicant types: 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.The current Lead State Agencies are:Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Contact Matt Starr: matthew.starr@ct.govNew York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation. Contact Lynn Kovach: lynn.kovach@parks.ny.govNew Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. Contact Liz Ward: elizabeth.ward@highlands.nj.govPennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Contact Dan Pierce: danipierce@pa.gov