Public Funding

by Pamela Richardson — last modified Sep 29, 2010 04:41 PM

Highlighted Appropriations Updates

December 20, 2011: Surprisingly Strong Conservation Funding for 2012
November 20, 2011: FY 2012 Agriculture Appropriations Enacted with Smaller GRP Cut
August 5, 2011: Small Victories Amidst the Budget Cutting Fervor
April 14, 2011: Budget Deal Restores Most Conservation Funding

February 18, 2011: House Republicans, President Obama Battle Over Budgets

See our NEW summary table and archived appropriations updates below.

Donations simply aren’t realistic for every landowner, so programs that support purchases and bargain sales of land and easements are essential to the protection of special places in our communities. Please join us in supporting increased and dedicated funding for conservation, along with program changes to better leverage public resources through local partnerships and the generosity of private landowners.

As pressure grows to cut the federal budget, the Alliance is partnering with the LWCF Coalition, AVCRP Coalition, and others to greatly expand its work on appropriations (fact sheet). Spending on land, water, ocean and wildlife programs comprises just 1.26% of the federal budget and has grown just 2% over the last 30 years, yet a new study shows that these programs help to support 9.4 million jobs and over $1 trillion in economic activity. We need your help to defend these critical investments from disproportionate cuts -- NOW is the time to tell your legislators which federal programs you rely on and how they benefit your community.

America's Great Outdoors

The America’s Great Outdoors Initiative is a key opportunity to place private conservation, land trusts and the policy tools we need at the center of the Obama administration’s vision for the future of conservation.

Farm Bill Programs

Investing more than a billion dollars in conservation programs each year, the Farm Bill now far exceeds other federal sources of conservation funding. Learn more, and help us improve and expand easement programs in the 2012 Farm Bill.

LWCF and Forest Legacy

The Land and Water Conservation Fund and Forest Legacy are important sources of funding for federal and state acquisitions of land and easements. Help us secure dedicated funding and make these programs more available to land trusts.

Other Federal Programs

Dozens of other federal programs have supported land trust projects over the years. We’re working to gather and share creative examples so more land trusts can seize these opportunities.

State and Local Funding

While we remain focused on the federal level, there is little question that state and local governments have provided the majority of conservation funding. Learn more about the tools and partnerships available to support funding campaigns.

Summary Table of Recent Funding Levels for Key Conservation Programs

The following are recent funding levels for the programs we follow most closely. All amounts are in millions, rounded to the nearest $100k. Please let us know if you're looking for additional details. Federal budgeting is an extremely complex process, so please let us know if you think we've gotten any of these numbers wrong. Email policy@lta.org

Program	FY10 Enacted	FY11 HR 1¹	FY11 Enacted	FY12 Obama Budget	FY12 House²	FY12 Senate	FY12 Enacted
Farm and Ranch lands Protection Program (FRPP)	$150.0	$175.0	$175.0	$200.0	$150.0	$150.0	$150.0
Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)	$100.7	$78.6	$78.6	$66.7	$86.7	$66.7	$86.7
Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)³	$453.0	$58.0	$301.0	$900.0	$90.8	$327.4	$322.9
LWCF Federal Acquisition⁴	$277.9	$52.0	$176.9	$465.0	$78.0	$199.4	$199.5
LWCF State Grants	$40.0	$0	$40.0	$200.0	$2.8	$45.0	$45.0
Forest Legacy Program (FLP)	$79.5	$6.0	$52.9	$135.0	$10.0	$58.0	$53.4
Cooperative Endangered Species Fund (Section 6) Land Acquisition⁵	$56.0	$0	$31.0	$100.0	$0	$25.0	$25.0
North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA)	$48.0	$0	$37.4	$50.0	$20.0	$35.6	$35.6
State Wildlife Grants (SWG)	$90.0	$0	$61.6	$95.0	$22.0	$61.4	$61.4
Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)	$475.0	$225.0	$300.0	$300.0	$250.0	$300.0	$300.0

¹ After Congress failed to enact FY11 appropriations in 2010, the incoming Republican House proposed severe cuts in a bill designated H.R. 1. The marked improvement in the FY 2012 House Interior bill demonstrates the impact of our education efforts.

² These FY 2012 House numbers include $29 million restored to LWCF through successful amendments proposed by Reps. Hinchey, Hayworth, Bass and Tipton (including $7 million for Forest Legacy). The House Interior bill never passed in its amended form.

³ These LWCF totals include the italicized programs below, LWCF Federal acquisition, LWCF State Grants, Forest Legacy Program, and Section 6 Land Acquisition.

⁴ This subtotal includes acquisition funding directed to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and National Park Service (NPS), along with funding for the Office of Valuation Services (OVS). For breakdowns by agency and project, see our LWCF & Forest Legacy page.

⁵ These numbers reflect only the portion of Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund grants derived from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisition. Total enacted funding for FY10, 11 and 12 was $85 m, $59.9 m, and $47.8 m respectively.