Grants & Awards

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Alliance Grants

Maine Land Trust Excellence Program
The Maine Land Trust Excellence Program will provide grants for services of up to $18,000 to 20 qualified land trusts in Maine, to support preparation for accreditation. Applications for the final round of grants will be available in the spring of 2010, with decisions to be made in the late summer.  For more information about the program, including a full description, applications and related materials, and contact information please visit the Maine Land Trust Excellence Program website hosted by the Maine Land Trust Network http://mltn.org/resources/mep.html.

Guided Organizational Assessment Cost-Share Grant
Deadline: none
These cost-share grants of $1,000 to $2,000 (which require the recipient land trust to contribute in the range of $250-$1500, depending on complexity,) will be awarded for professional assistance from Alliance staff or counselors for guiding an Organizational Assessment. Remember that a requirement for Accreditation is an Organizational Assessment against the full Land Trust Standards and Practices within 3 years prior to applying for Accreditation. The assessment process helps the land trust evaluates its performance, determine its conformance to Land Trust Standards and Practices' operational procedures, and identifies areas needed in program improvement to qualify for accreditation.  Contact us for more detailed information about guided Organizational Assessments and our cost-share grants and available counselors to guide the assessment process. Download application

Land Trust Program Improvement Grant
Deadline: none
These cost-share grants (reduced this year to no more than $2,500, until such time when the Land Trust Alliance may secure new funding resources,) will be awarded to help land trusts selected for the Mentoring Program, improve their operational proficiencies based on priority needs identified by assessments of their operational Standards and Practices. They are primarily intended to help land trusts advance to higher levels of conservation program excellence and to prepare themselves for Land Trust Accreditation. Outcomes of these grants are for enhancement of the land trust’s operations and land protection/stewardship programs to bring them in closer adherence to Land Trust Standards and Practices.  Contact us for more detailed information about our Mentoring Program and associated cost-share agreements.  Download application

Strategic Conservation Planning in Priority Watersheds
Deadline: none
A few cost-share grants ($3,500 to $7,500) will be awarded to help land trusts develop collaborative alliances with other conservation organizations and devise conservation plans within high priority watersheds and critical freshwater ecosystems, which identify and map places of top priority for protection, and establish partnerships to implement the protection plans.  Contact us for more detailed information about availability and specific requirements and application instructions for these demonstration projects. Download application

Regional Grants

L.L. Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program
Application Deadline: September 13, 2010
Don't let this deadline sneak up on you! By now you are probably familiar with the L.L.Bean Maine Land Trust Grant Program. Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the Maine Land Trust Network have teamed up with L.L.Bean to provide this important funding opportunity to Maine land trusts. The purpose of the program is to provide strategic funding for land stewardship activities. Stewardship projects that enhance a trust's ability to carry out its mission, those that enhance opportunities for public access to conservation lands, and those implemented collaboratively with other trusts are a priority. A limited number of grants will be awarded and grant amounts will not exceed $5,000.

For all the details, including a list of past recipients and a downloadable application, visit our website.

Natural Resource Conservation Program
Letters of Intent Due: July 22, 2010
More than three million dollars will soon be available for those seeking to protect wetland and significant wildlife habitat in Maine. The Nature Conservancy is seeking initial proposals for a new round of competitive grants from the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program, which it administers on behalf of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The program helps offset impacts of natural resources deemed unavoidable by regulators by funding the restoration, enhancement or preservation of similar habitats.

Public agencies, non-profit conservation organizations and private individuals are encouraged to submit a letter of intent for eligible restoration and preservation projects in Maine. Applicants whose proposed projects meet the program's requirements will be invited to submit full proposals.

For all the details, visit the the program website or contact Alex Mas, program manager at The Nature Conservancy in Maine (phone: 207-729-5181).

Project Canopy Assistance Grants
Deadline: 5:00 pm, August 9th, 2010
Mandatory Workshops:
1:00 - 3:30 pm June 23rd in Augusta
1:00 - 3:30 pm July 14th in Gray

Project Canopy Assistance Grants are available to state, county, and municipal governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations for developing and implementing community forestry projects and programs. Project Canopy, a cooperative partnership of the Department of Conservation's Maine Forest Service and the Viles Arboretum, anticipates that $125,000 will be available to support community forestry projects in the following categories: Planning and Education and Tree Planting and Maintenance.

To be eligible to apply for 2010 Project Canopy Assistance grants, all potential applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application (excluding previous workshop attendees). Grant workshops are free and will cover topics including grant writing, project development, sustainable community forestry management, and grant administration. Please register by calling Jan Ames Santerre at 207-287-4987.

For all the details, guidelines and an application, visit the Project Canopy website.

Environmental Funders Network Preserving Maine's Quality of Place Grants
Letters of Interest Due:  August 13th, 2010
The Environmental Funders Network (EFN) is entering the second year of its initiative to support organizations and partnerships working to preserve Maine's quality of place.  A limited amount of funding will be available for additional grants, beyond the funding required to continue the work being done by the first group of grant recipients.

The Quality of Place Initiative seeks to support projects that strengthen the link between the natural and built environments, emphasize public engagement, and take seriously the process and action elements required to build and sustain collaborations. Quality of Place strategies seek to involve diverse interests that include: tourism, natural resource based industries, outdoor recreation and leisure, land conservation, arts and culture, historic preservation, downtown and community revitalization, municipal, regional, transportation, workforce, business and economic development interests. EFN requests that you carefully consider whether your proposal is both exceptionally creative and in-line with these outcomes and whether it addresses the criteria, as available funding is limited.

For more information, visit the Environmental Funders Network website.

NJ Green Acres Program Invites Applications
Deadline: July 30, 2010
The passage of the 2009 Green Acres Bond Act means that matching grants are available to qualifying non-profits from the NJDEP Green Acres Program. Because funding is limited, grants will only be awarded to new applicants, and to groups whose past projects have made significant progress. To read more about this 50-50 funding opportunity, visit the NJDEP Green Acres website.

GOCO Spring 2010 Grant Cycle
The State Board of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund is pleased to announce its next round of competitive grant cycles. The Board will be accepting applications for Conservation Excellence, Local Parks and Outdoor Recreation (LPOR), Mini, Open Space and Planning grants. Please visit www.goco.org for details on deadline dates and the schedule of LPOR Grant Writing Workshops.  If you have questions about GOCO's programs, please contact the following:

• Conservation Excellence and Open Space - Kathleen Staks
• LPOR and Mini - Jackie Miller or Aimee Wesley
• Planning - Wally Piccone

Southern Forests Network (Southeast)
The Southern Forests Network is seeking land trust partners to facilitate sustainable forest management. SFN has begun providing certification for family forestlands and small wood products facilities in the Southeast and seeks to work with any land trusts which wants to explore utilizing Forest Stewardship Council certification as a tool for ensuring sustainable management and monitoring on "working" forestlands. SFN is developing new resources for forest health monitoring and forest carbon sales; and has begun utilizing GIS to facilitate conservation planning for working forestlands. If you are interested in partnering with the Southern Forests Network, contact Alyx Perry at 828-277-9008 or through www.southernforestsnetwork.org.

Northeast Utilities Offers Grants for Grassroots Environmental Projects (CT, MA, NH)
Deadline: October 15, 2010
Provides grants through its Environmental Community Grant Program to fund local community and grassroots environmental projects that are frequently overlooked by large grant programs. The program provides grants of between $250 and $1,000 each to projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.  Program details

Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council Seeks Proposals for Youth Investment Programs (CA)
Deadline: Various
In 2008 the Stewardship Council will grant between a total of $2 million and $2.5 million in funding to improve the lives of underserved youth in northern and central California by providing greater access to outdoor experiences -- from urban parks in the city to watersheds in the wilderness. In 2008, there are four different grant rounds -- three rounds focused on outdoor and environmental education programs and one on building parks and playgrounds.

California Wildlands Grassroots Fund
Deadline: Always open
Applications for grants of up to $5,000 each from the California Wildlands Grassroots Fund for projects that protect and preserve ecosystems, plants, natural landscapes, wildlands, and wildlife in California. Program details

More than $6 Million Available in Great Lakes
Deadline: Always open
Land trusts and public agencies in the eight-state Great Lakes basin can apply to The Conservation Fund for interim funding to purchase land or conservation easements to protect coastal and freshwater sites of high ecological significance. Application forms are available from Michael Kelly, Great Lakes Office, The Conservation Fund, PO Box 734, Bay City, MI 48707, 989-892-9171, fax: 989-892-9172, kellym@conservationfund.org

Shell Marine Habitat Program - Gulf of Mexico (AL, FL, LA, MS, TX)
Deadline: Proprosals due April 1 and September 1, Final proposals due June 1 and November 1
Grants from $50,000 to $200,000 each will support projects that protect and restore wetland habitats in and around the Gulf of Mexico. Priority will be given to projects that offer volunteer opportunities or education programs and to those that focus on preserving marine species native to the U.S. Southeast.  Program details

National Grants

ARRA Stimulus Opportunities for Coastal Habitat Enhancement, Restoration and Improvement and Partners for Fish and Wildlife Programs
The following are two new programs being administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The maximum grant amount for each program is $25,000.
Recovery Act - Coastal
Recovery Act - Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

Norcross Wildlife Foundation Loan Fund for Land Protection
Deadline: Always open
In an effort to facilitate the land conservation work of grassroots organizations across the country, The Norcross Wildlife Foundation is offering a rare source of financial support. Loans are available for the purpose of acquiring interests in land that contains priority wildlife habitat. More information