Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program – Competitive Funding
Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service
Assistance Listings
- 15.667 -- Highlands Conservation
Closed opportunityLast Updated: May 13, 2026
View version history on Grants.gov
Description
The Highlands Conservation Act (H.R. 1964, 2004; 16 U.S.C. 3901) (HCA) is designed to assist Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in conserving land and natural resources in the Highlands Region through Federal assistance for land conservation projects in which a State entity acquires land or an interest in land from a willing seller to permanently protect resources of high conservation value. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) was directed by the HCA to identify lands that have high conservation value through the “New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update”...
and the “Highlands Regional Study: Connecticut and Pennsylvania 2010 Update.” Subject to availability of funds through Federal appropriation, each year 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. Proposed projects must be consistent with areas identified in the Study and Update as having high resource value. This program funds land conservation by State agencies in the Highlands Region.
Funding appropriated under the Highlands Conservation Act (HCA) has been divided into two separate categories – Base and Competitive. Eligible applicants may submit requests for Competitive Funding in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Base Funds. A property may not be proposed for funding from both the Base and Competitive funding opportunities.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants
Government
- State governments
Additional information
Only the Lead State Agency (or Agencies), as determined by the Governor of each Highlands State, may apply 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.
Each Agency may submit multiple applications to this Competitive grant round. A State Conservation Agency may subaward a grant to another State Conservation Agency.
Grantor contact information
Description
Jay Rasku
jason_rasku@fws.gov
jason_rasku@fws.gov
Documents
| File name | Description | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| Foa_Content_of_F21AS00585.pdf | Foa_Content_of_F21AS00585.pdf | Jul 23, 2021 08:15 PM UTC |
Link to additional information
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Closed: November 1, 2021
Award
$8,592,839
Program Funding
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Expected awards
$25,000
Award Minimum
$8,592,839
Award Maximum
Funding opportunity number:
F21AS00585
Cost sharing or matching requirement:
Yes
Funding instrument type:
Grant
Opportunity Category:
Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation:
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Category of Funding Activity:
Natural resources
Category Explanation:
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History
Version:
1
Posted date:
July 23, 2021
Archive date:
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