F26AS00030 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program

First awarded in fiscal year (FY) 2001, Recovery Land Acquisition grants promote State and Federal cooperation in listed species conservation by leveraging funds to acquire specific parcels of land, through fee simple or conservation easement, in support of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)-approved recovery plans and outlines. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) conveys the importance of recovery plans as a central organizing tool for guiding the recovery process by requiring their development for every listed species.

Only State and Territorial (hereafter, "State") agencies that have entered into a cooperative agreement pursuant to section 6(c) of the ESA and have provided the information necessary for the annual renewal (reconfirmation) of their cooperative agreement are eligible to apply for funding. While funding may only be awarded to States, groups such as counties or conservation organizations may work with a State agency that has a cooperative agreement on conservation efforts that are mutually beneficial, as a subgrantee. Projects must support at least one listed species" most recent FWS-approved recovery planning document in which habitat loss is identified as a threat and habitat protection is identified as a priority recovery action.The specific parcel(s) of land proposed for acquisition with grant funds, or as non-Federal cost share, must be identified and sufficiently described to facilitate merit review based on the evaluation criteria listed in this Funding Opportunity. Parcels must be individually identified but can be grouped and described for evaluation purposes at the property or transaction level.Applications must include a commitment to funding for, and implementation of, management of the land in perpetuity consistent with the conservation needs of the species.A property may not be submitted for funding consideration under both the Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program and the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Land Acquisition Grant Program in the same fiscal year.Projects must involve voluntary conservation efforts within the United States. Applications cannot include FWS Full-Time Equivalent costs.Neither funding awarded through this opportunity, nor the associated non-Federal cost share, may be used to satisfy regulatory requirements of the ESA, including complying with a biological opinion under Section 7, fulfilling Federal mitigation, minimization, and/or monitoring requirements of an HCP permitted under section 10, or any other Federal regulatory mitigation requirement (e.g., mitigation for Clean Water Act permits).State administrative costs must either be assumed by the State or included in the application in accordance with Federal requirements. Applications may not be submitted to cover administrative costs alone.Generally, only expenses incurred and budgeted during the period of performance are reimbursable; the period of performance...

Applications are scored and ranked based on criteria, subfactors, and priorities published annually in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

This program has no statutory formula. This program�s matching requirements are mandatory. In accordance with section 6(d) of the ESA, the minimum non-Federal cost share is 25 percent of the total project cost. If an application involves the collaboration of two or more States, the minimum non-Federal cost share decreases to 10 percent of the total project cost.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Fiscal Year2025: Program has selected but not yet funded over 150 projects to assist States and Territories in the implementation of their respective programs for the conservation of resident threatened and endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants. Selected projects include species and habitat conservation actions on non-Federal lands, including habitat acquisition, conservation planning, habitat restoration, status surveys, captive propagation, research, and public education and outreach.Fiscal Year2026: Program has not yet selected projects for funding. Program anticipates funding an estimated 150 projects to assist States and Territories in the implementation of their respective programs for the conservation of resident threatened and endangered species of fish, wildlife, and plants. Program expects to fund species and habitat conservation actions on non-Federal lands, including habitat acquisition, conservation planning, habitat restoration, status surveys, captive propagation, research, public education and outreach.