Fish and Wildlife Service · Department of the Interior
F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Oct 31, 2026 · 24 days left
- Award size
- $25K – $2.3M
- Total available
- $9.2M · about 4 awards
- Match ?
- Required: you cover 50% of the total project · Work out your budget and match
- Who can apply
- State government
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
Your share in dollars
For a $2,293,362 grant you'd put in about $2,293,362 of your own money or donated help, for a total project of about $4,586,724.
“The Federal share of the project cost shall not exceed 50 percent of the total project cost.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.” — federal program 15.667, from its SAM.gov catalog entry
Based on this official rule. Some programs lower it for distressed counties or accept donated help.
How this fits you
- Available in Davidson County (nationwide program)
- Needs a match (see how much in the notice)
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/3d3a2907-44a7-4fc4-8f4a-64cb089ed4b4 · Printed from grantme.click/grants/7a3035d5-27ff-4b77-a3dd-aa75267aa6ad
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
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- F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round · Due Oct 31, 2026 · 24 days left
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About this grant
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 Base Funding Round in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Competitive 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
Who can apply, from the official notice
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.govIn FY 2026, $9,173,450 in Base funding is available for grants to Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Each State may request up to $2,293,362 in Base funding. The earliest anticipated project start date is January 1, 2026. Project periods will be no longer than 4 years from the date the grantee is notified of an award. Period of performance extensions may be considered under extenuating circumstances. If the funds are unspent when a grant closes and the HCA grant program is still actively funded, unspent funds will be returned to the program to be redistributed through the next Competitive Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity. If each of the four eligible States does not request the full $2,293,362 available, remaining funds will be distributed through either the concurrent or the next Competitive Grant Round Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct7
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Oct10
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Oct26
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Oct28
Submit
Suggested: submit a few days early. Agency portals can slow down near deadlines. - Oct31
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Davidson County facts with citations.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice 5.19.2026_Foa_Content_of_F25AS00379.pdf (16 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.
Award size and project length
Project period: 4 years · p. 4
“Project periods will be no longer than 4 years from the date the grantee is notified of an award.” Open page 4
Registrations you need first (4)
SAM.gov, Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 4
“GET READY TO APPLY Required System Registrations Unique Entity Identifier and SAM.gov Registration Before applying, all applicants except individuals applying as a natural person must be registered in SAM.gov.” Open page 4
GrantSolutions · p. 5
“GRANTSOLUTIONS This program accepts applications through GrantSolutions.gov.” Open page 5
Grants.gov · p. 6
“For instructions on completing form fields, see the form instructions on the Grants.gov Forms Repository.” Open page 6
Login.gov · p. 11
“GrantSolutions requires users to log in through Login.gov.” Open page 11
The deadline is in 24 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Get-ready checklist
What to submit
Form SF-424 · p. 6
“Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Note:” Open page 6
Form SF-424A · p. 6
“For applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Representative’s signature (or electronic equivalent) on the Application for Federal Assistance form also represents their certification of the statements in Appendix A to 43 CFR…” Open page 6
Form SF-424C · p. 6
“For applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Representative’s signature (or electronic equivalent) on the Application for Federal Assistance form also represents their certification of the statements in Appendix A to 43 CFR…” Open page 6
Form SF-LLL · p. 7
“SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Required if requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funds and the applicant has used or plans to use funds other than Federal appropriated funds for lobbying related to the proposed project.” Open page 7
Budget narrative / justification · p. 8
“Budget Narrative Applicants must describe and justify items and costs listed in their budget.” Open page 8
Environmental documentation · p. 9
“Eligible costs include the acquisition cost of the fee or conservation easement, and certain typical land transaction costs, including: appraisal to Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisition (UASFLA/Yellow Book), UASFLA review appraisal,…” Open page 9
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 4
“Yes 50 percent non-Federal cost share required.” Open page 4
Dates in the notice
10/31/2026 · p. 10
“For questions contact Shelley DiBona Shelley_DiBona@ios.doi.gov 1-413-253-8509 Submission Dates and Times Closing Date for Applications: 10/31/2026 Closing Date Explanation Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET,…” Open page 10
Mistakes that get applications rejected (2)
Unresolved civil-rights or legal findings: We are prohibited from making an award if a recipient or any key personnel are found ineligible,... · p. 12
“We are prohibited from making an award if a recipient or any key personnel are found ineligible, prohibited, restricted, or otherwise excluded from receiving or participating in an award, as their ineligibility condition applies to this program.” Open page 12
Outside what the program funds: the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient information for review, the applicant will be considered... · p. 14
“the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient information for review, the applicant will be considered nonresponsive and eliminated from further review.” Open page 14
About the federal program
Highlands Conservation
Program number 15.667 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Project grant
How applications are judged
The Notice of Funding Opportunity directs the Highland States to apply directly to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for eligible land acquisition projects in the Highlands region. Only lands with high conservation value that can be obtained by fee acquisition or conservation easement from willing sellers will be considered.
Match
The Federal share of the project cost shall not exceed 50 percent of the total project cost.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: Program has not yet selected projects for funding. The Program anticipates funding eligible State Agency, County, or Municipal land acquisition projects that protect land of high conservation value in the Highlands region of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Fiscal year 2026: Program has not yet selected projects for funding. The Program anticipates funding eligible State Agency, County, or Municipal land acquisition projects that protect land of high conservation value in the Highlands region of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.