Highlands Conservation
Open Opportunities (2)
Live Grants.gov opportunities funded under this program — you can apply now.
- F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act – Base Funding Round Deadline: Oct 31, 2026 · up to $2.3M
- F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round Deadline: Oct 31, 2026 · up to $3.9M
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Who has received this funding
Organizations awarded under CFDA 15.667 (USAspending.gov).
- Department Of Conservation & Natural Resources Pennsylvania 2 awards $19,830,240
- New York State Office Of Parks, Recreation And Historic Preservation 4 awards $12,411,500
- Dept Of Energy & Environmental Protection 3 awards $10,967,538
- Nj Highlands Council $2,564,650
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
To conserve priority lands and natural resources and recognize the importance of the water, forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources, and the national significance of the Highlands region of the United States. Preserve and protect high-priority conservation land in the Highland regions.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Department/Agency of U.S. State
Any State Agency with authority to own and manage land located within the Highlands region for conservation purposes may apply by identifying the source of non-Federal funds, describing the management objectives for the project land, identifying the purpose of the use of the land, and providing that the land will not be converted, used or disposed of for a purpose inconsistent with land conservation. State Conservation Agencies, or Counties and Municipalities within the Highlands Region, are eligible to receive grant funds and hold the fee or conservation easement interest in the acquired land.
Beneficiaries
- Department/Agency of U.S. State
- County Government
- Municipality/Township Government
Beneficiaries are State Agencies with authority to own and manage land within the Highlands region for conservation purposes, including the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, as well as Counties and Municipalities located within the Highlands Region.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
Only lands available from willing sellers in the Highlands region will be considered in the program. The Department of the Interior (DOI) has the sole responsibility for project grants. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service will award grants to the States or their entities for the acquisition of land, or interests in land, for conservation purposes in the Highlands.
Program details & compliance
Description
The Highlands Conservation Act (H.R. 1964, 2004; 16 U.S.C. 3901) (HCA) authorizes a grant program in four States (Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) to support State Agency land conservation priorities and protect natural resources in the Highlands Region, a nationally-important landscape distinguished by Appalachian ridges, hills, and plateaus that provides outdoor recreational opportunities for millions of people living in and visiting the Northeast. Conservation land acquired under the program may only be held by a State Conservation Agency, a County, or a Municipality within the designated Highlands Region.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the lead agency for administering the HCA Grant Program, and works in partnership with State Conservation Agencies, the counties and municipalities of the Highlands Region, and the U.S. Forest Service. Since passage of the HCA in 2004, more than 20,000 acres of state-priority land have been conserved under the program. Projects support key conservation objectives outlined in the HCA such as protecting high priority water, forest, wildlife, agriculture, and recreational resources.
Mission Categories
Primary: Fish and Wildlife Preservation
Other categories:
Water ConservationRecreationAgricultural Resource Conservation and DevelopmentLand and Forest Conservation
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
A State Agency with authority to own and manage land located within the Highlands region, as well as Counties and Municipalities located within the Highlands Region, may use a land conservation partnership project to acquire conservation-valued land, either through fee acquisition or conservation easement, from a willing seller to permanently protect, conserve, or preserve land. The Federal grant share of the land conservation partnership project will not exceed 50% of the total cost of partnership to acquire conservation-valued land.
Required Documentation
Must be a State Agency with the authority to own and manage land within the Highlands region for conservation purposes. The State Agency may subaward a grant to a County or Municipality located within the Highlands region. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles, applies to this program.
Matching Requirements
The Federal share of the project cost shall not exceed 50 percent of the total project cost.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements