F26AS00071 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants

F26AS00071 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants is sponsored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Provides matching grants to state agencies for land acquisition projects that conserve species habitat in perpetuity through fee simple acquisition or permanent conservation easements.

Opportunity Listing - F26AS00071 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants F26AS00071 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Assistance Listings: 15. 615 -- Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Last Updated: August 24, 2026 View version history on Grants.

gov Established by Congress in fiscal year (FY) 1997, the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Land Acquisition Grant program was designed to reduce conflicts between the conservation of listed species and competing land uses on specific parcels of land associated with approved and permitted HCPs.

Under this program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides matching grants to State agencies in support of land acquisition projects that will conserve species habitat in perpetuity through fee simple acquisition or the acquisition of permanent conservation easements. FWS considers the use of Federal...

acquisition dollars by States for habitat protection associated with HCPs to be an important and effective mechanism to promote species recovery, prevent extinction, and preclude the need to list species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the future. All land acquired through these grants complements, but does not replace, the mitigation, minimization, and/or monitoring commitments of the HCP.

Thus, this work is additive to the conservation commitments entered into when HCPs are permitted and serves as a meaningful way to leverage non-Federal investment in species recovery and connect conservation lands across the landscape.

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. To be considered for funding, the land proposed for acquisition must benefit at least one Federally listed included on an active section 10(a)(1)(B) permit.

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 on the SF-429 and SF-429-B b in order to be eligible for funding but can be grouped and described for evaluation purposes at the property or transaction level. If specific properties are not yet identified, applicants may identify an area of land comprised of similar habitat type(s) and supporting a similar suite of species in which an estimated number of acres will be acquired.

Applicants must include information on what procedure will be used to ensure that high-quality habitat is targeted for acquisition should funds be awarded. A property may not be submitted for funding consideration under both the HCP Land Acquisition Grant and Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Programs in the same fiscal year.

Applications must include a statement of commitment to funding for, and implementation of, management of the habitat in perpetuity consistent with the conservation needs of the species. Projects must involve voluntary conservation efforts within the United States. An application 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 begins with the effective date established at the time the grant is approved.

However, a State may request reimbursement of pre-award costs for certain necessary expenses detailed in the grant application. Pre-award costs are those incurred prior to the approval of the grant where such costs are necessary to comply with the proposed period of performance.

Such costs are allowable only if the grant is awarded, only to the extent that they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the award, and only with the written approval of the awarding agency (2 CFR 200. 458). Grantor contact information File name Description Last updated Foa_Content_of_F26AS00071.

pdf Foa_Content_of_F26AS00071. pdf Aug 24, 2026 01:28 PM UTC FY2026_CESCF_At_Risk_Spp_List. pdf FY2026 CESCF At Risk Spp List.

pdf Aug 24, 2026 01:28 PM UTC Link to additional information Closing: October 30, 2026 10/30/2026Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due ... date. This program requires the submission of applications online through GrantSolutions.

gov as applicants will receive an acknowledgment of application receipt. GrantSolutions automatically generates an electronic date and time stamp in the system upon application receipt. Applicants are encouraged to verify the completeness of their application package before submission using the checklist provided in this Funding Opportunity.

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