Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round

Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round is sponsored by National Park Service. Provides funding for conservation projects in the Highlands region, including parks and recreation initiatives.

Opportunity Listing - F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding Round Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Assistance Listings: 15. 667 -- Highlands Conservation Last Updated: May 19, 2026 View version history on Grants.

gov 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...

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. Grantor contact information Shelley_DiBona@ios. doi.

gov Shelley_DiBona@ios. doi. gov Shelley_DiBona@ios.

doi. gov File name Description Last updated 5. 19.

2026_Foa_Content_of_F25AS00379. pdf 5. 19.

2026 Foa_Content_of_F25AS00379. pdf May 19, 2026 07:47 PM UTC Link to additional information Closing: October 31, 2026 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date.

Funding opportunity number : Cost sharing or matching requirement : Funding instrument type : Opportunity Category Explanation : Category of Funding Activity : Your account requires additional identity verification.