Opportunity Information: Apply for F22AS00304
The Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program (Competitive Funding) is a discretionary federal grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the authority of the Highlands Conservation Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 3901). Its core purpose is to help four states, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, conserve land and natural resources within the Highlands Region by providing federal cost-share support for land conservation deals. In practice, the program funds projects where a state entity purchases land, or a legal interest in land (such as a conservation easement), from a willing seller, with the requirement that the acquisition permanently protects resources that have been identified as having high conservation value.
A key eligibility and targeting feature is that proposed conservation projects must fall within priority areas recognized in the Highlands studies that the Act relies on for defining “high conservation value” lands: the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study (2002 Update) and the Highlands Regional Study Connecticut and Pennsylvania (2010 Update). The USDA Forest Service was directed by the Act to identify these high-value lands through those studies, and applications are expected to be consistent with the mapped and described resource priority areas in those documents. Funding is subject to annual congressional appropriation, and each year the Governors of the four eligible states may submit proposals seeking up to 50 percent of the total project cost, meaning applicants should generally expect to provide at least a 50 percent non-federal match for an acquisition project.
This notice covers only the Competitive Funding portion of the program. Appropriated funds under the Highlands Conservation Act are split into two tracks, Base and Competitive, and the government posts separate notices for each. An important rule is that the same property cannot be submitted under both the Base and Competitive opportunities, so applicants need to choose one path per parcel or project area. The opportunity is categorized as a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) and sits within the Natural Resources funding activity category under CFDA 15.667.
Only State Conservation Agencies are eligible to apply, which makes this a state-government-only program rather than one open to local governments, nonprofits, or private land trusts as direct applicants. However, the notice allows a subaward arrangement to another State Conservation Agency, providing some flexibility when more than one state agency is involved in getting a conservation transaction across the finish line. If an eligible State Conservation Agency other than the “Traditional HCA Lead State Agency” intends to submit an application for a project based in that state, the lead state agency must be notified at least one month before the application is submitted. The listed lead contacts are: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Matt Starr, matthew.starr@ct.gov, 860-424-3080), New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (Lynn Kovach, lynn.kovach@parks.ny.gov, 518-408-1967), New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council (Carole Ann Dicton, caroleann.dicton@highlands.nj.gov, 908-879-6737 ext. 105), and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (Dan Pierce, danipierce@pa.gov, 717-772-3742).
From a policy and outcomes standpoint, the program is framed as supporting broader national conservation priorities, including the Biden-Harris Administration’s America the Beautiful Initiative and its 30-by-30 goal to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The notice emphasizes several public benefits tied to Highlands land protection: improving climate resilience across the landscape, safeguarding drinking water supplies used by millions of people, expanding access to the outdoors through the creation of new recreation acres in a densely populated region (noting that roughly one in nine Americans live in or within a two-hour drive of the Highlands), and protecting strategically important habitats that support diverse fish and wildlife communities, including priority at-risk species.
Administrative details from the source listing include the opportunity number F22AS00304, an original closing date of 2022-10-31, and an award ceiling listed as 14,200,240. The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided data. The eligible applicant type is state governments, and the administering federal agency is the Fish and Wildlife Service.Apply for F22AS00304
- The Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program – Competitive Funding" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.667.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-04-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-10-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $14,200,240.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program (Competitive Funding) - FAQs
What is the Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program (Competitive Funding)?
It is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Highlands Conservation Act of 2004 (16 U.S.C. 3901). The Competitive Funding track provides federal cost-share support for land conservation projects within the Highlands Region.
What is the main purpose of this competitive grant opportunity?
The program helps conserve land and natural resources in the Highlands Region by funding land acquisition projects (or acquisition of a legal interest in land, such as a conservation easement) from willing sellers, with the requirement that the acquisition permanently protects resources identified as having high conservation value.
Which states are covered by this grant program?
The program supports projects in four states: Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Who is eligible to apply?
Only State Conservation Agencies are eligible applicants. This is a state-government-only opportunity and is not open to local governments, nonprofits, or private land trusts as direct applicants based on the information provided.
Can nonprofits, land trusts, or local governments apply directly?
No. The eligible applicant type listed is state governments, and the notice specifies that only State Conservation Agencies may apply.
Are subawards allowed under this opportunity?
Yes. The notice allows a subaward arrangement to another State Conservation Agency, which can be useful when more than one state agency is involved in completing a conservation transaction.
What types of projects does the program fund?
The program funds conservation projects where a state entity purchases land or purchases a legal interest in land (for example, a conservation easement) from a willing seller, and where the acquisition permanently protects high conservation value resources.
Does the seller have to be willing?
Yes. The program description specifies acquisitions from a willing seller.
Is permanent protection required?
Yes. The acquisition must permanently protect resources that have been identified as having high conservation value.
What makes a project area eligible from a conservation-value standpoint?
Proposed conservation projects must fall within priority areas recognized in the Highlands studies used by the Act to define lands with high conservation value, and applications are expected to be consistent with the mapped and described resource priority areas in those documents.
Which studies define the priority areas for "high conservation value" lands?
The notice points to two Highlands studies: the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study (2002 Update) and the Highlands Regional Study Connecticut and Pennsylvania (2010 Update).
Who identified the high conservation value lands referenced by the program?
The USDA Forest Service was directed by the Act to identify high conservation value lands through the Highlands studies referenced in the notice.
How much federal funding can a state request for a project?
Each year, the Governors of the four eligible states may submit proposals seeking up to 50 percent of the total project cost.
Is a non-federal match required?
Yes. Because requests may be up to 50 percent of total project cost, applicants should generally expect to provide at least a 50 percent non-federal match for an acquisition project.
Is funding guaranteed every year?
No. Funding is subject to annual congressional appropriation.
What is the difference between the Competitive and Base funding tracks?
Appropriated funds under the Highlands Conservation Act are split into two tracks: Base and Competitive. This notice covers only the Competitive Funding portion, and separate notices are posted for each track.
Can the same property be submitted under both the Base and Competitive opportunities?
No. The same property cannot be submitted under both tracks. Applicants must choose one path per parcel or project area.
What is the funding instrument type for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized as a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant).
What is the CFDA number and funding activity category?
The CFDA number listed is 15.667, and the funding activity category is Natural Resources.
Which federal agency administers the program?
The administering federal agency is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
What national priorities or initiatives does the program support?
The program is framed as supporting broader national conservation priorities, including the Biden-Harris Administration's America the Beautiful Initiative and the 30-by-30 goal to conserve 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
What public benefits are highlighted in the notice?
The notice emphasizes benefits such as improving climate resilience, safeguarding drinking water supplies used by millions of people, expanding outdoor access through new recreation acres in a densely populated region, and protecting strategically important habitats supporting diverse fish and wildlife communities, including priority at-risk species.
Why does the notice emphasize drinking water and recreation?
The notice notes that Highlands land protection helps safeguard drinking water supplies used by millions of people and can expand access to the outdoors by creating new recreation acres in a region where roughly one in nine Americans live in or within a two-hour drive of the Highlands.
If a state conservation agency other than the traditional lead agency wants to apply, is there a notice requirement?
Yes. If an eligible State Conservation Agency other than the "Traditional HCA Lead State Agency" intends to submit an application for a project based in that state, the lead state agency must be notified at least one month before the application is submitted.
Who are the listed lead state agency contacts for required notification?
The notice lists the following lead contacts:
- Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection: Matt Starr (matthew.starr@ct.gov, 860-424-3080)
- New York Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation: Lynn Kovach (lynn.kovach@parks.ny.gov, 518-408-1967)
- New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council: Carole Ann Dicton (caroleann.dicton@highlands.nj.gov, 908-879-6737 ext. 105)
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: Dan Pierce (danipierce@pa.gov, 717-772-3742)
What is the opportunity number for this notice?
The opportunity number provided is F22AS00304.
What was the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed is 2022-10-31.
What is the award ceiling shown in the listing?
The award ceiling listed is 14,200,240.
How many awards will be made?
The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided information.
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