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

Federal funding opportunity F26AS00071 from Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior).

Apply on Grants.gov →Application closes October 30, 2026

Posted
August 24, 2026
Closes
October 30, 2026
Award ceiling
$26,000,000
Award floor
$10,000
Program funding
$26,000,000
Expected awards
10
Cost sharing
Yes
Instrument
Grant
Assistance listing
15.615
Category
Environment
Archives
November 2, 2026

Program funding history

Awards made under Assistance Listing 15.615 across FY2024–FY2026, from public federal spending records.

FY2024 obligated
$86.9M
FY2025 obligated
−$27.4M
FY2026 (to date) obligated
$909,935
Awards in window
588

A negative year is a net de-obligation: downward adjustments to earlier awards exceeded new obligations in that year.

Top recipients: State of California Department of Fish & Wildlife, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Department of Natural Resources, State of Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, California Department of Fish & Wildlife

Source: USAspending.gov · refreshed September 2026 · Program page: awards, recipients and the opportunities under this listing →

Synopsis

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.

Who can apply

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.…

How to apply

Applications go through the official government listing. Grants Radar links you straight to the source — applying is free.

View on Grants.gov

Agency contact: Fish and Wildlife Service · [email protected] · 22041-3803

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