F25AS00332 Highlands Conservation Act – Competitive Funding Round

Opportunity details

Agency

FISH and Wildlife Service

Notice type

Federal Grant

Original posted

May 19, 2026

Last updated

October 30, 2026

Notice ID

grant-362484

Summary

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 under the HCA is typically divided into two separate categories – Base and Competitive. Eligible applicants may submit requests for the Competitive Funding Round in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Base Funds. A project may not be proposed for funding in both funding opportunities.More information on the HCA program is available at www.fws.gov/program/highlands-conservation-act-grant

Summary fields are from official SAM.gov or Grants.gov structured data. CaptureIQ does not republish full solicitation or grant text.

Eligibility

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.gov

Eligible applicant categories

• State governments

Official Grants.gov eligibility information. Listed categories are not a determination that an organization qualifies.

Funding and program

Assistance Listing

15.667

Funding instrument

Grant

Cost sharing

Required

Estimated total program funding

3,850,000

Expected number of awards

4 (government estimate, not a guaranteed count)

Official modification date

May 19, 2026

Estimated total program funding is the government figure for the whole program, not an individual award ceiling. The expected number of awards is a government estimate, not a guaranteed count. These figures are estimates, not guaranteed funding.

Related Federal Opportunities

• F25AS00379 Highlands Conservation Act - Base Funding RoundFISH and Wildlife Service · Due Oct 31, 20
• F26AS00085 Aquatic Invasive Species Interjurisdictional Grants to the Great Lakes States and Tribes - Fiscal Year 2026 Great Lakes Restoration InitiativeFISH and Wildlife Service · Due Dec 31, 20
• F26AS00084 Aquatic Invasive Species Grants to Great Lakes Tribes - Fiscal Year 2026 Great Lakes Restoration InitiativeFISH and Wildlife Service · Due Dec 31, 20
• F26AS00083 Aquatic Invasive Species Grants to Great Lakes States - Fiscal Year 2026 Great Lakes Restoration InitiativeFISH and Wildlife Service · Due Dec 31, 20