Conservation Grants for New York
Deadline: September 14, 2007
In 2001, the Land Trust Alliance, in partnership with the State of New York, developed an initiative to secure annual appropriations from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) to strengthen New York land trust community and dramatically accelerate the pace of private land conservation across the state. This initiative blossomed into an innovative public-private initiative known as the New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP). Through this program, Alliance-member land trusts operating in New York State are eligible to receive competitive matching investments in four categories: Conservation Capacity & Excellence Grants, Conservation Catalyst Grants, Conservation Transaction Grants, and Professional Development Grants.
Since inception, the New York State Conservation Partnership Program has received a total of $3.0 million in Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) appropriations. First funded at $250,000 in 2002, state funding for the program was recently increased to $1 million by Governor Spitzer and the New York State Legislature. The Alliance administers this program, in coordination with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
The 2007-2008 State budget includes a $250 million Environmental Protection Fund and a $1 million appropriation for a sixth round of grants and technical assistance in 2007-08. Grant awards will be announced by the Land Trust Alliance and Department of Environmental Conservation in early 2008.
Applicants are encouraged to provide letters of support from local governments and/or other public partners in the project area. Proven collaboration amongst local partners can make a grant application more competitive. Preference is given to projects that specifically support protection of priority areas identified in the New York State Open Space Plan (www.dec.state.ny.us).
The overarching goals of NYSCPP grants are 1) to dramatically increase the pace of land conservation in New York State and 2) to guide land trusts toward implementation of the Land Trust Standards and Practices, the accepted ethical, legal, and operational standards for land trust excellence. Selected projects must document matching funds, the cash portion of which must come from non-state funding sources. To date, grant awards have ranged from $1,000 to $50,000.
For more information please contact:
Ethan Winter
Land Trust Alliance Northeast Office
P.O. Box 792
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 587-0774
(518) 587-9586
