Environment grants (Over $500K)

First awarded in fiscal year (FY) 2001, Recovery Land Acquisition grants promote State and Federal cooperation in listed species conservation by leveraging funds to acquire specific parcels of land, through fee simple or conservation easement, in support of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)-approved recovery plans and outlines. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) conveys the importance of recovery plans as a central organizing tool for guiding the recovery process by requiring their development for every listed species.

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.

Expected Outcome: Proposals are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: stakeholders involved in biodiversity conservation and restoration activities have an improved understanding of how direct and indirect drivers [1] of biodiversity decline work, considering spatial and temporal scales and dynamics, and their interactions; the implementation at different spatial and temporal scales of the EU biodiversity policies and legislation, notably the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) is improved, enabling the prioritisation of actions and the identification of systemic solutions; stakeholders, including primary producers, whose business models rely on ecosystem services are better equipped to take strategic decisions that support biodiversity, thereby increasing opportunities while reducing their exposure to risks linked to the decline of these services. Scope: Biodiversity decline has rippling effects on climate, economy, and human well-being. Focusing on representative groups of invertebrates (including insects, molluscs and crustaceans and, in particular, understudied taxonomic groups) across representative European terrestrial, freshwater and marine…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Improved detection, localization, characterization and, when applicable, neutralisation, of unmanned vehicles alone or in swarms, involved in trafficking or smuggling activities across external borders, while complying with legal and ethical guidelines; Improved border situational awareness, especially in the context of large-scale movements of people across borders, including from potential instrumentalisation of irregular migration, conflicts, social, economic, environmental and climate stress; Better safeguard and promotion of fundamental rights thanks to enhanced situational awareness; Reliable, redundant detection and reaction capacities without putting staff and society at risk. Scope: Capabilities for situational awareness and surveillance of land and sea borders need improvement, in consideration of potential future challenges that may require updated capabilities. These challenges may include potential future large-scale movements of people across external borders, resulting from future attempts to instrumentalisation of irregular migration, but also from…

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

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 Base Funding Round in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Competitive 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

Expected Outcome: The Regional cable hubs will contribute to enhancing and consolidating collective situational awareness and capabilities in detection, supporting the development of an operational capacities to ensure the security and resilience of undersea cables. The hubs should act as a central point allowing for broader pooling of data and information relevant for the security environment of the cables, enabling the dissemination of threat information and incident detection on a regional scale and among a diverse set of national actors as designated by each Member States (e.g. National Hubs, CSIRTs.) The Hubs should allow a rapid exchange of information, even if classified among participating authorities in a given hub. To that end, the participating authorities shall set procedural arrangements on cooperation and information sharing. Furthermore, regional cable hubs could also benefit from additional solutions for the surveillance and protection of submarine cables, and the detection of malicious activities. For instance, situational awareness performed through the collection and analysis of in-situ, sea-based sensor data as well as relevant satellite imagery or undersea…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: An increased number of local authorities systematically identify and quantify vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces for reuse in neighbourhoods [1] in a context-sensitive way to address local community [1] challenges and needs. Increase in renovated, renatured, or converted spaces that address local community challenges and needs. Scope: Europe’s housing needs, inefficient use of the existing building stock, environmental commitments, and the EU’s goal of “no net land take” by 2050 make a compelling case for reusing the significant number of existing spaces, including buildings and infrastructure, that are vacant, obsolete or underutilised. In Europe, there are, for instance, an estimated 19,000 km² of underutilised brownfield land and 300 km² of vacant or underutilised office space [3] . The reuse of vacant, obsolete or underutilised spaces, following circularity [1] and sufficiency principles, can help address community challenges and needs thanks to their typical proximity and connection to essential infrastructure and services. While vacant, obsolete or underutilised…

Expected Outcome: Strengthening the expert capacity in the EU in a wide range of raw materials along the whole value chain; Better informed and more effective decision-making by the EU and National policy makers and the producers and users of raw materials regarding the supply and demand of raw materials and the associated environmental and social aspects; Improved EU official statistics and building the EU knowledge base of primary and secondary raw materials. Scope: Actions should strengthen an EU expert network and community covering all raw materials screened in the critical raw materials assessment of 2027. Flexibility in screening additional raw materials will be an added value. The consortium should build the EU expert community covering each screened raw material with expertise on primary and secondary resources; production, including exploration, mining, processing, recycling and refining; substitution of critical raw materials; raw materials markets; future demand and supply; supply risk management and stress tests; materials flows; raw materials standardisation; environmental footprint, socio-economic analysis, and strategic value chains and end-use sectors, including…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to some or all of the following expected outcomes: Creation of an integrated ecosystem for secure and resilient communication systems to support civil security operations across Europe; Advancement of next-generation capabilities, ensuring robust, scalable, and interoperable communication systems for critical civil security functions relevant for the future EU Critical Communication System (EUCCS). Scope: The European Union Critical Communication System (EUCCS) is a flagship initiative aiming at gradual development of a unified, secure, and interoperable communication infrastructure to support critical public safety and civil security operations across Europe. Aims to provide law enforcement, first responders, emergency services, and other critical sectors with reliable, real-time communication capabilities, even in challenging or high-risk environments. This topic aims to streamline the creation of an integrated ecosystem for secure and resilient communication systems that support civil security operations across Europe. It aims to advance next-generation capabilities, ensuring robust, scalable, and interoperable…

Using appropriations to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) anticipates providing grants to support implementation of interjurisdictional projects that cut across state and tribal Great Lakes Interstate Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plans (AIS Plans). Grants will be awarded based on a competitive process for which only Great Lakes states and tribes (or their designee) are eligible. Funding will be prioritized towards target action-oriented projects that support Great Lakes Panel regional priorities and focus on pathway intervention, detection activities, and active prevention. Two categories of projects will be considered for funding: Sustaining Projects and New Projects. Sustaining Projects are projects that continue previously funded interjurisdictional work and are deemed a priority for continued regional AIS management and prevention support. New Projects are previously unfunded work with the potential to improve regional AIS management and prevention.

Quagga and Zebra Mussels are aquatic invasive species that are rapidly expanding their range in the Western United States. Popular recreational reservoirs on or connected to the lower Colorado River are one major source of invasive mussels, which are easily transported via trailered watercraft to areas that have not yet been invaded. This funding opportunity will fund projects in the listed principal areas towards the fulfillment of the top priorities in the Quagga/Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters (QZAP 2.0) and will be limited to states within the boundaries of the Western Regional Panel within the United States.

Supports landowners and tenants within the National Forest or close to the boundary to create woodland, enhance habitats and deliver environmental, community and economic benefits through tree planting and forest creation projects. The grant uses standard-cost items with rates linked to nationally available tree-planting and agri-environment grants.

Using appropriations to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) anticipates providing grants to support implementation of Great Lakes State Aquatic Invasive Species Management Plans (State AIS Plans). State AIS Plans have been transmitted by state governors and then approved by the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. All state grants will be awarded based on a competitive process for which only Great Lakes states or their designee are eligible.

England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) supports the establishment of new woodlands and is administered by the Forestry Commission. The ‘Find a grant’ tool requires a ‘closing date’ to be specified – 31 March 2030 reflects the period EWCO funding is currently confirmed until, rather than a known closure date. EWCO is funded through the Defra Trees Programme.

The National Fish Passage Program (NFPP) provides technical and financial assistance to partners to remove instream barriers and restore aquatic connectivity, improve community safety, and support local economies. Fish passage projects benefit communities by reducing flood risk, improving recreational opportunities, and improving roads while supporting native fish populations and aquatic ecosystems. NFPP project examples include obsolete and dangerous infrastructure removals, culvert replacements, floodplain restoration, and the installation of fishways. It is estimated that for every $1 million invested by the program, $1.5 million in value is added to the economy.The program is delivered through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) field offices nationwide. Local Service staff work with partners to identify and implement projects. Projects are based on sound science, advance the Service mission, and promote aquatic connectivity. Contact a regional NFPP Coordinator in your area for information about program priorities and the application process.The Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026, allocated $15 million for the National Fish Passage Program, of which $5 million is designated for implementing the Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act (FRIMA) (Public Law 106-502) of 2000.

The Heritage at Risk Capital Fund (HARCF) supports the repair and conservation of historic buildings and sites at risk across England. Following the successful first year of the fund, which saw £15 million invested in projects across England, up to £60 million remains available for allocation over the next four years, to 2030. Priority will be given to projects in areas of England with the highest level of deprivation and need for investment, and those that bring most community benefit.