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Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program – Competitive Funding

ID: F22AS00304 • Type: Posted
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Description

The Highlands Conservation Act (H.R. 1964, 2004; 16 U.S.C. 3901) (HCA) is designed to assist Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in conserving land and natural resources in the Highlands Region through Federal grants to support land conservation projects in which a State entity acquires land or an interest in land from a willing seller to permanently protect resources of high conservation value. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) was directed by the HCA to identify lands that have high conservation value through the New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update and the Highlands Regional Study: Connecticut and Pennsylvania 2010 Update. Subject to availability of funds through Federal appropriation, each year, 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. Proposed projects must be consistent with areas identified in the Study and Update as having high resource value. This program funds land conservation by State Conservation Agencies in the Highlands Region. Funding appropriated under the HCA has been divided into two separate categories Base and Competitive. Eligible applicants may submit requests for Competitive Funding in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Base Funds. A property may not be proposed for funding from both the Base and Competitive funding opportunities. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) administers the HCA grant program. The HCA program supports the goals set forth in the Biden-Harris Administration's America the Beautiful Initiative, including the conservation of 30% of America's lands and waters by the year 2030. Land conservation in the Highlands Region is increasing climate change resiliency of the landscape and is protecting drinking water resources used by millions of people. The HCA grant program is connecting people with nature and the outdoors by creating new recreation acres in a region where one in nine Americans live or are within a two-hour drive. The HCA grant program is protecting strategically important natural areas that sustain a diversity of fish and wildlife species, including priority at-risk species.
Background
The Highlands Conservation Act (H.R. 1964, 2004; 16 U.S.C. 3901) (HCA) is designed to assist Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in conserving land and natural resources in the Highlands Region through Federal grants to support land conservation projects. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) was directed by the HCA to identify lands that have high conservation value through the “New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update” and the “Highlands Regional Study: Connecticut and Pennsylvania 2010 Update.” Each year, 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. Proposed projects must be consistent with areas identified in the Study and Update as having high resource value. This program funds land conservation by State Conservation Agencies in the Highlands Region.

Grant Details
In FY 2022, a minimum of $14,200,240 in Competitive funding is anticipated to be available for grants in the Highlands Region of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. There is no limit on the number of proposals each State may submit in response to this funding opportunity. The earliest anticipated project start date is December 1, 2022. Project periods will be no longer than 3 years from the date the grantee is notified of an award. A one-year extension may be considered under extenuating circumstances. The expected number of awards is 6 with a maximum award amount of $14,200,240 and a minimum award amount of $25,000.

Eligibility Requirements
Only State Conservation Agencies are eligible to apply for funds. A subaward agreement to another State Conservation Agency is allowed. The Traditional HCA Lead State Agency for the State where the HCA grant application is based must be notified 1 month before an application is submitted by another eligible State Conservation Agency.

Period of Performance
The project periods will be no longer than 3 years from the date the grantee is notified of an award with a one-year extension considered under extenuating circumstances.

Grant Value
$14,200,240 in Competitive funding is anticipated to be available for grants with a maximum award amount of $14,200,240 and a minimum award amount of $25,000.

Place of Performance
The grant will be performed in the Highlands Region of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Show All

Overview

Agency
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) [DOI]
Category of Funding
Natural Resources
Funding Instruments
Grant
Grant Program (CFDA)
15.667 - Highlands Conservation
Grant Category
Discretionary
Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement
True
Source
Grants.gov
On 4/13/22 Fish and Wildlife Service posted grant opportunity F22AS00304 for Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program – Competitive Funding with funding of $14.2 million. The grant will be issued under grant program 15.667 Highlands Conservation.

Timing

Posted Date
April 13, 2022, 12:00 a.m. EDT
Closing Date
Oct. 31, 2022, 12:00 a.m. EDT Past Due
Closing Date Explanation
Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM., ET, on the listed application due date. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be open until October 31, 2022. At 60-day intervals, the Service may choose to amend the NOFO in the event that the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act becomes law. There is an incentive for applicants to send in the application early in the process. Applications received by the following dates will be evaluated and may be selected for awards: the highest quality proposals submitted by June 30, 2022 and August 30, 2022 may be notified of award decisions 30 days after these benchmarks. A total of no more than two thirds of the available funds for this opportunity will be awarded prior to the final deadline of October 31, 2022. No eligible proposals will be declined prior to the final deadline, and all eligible proposals that are not selected for earlier funding will be evaluated along with eligible proposals submitted during the open period. Applications not selected for early notification will be notified of award decisions by December 1, 2022. Applicants are encouraged to notify the Service contact listed below (Section G.1) when applications are submitted. APPLICATION CHECKLIST Project Abstract Project Narrative Project Criteria (section E.1.) Separate Budget Narrative Indirect Cost Statement and related documentation Conflict of Interest Disclosure  Single Audit Reporting Statement SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities  Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance SF-424D, Assurances SF-424C, Budget Information SF-429B, Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish Real Property Failure to provide complete information may cause delays, postponement, or rejection of the application.
Last Updated
May 16, 2022, 11:35 a.m. EDT
Version
2

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants
State governments
Additional Info
Only State Conservation Agencies are eligible to apply for funds. A subaward agreement to another State Conservation Agency is allowed. The Traditional HCA Lead State Agency for the State where the HCA grant application is based must be notified 1 month before an application is submitted by another eligible State Conservation Agency. The Traditional HCA Lead State Agency and the appropriate individual to contact is as follows:   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

Award Sizing

Ceiling
$14,200,240
Floor
$25,000
Estimated Program Funding
$14,200,240
Estimated Number of Grants
Not Listed

Contacts

Contact
Fish and Wildlife Service
Contact Email
jason_rasku@fws.gov   Profile
Contact Phone
22041-3803

Documents

Posted documents for F22AS00304

Grant Awards

Grants awarded through F22AS00304

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