2024 Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program

The Connecticut Department Energy and Environmental Protection is currently accepting applications from municipalities, non-profit land conservation organizations, and water companies to the competitive Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program. Donor Name: Connecticut Department Energy and Environmental Protection State: Connecticut County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 12/02/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) Grant Program provides financial assistance to municipalities and nonprofit land conservation organizations to acquire land for open space, and to water companies to acquire land to be classified as Class I or Class II water supply property. Eligibility Requirements   Applicants must be a municipality, non-profit land conservation organization (e.g., land trust), or water company; Water companies must purchase land that can be classified as “Class I” or Class II” after acquisition, and must show if and how they intend to allow access to proposed land for recreational uses; If a non-profit land trust is purchasing land or interest in land located within a municipality considered as Targeted or Distressed (CGS section 32-9p), it must obtain approval form the chief elected official or governing legislative body; If a proposed property is being purchased from a water company, the property must be classified as surplus Class III land by the water company. The water company, as title holder, must be granted permission to dispose of the property by the State Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and the Department of Public Health; All lands or interest in lands acquired under this program must be preserved in perpetuity, predominantly in their natural, scenic, and open condition; For municipal applicants, if the municipality’s current Plan of Conservation and Development is more than 10 years old, a grant cannot be awarded; Applicants must show evidence of compliance with the terms and conditions of any previously awarded grants; Applicants must clearly show how the public will access and enjoy the property.  If public access is not clearly shown, the property will not be evaluated or awarded a grant. Applicants must show a reasonable anticipation that cost-share match funding will be available within one year of the State grant being awarded. Applicants with projects which were awarded prior to year 2021 should not apply until those projects are fully completed/closed with the Department, or grant funds are turned back/returned. Grant funds cannot be used to purchase:  Land to be used for commercial activities or for recreational purposes requiring intensive development; Land which has already been committed for public use or is already encumbered by a conservation easement; Land to be acquired by eminent domain. For more information, visit CDEEP.