Northern Great Plains Program

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has announced its Northern Great Plains grant opportunity to support voluntary conservation and restoration efforts of grasslands and associated wildlife in the Northern Great Plains region. The program is part of NFWF’s broader conservation strategy to maintain interconnected grassland ecosystems, support native wildlife species, and protect cultural identities and sustainable livelihoods, particularly among tribal communities. Funding partners include major federal agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, along with private and philanthropic supporters including the Bezos Earth Fund and Margret A. Cargill Philanthropies. The program targets four focal areas: Dakota Grasslands, Missouri-Milk River Grasslands, Nebraska Sandhills, and the Powder River-Thunder Basin Grasslands. Projects must contribute directly and measurably to the goals outlined in the Northern Great Plains Program Business Plan. Priorities include improving grassland connectivity, enhancing tribal buffalo culture and food sovereignty, implementing habitat restoration strategies, and increasing voluntary management practices that lead to long-term positive changes in land use. Conservation strategies supported include permanent easements, grass banking, habitat re-seeding, invasive species removal, and prescribed fire management. Species-specific outcomes are also emphasized. These include the removal or modification of fencing for pronghorn passage, meadow restoration for greater sage-grouse, addressing limiting factors for grassland-obligate songbirds, and sylvatic plague vaccination for prairie dog colonies to support black-footed ferret conservation. To guide applicants, NFWF provides a list of project metrics through its Easygrants system that applicants are expected to use in full proposals to measure success. The Northern Great Plains program will issue between 15 to 25 grants ranging from $200,000 to $1.5 million, with up to three years of support per project. While cost share is not mandatory, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a 1:1 match through cash or in-kind contributions, including services, volunteer hours, and indirect costs not covered by grant funds. Match levels are considered during proposal review. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, federal and state agencies, tribal governments, educational institutions, and local/municipal governments. Businesses and individuals are not eligible. Ineligible expenses include political advocacy, litigation, and compliance with legal mandates, though projects enhancing existing compliance are permitted. Projects must adhere to specific federal procurement and compliance guidelines. Applications must be submitted via NFWF’s Easygrants platform. The full proposal deadline is February 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. An applicant webinar is scheduled for November 20, 2025. Awards will be announced in May 2026. Questions regarding the program can be directed to Seth Gallagher (seth.gallagher@nfwf.org) or Dani Tinnin (dani.tinnin@nfwf.org), while technical assistance with Easygrants should be sent to Easygrants@nfwf.org or via voicemail at 202-595-2497 during business hours.

Tie proposals to program priority outcomes and species metrics; target high-risk tillage areas for competitiveness.