Massachusetts Natural Resources Grants

The FY25 LAND Grant Program, managed by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), offers financial assistance to Massachusetts municipal conservation and agriculture commissions. The program supports the acquisition of conservation land to enhance outdoor recreation, conserve natural resources, and address climate change impacts. Eligible projects include purchases of land or conservation restrictions, and all properties acquired under this program are required to be open to the public for passive recreation. Grant renwed every year

The FY25 Conservation Partnership Grant, overseen by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), supports qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and conservation districts in acquiring conservation or recreation land within Massachusetts. The grant encourages projects that conserve natural resources, offer recreational opportunities, and address climate resilience aligned with Executive Order 569. Funding is aimed at land purchases or conservation restrictions, with due diligence costs eligible for gifts of land. This reimbursement grant emphasizes protecting strategic open spaces that provide public access and maintain ecological value.

The Food Security Infrastructure Grant (FSIG) Program seeks to ensure that farmers, commercial fishermen, and other local food producers are better engaged with a strong, resilient food system to help mitigate food supply and distribution disruptions, as well as to ensure that individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth have equitable access to food, with a focus on food that is produced locally. Donor Name: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources State: Massachusetts County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/02/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Projects to enhance equitable access to food for individuals and families throughout the Commonwealth, with a focus on food that is produced locally. The FSIG program (“Program”) also seeks to ensure that farmers, fisherman, and other local food producers are better connected to markets in a strong, resilient food system, and that they have the infrastructure needed to produce and distribute healthy food efficiently and safely. Providing greater, more equitable access to local food and strengthening the role of local food in the Commonwealth’s food system is an important goal of the Program. Local food is defined through this Program as food which is grown/produced and distributed within the Commonwealth. The local food system is a network of consumers, workers, businesses, owners, and supporting organizations engaged in an array of activities, including fishing, farming, preparing, marketing, distributing, serving, and eating food. This network works to produce and distribute food that nourishes the communities, sustains businesses and workers, and supports responsible stewardship of the land, water, and other natural resources. Funding Information Part I: Agriculture Maximum funding per applicant $500,000. Part II: Local Food System Maximum funding per applicant $500,000. Grant Period July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025. Eligible Projects  Eligible projects must be capital improvements including the purchase of equipment and contracted labor costs in order to implement projects, or costs associated with planning and design directly related to capital projects that will allow applicants to strengthen and improve the resiliency of the Commonwealth’s food system while allowing greater access to fresh, local food in a way that addresses systemic inequities. Eligibility Criteria  Applicants may be individuals, for-profit, or non-profit entities. Municipalities and other governmental entities may also be eligible to apply, provided all necessary requirements to submit an application can be met, the ability to utilize funding can be demonstrated, and the entity has the ability to enter into a contract with MDAR. For more information, visit MDAR.

This program provides funding to Massachusetts-based clean technology startups and academic institutions for projects that advance innovations in areas like high performance buildings, clean transportation, offshore wind, and net zero grid technologies.