New Hampshire Natural Resources Grants

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state and local governments, tribal organizations, and nonprofits for projects aimed at managing and controlling invasive and noxious plant species on public lands across the U.S.

This grant provides funding to government entities and nonprofit organizations for projects that protect land, enhance community resilience, and support conservation planning in the Appalachian Trail region.

This funding opportunity supports conservation projects that provide employment and training for young adults and veterans, helping them gain experience in environmental stewardship and resource management on public lands.

This award recognizes and rewards private landowners in New England who implement exceptional conservation practices that improve soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on their farms, ranches, or forestlands.

This program provides funding to New Hampshire public entities and eligible private organizations to replace older diesel vehicles and equipment with cleaner alternatives, reducing harmful emissions and promoting sustainable transportation.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations, governments, and educational institutions for projects that restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests, and grasslands to support diverse wildlife in the Northeast.

This program provides funding for applied research and demonstration projects that utilize advanced wood materials in transportation infrastructure, prioritizing initiatives that enhance resilience to extreme weather and support economically distressed communities.

This funding opportunity supports grassroots organizations in New England that are dedicated to anti-racist initiatives and social justice, helping them build movements and drive systemic change in their communities.

This grant provides financial support to established livestock farmers in select New England counties to implement regenerative agriculture practices that enhance soil health, water quality, and pollinator habitats.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and community partnerships in specific New Hampshire and Maine communities to address urgent health needs and improve the well-being of residents, particularly focusing on mental health, healthy aging, and caregiver support.

This grant provides funding for tax-exempt organizations and local government agencies to support community-focused projects and activities in Coös County, NH, and neighboring areas in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont.

The Aquatic Resource Mitigation (ARM) Fund in New Hampshire offers an alternative to permittee-responsible mitigation for unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources such as streams and wetlands through In-Lieu Fee (ILF) payments. These pooled funds are distributed as competitive grants across nine watershed service areas, supporting restoration, enhancement, and preservation activities aimed at compensating for losses and maintaining the state's aquatic resource functions. An annual Request for Proposals is issued by NHDES, the fund's managing entity. Applicants are evaluated by a Site Selection Committee based on criteria including alignment with the state Wildlife Action Plan and expert assessments. The ultimate goal of the ARM Fund is to ensure "no net loss" of aquatic functions and values, emphasizing the creation of sustainable, maintenance-free natural systems within their respective landscapes

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), established by Congress in 1965 and administered by the National Park Service, provides 1:1 matching financial grants to state and local governments for the acquisition and development of public outdoor recreational areas and facilities. The program is fully funded by revenues from offshore oil and gas leases. The State of New Hampshire, through its Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, distributes these grants to eligible sub-units of government following the federal guidelines which include the development of a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) and coordination by the State Liaison Officer. The 35th grant round is currently open, with Intent-to-Apply forms due by June 7, 2024. Eligible project types include development of new or existing facilities, acquisition of land for public recreation, or a combination of both. Funding requests must be between $50,000 and $500,000, with total project costs at least double the requested grant amount, as the program requires a 50% match from sponsors.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF)(formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund) to restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests and grasslands that provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/11/2024 Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The program will advance this goal by investing in projects that: Restore the quality and connectivity of stream and riparian habitats with a focus on improving habitat for river herring, Atlantic salmon, brook trout and wood turtles; Improve management of forest blocks to enhance age and structural diversity, resulting in improved forest conditions for native wildlife, with a focus on improving habitat for golden-winged warbler and New England cottontail; and, Promote hayfield management that allows for successful grassland bird breeding, with a specific focus on habitat for bobolink. Approximately $2 million is available this year. Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Zoetis Foundation and Sylvamo. Program Priorities  Proposals should strive to contribute to goals detailed in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), and specifically the strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands. (Applicants interested in supporting the priorities for Coastal Habitats in the business plan are encouraged to apply to NFWF’s Long Island Sound Futures Fund and National Coastal Resilience Fund.) Priority implementation strategies for NEFRF funding in 2024 are detailed below. Approximately $625,000 in program funding will be set aside for projects that direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices benefitting select Working Lands for Wildlife target species, especially northeast turtles and golden-winged warblers. Projects should Increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. In addition, projects that incorporate outreach to communities, foster community engagement, and pursue collaborative management leading to measurable conservation benefits are encouraged. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes and should consider traditional knowledge where relevant. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award. Grant Period Projects should plan to start no later than six months after the award date and be completed within three years. Geographical Areas  Projects are eligible from throughout the program boundary, which includes all of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, as well as parts of New York. However, within the Long Island Sound and Connecticut River watershed, NEFRF will only consider projects to sustain and restore healthy forests, grasslands and fish passage projects. All other projects should apply to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF). Eligibility Criteria  Eligible and Ineligible Entities: Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include U.S. Federal government agencies, businesses, unincorporated individuals and international organizations. For more information, visit NFWF.

Coastal Resilience Grant (CRG) Program Guidelines A. Purpose The CRG funding opportunity supports projects that: Build capacity, Advance planning, and Develop designs to increase coastal resilience, including community and/or habitat resilience, in one or more of New Hampshire’s Coastal Zone communities. Coastal Zone communities include: Dover, Durham, Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Madbury, New Castle, Newfields, Newington, Newmarket, North Hampton, Portsmouth, Rollinsford, Rye, Seabrook, and Stratham. B. Eligible Applicants and Project Categories Eligible Applicants: Coastal municipalities, Quasi-governmental organizations, Non-governmental organizations, Academic institutions, and State agencies. Preference given to lead applicant organizations with no prior CRG awards. Preferred Project Approaches: Minimize negative impacts to environmental resources. Focus on coalition-building, cultural heritage preservation, environmental justice, inclusive access, and protecting/restoring natural coastal resources. Collaboratively-develop goals, purpose, work plan, products, and outcomes. Achieve fair distribution of benefits and burdens, prioritizing those with the highest need. Eligible Project Categories: Building Capacity Projects: Increase community resilience through network building, knowledge enhancement, and resource access. Planning Projects: Develop strategic plans, assessments, or regulations to guide resilience efforts. Design Projects: Develop designs for site-specific resources/assets to increase resilience. C. Funding, Match Commitment, and Project Timeframe Funding: Total anticipated federal grant funding: ~$100,000. Request between $9,000 and $30,000 in federal grant funds per project. Federal funds cannot cover final engineering designs, permitting, construction costs, or equipment purchases exceeding $5,000. Match Commitment: Non-federal match commitment: 4:1 federal grant funds to non-federal match (cash or in-kind services). Justification for reduced or no match commitment may be provided. Project Timeframe: Duration: 12 to 18 months. Expected project start: November 2024 to January 2025. Expected project end: December 2025 to June 2026. For more details and to access the application, visit the NHDES Coastal Program website.

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) is seeking proposals to restore the health and living resources of Long Island Sound (Sound) with approximately $12 million for grants in 2024. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/13/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $1 million Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The program is managed by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Long Island Sound Study (LISS). Major funding is from EPA through the LISS with additional funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Zoetis Foundation. Program Priorities  The LISFF supports efforts to test innovative approaches to conservation, deliver transformative projects and support people and communities who value the Sound and take a role in its future. A road map guiding investments under the LISFF is the Long Island Sound Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan 2020-2024 Update (CCMP). The Long Island Sound Futures Fund invests in projects under three CCMP themes shown below, in CCMP Implementation Actions (IAs) associated with each theme, and in three CCMP cross-cutting principles: resiliency to climate change, long-term sustainability, and environmental justice all defined in the CCMP. The most competitive proposals will be those that incorporate theme(s), IA(s) and one or more cross-cutting principle(s) of the CCMP. CCMP THEME: Clean Waters and Healthy Watersheds – Improve water quality by reducing nitrogen pollution, combined sewer overflows, impervious cover, stormwater runoff, and point and nonpoint source loading into Long Island Sound through: Implementation of “shovel-ready” projects that result in quantifiable pollutant prevention. The most competitive projects will be those that address water quality at a larger or more comprehensive scale such as a neighborhood, waterfront or downtown. Proposals will be asked to describe plans for long-term maintenance. Planning activities that set-the-stage for implementation of water quality projects including: 1) community engagement, planning and prioritization; 2) feasibility, suitability or alternatives analyses; 3) site assessment and conceptual design; and 4) final design and permitting. Projects in the Upper Basin states (MA, NH, VT) of the Long Island Sound Watershed must have a specific outcome related to nitrogen/nutrient prevention as a result of project activities through: Implementation of “shovel-ready” projects that result in quantifiable nitrogen/nutrient pollutant prevention with a benefit to Long Island Sound. Proposals will be asked to describe plans for long-term maintenance of the site.  Projects must quantify nitrogen/nutrient reductions in metrics. Planning for activities that set-the-stage for implementation of quantifiable nitrogen/nutrient pollutant prevention with a benefit to Long Island Sound including: 1) community engagement, planning and prioritization; 2) feasibility, suitability or alternatives analyses; 3) site assessment and conceptual design; and 4) final design and permits. Projects must document the benefit to downstream Long Island Sound such as by indicating how the project addresses a source of nitrogen/nutrient pollution, project location and how the design of the project and its implementation will effectively reduce downstream pollution loading. CCMP THEME: Thriving Habitats and Abundant Wildlife – 1) enhance or restore coastal habitats to maintain resilience and function and to support populations of fish, birds and wildlife; and 2) sustain the ecological balance of the Sound in a healthy, productive and resilient state for the benefit of people, wildlife and the natural environment. Implementing “shovel-ready” projects habitat restoration and/or nature based or green-gray hybrid resilience projects. Proposals will be asked to describe plans for long-term maintenance. Planning that sets-the-stage for implementation of projects including: 1) community engagement, planning and prioritization; 2) feasibility, suitability or alternatives analyses; 3) site assessment and conceptual design; and 4) final design and permits. Fostering diverse, balanced and abundant populations of fish, birds and wildlife. Consider the LISS Habitat Restoration Guidelines to inform development of a proposal. CCMP THEME: Sustainable and Resilient Communities – Support vibrant, informed, and engaged communities that use, appreciate, and help protect and sustain the Sound. Projects providing hands-on conservation experiences will be more competitive. Funding Information With funding of approximately $12 million for projects in 2024, there are multiple funding categories under the LISFF each with a different range of grant funding. Implementation Projects: $50,000 to $1.5 million for projects with particularly high environmental community benefit relative to cost, including: Water quality, habitat restoration, and resilience projects. Projects with the greatest promise to demonstrate, influence, pilot, innovate, and/or provide a proof of concept with the aim of accelerating local and regional water quality improvements, natural resource restoration, coastal resilience, Environmental Justice and/or community and public outreach and engagement. Design/Planning Projects: $50,000 to $500,000 for: Water quality or habitat restoration projects. Watershed plans. Community resilience/sustainability/natural hazard mitigation plans. Project Period Projects must start within six months and be completed within 24 months after notification of grant award. Eligibility Criteria  Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, state government agencies, local government, municipal government, Tribal Governments and Organizations, and educational institutions. For more information, visit NFWF.

This grant provides financial support to community-based nature and land conservation organizations in New England and upper New York State to advance impactful conservation projects that benefit the environment and local communities.