Utah Natural Resources Grants

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is seeking proposals for the 2024 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund to advance pollinator conservation. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/24/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The goal of the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund (Pollinator Fund) is to protect, conserve, and increase habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators.  The most competitive projects will demonstrate clear benefits to both monarch butterfly and additional at-risk native insect pollinator species (i.e., federally listed, candidate, or proposed native insect pollinator species). Special consideration will be given to projects benefiting rusty patched bumble bee, Franklin’s bumble bee, Karner blue butterfly, Dakota skipper, Poweshiek skipperling, and Mitchell’s satyr. Categories Grants will be awarded in two categories:  Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands Funding in this category will support implementation of technical assistance to increase the number of private landowners voluntarily engaged in monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation practices on private working lands. Up to $2 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $150,000 to $500,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to three years in length following finalization of the grant agreement. This category aims to support conservation planning and practice design with private landowners to advance voluntary conservation efforts on working lands that align with NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife frameworks or initiatives, and especially increase Working Lands for Wildlife participation among farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. The 2024 Pollinator Fund RFP will support projects that: Direct staff resources to help agricultural producers design and implement conservation practices. Increase Farm Bill program participation and conservation practice implementation among agricultural producers, especially farmers and ranchers in the Historically Underserved and Special Emphasis categories. Funding in this category will support the following two strategies: Hiring additional staff or contractors, based on demonstrated need, including staff to assist private landowners and NRCS with developing pollinator habitat management plans and implementation of new and existing NRCS financial assistance contracts. Targeting outreach to landowners and other partners to prioritize, plan, and deliver financial assistance available through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and other Farm Bill programs to improve pollinator habitat and support at-risk pollinator species. Habitat Improvement Funding in this category will support on-the-ground work to increase the quality, quantity, and connectivity of habitat for the monarch butterfly and other native insect pollinators. Up to $3.1 million is expected to be available for grants ranging from $200,000 to $300,000. Funding will be awarded for projects up to two years in length following finalization of the grant agreement. Applicants in this category should define a step-by-step restoration plan including site preparation, equipment used, planting techniques, size of the project area, description of target native plant community, and maintenance plan (e.g., prescribed burning, mowing, grazing schedules). Projects proposed to benefit other at-risk native insect pollinators should specify habitat needs for those species and how the proposed work will support their breeding, nectaring, nesting, or other habitat needs. Funding in this category will support the following two strategies: Restore and enhance pollinator habitat, with an emphasis on regionally appropriate milkweed and a diversity of native nectar plants. Increase native seed and seedling supply, with an emphasis on improving the sustainability and affordability of regionally appropriate, local ecotypes. Program Priorities  All proposals must specifically address how the proposed project will directly and measurably contribute to the accomplishment of the Pollinator Fund’s goals as outlined in NFWF’s Monarch Butterfly Business Plan. As such, all proposals must provide the number of acres restored or enhanced as a result of the project. Proposals must include plans to restore or enhance a minimum of 100 acres in California or 500 acres in all other eligible states. Acres may be counted from multiple sites; the sites do not need to be contiguous. Since 2015, successful proposals have included a median of 960 acres and an average of 2,120 acres restored or enhanced.  Funding Information The Pollinator Fund will award up to $5.1 million in grants in 2024: up to $2 million for Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands and up to $3.1 million for Habitat Improvement. Funding is provided by Bayer Crop Science, Danone North America, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Forest Service (USFS).  Geographical Areas  Technical Assistance for Private Working Lands  Grant funding will be awarded in the following eligible states: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Within eligible states, priority will be given to projects located in the North Core, South Core, West Core, and Overwintering Monarch Conservation Units. Projects are restricted to private working lands. Habitat Improvement Grant funding will be awarded in the following eligible states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Within eligible states, priority will be given to projects located in the North Core, South Core, West Core, and Overwintering Monarch Conservation Units. West of the Rocky Mountains, priority will be given to projects on or adjacent to the following: monarch butterfly overwintering sites, BLM lands, and USFS lands. Eligibility Criteria  Eligible and Ineligible Entities: Eligible applicants include nonprofit 501(c) organizations, U.S. federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, tribal governments and organizations, and educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include businesses, unincorporated individuals, and international organizations. For more information, visit NFWF.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for projects that voluntarily conserve, restore, and improve habitat in the Intermountain West. Donor Name: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) State: Idaho, Utah County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant | In-Kind Deadline: 08/06/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The objective of the Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program (RMR) is to work in focal landscapes in the region to restore and conserve wildlife species associated with sagebrush, irrigated meadows and aquatic systems while conserving the phenomenon of large mammal migration. Competitive proposals submitted under this RFP will support voluntary strategic projects that accelerate and implement conservation practices as identified in the Rocky Mountain Rangelands Business Plan. The following practices will be given priority consideration during this funding cycle: Projects that promote innovations in grazing management that result in sustainable livestock production, enhanced wildlife habitat and improved ecosystem services including increasing carbon sequestration Innovative and strategic management of annual invasive grasses Habitat enhancement through mesic area/wet meadow, sagebrush restoration and strategic conifer removal on Bureau of Land Management lands that may also include cross jurisdictional ownership Promote the removal or modification of fence or other anthropogenic obstructions to increase landscape permeability for wildlife Provide ranchers and community-led organizations with technical assistance to accelerate on-the-ground delivery and implementation of conservation and improved grassland management practices Building capacity through boots-on-the-ground positions which provide technical assistance to landowners that aligns with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) priorities and increase landowner enrollment in Farm Bill programs Idaho Focus: There is dedicated funding available to support two positions in Idaho to work with NRCS staff and partners engaged in the Big Game Migration Initiative to develop an approach where existing Farm Bill programs could be strategically implemented in a way that maximizes benefits to both migrating animals and the working lands that support them. Utah Focus: There is dedicated funding available in Utah to facilitate implementation of conservation practices on working lands that will benefit wildlife and habitat by restoring, enhancing and/or managing rangeland habitats. Funding is available to support positions which will increase the pace and scale of voluntary perpetual conservation easements through Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) delivery and support technical assistance pertaining to Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) delivery on existing RCPPs in Utah. Preference will be given to projects that accelerate adoption of the most cost effective and sustainable approaches that exhibit a high likelihood of success. Projects with clear and direct benefits to sagebrush sparrow, sage thrasher, mule deer, pronghorn, Greater and/or Gunnison sage-grouse will be prioritized.  The Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program will award approximately $5 million. Major private funding provided by Cargill, Taco Bell, Nestlé, Capri Holding Ltd., with federal funding from the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Funding Information The Rocky Mountain Rangelands Program has approximately $5 million available in funding for the 2024 RFP. NFWF anticipates awarding between 10-20 grants with a suggested minimum requested amount of $100,000. Project duration may extend one to three years. For this cycle 1:1 non-federal match is encouraged as in-kind or cash contributions Eligibility Criteria  Eligible applicants include non-profit 501(c) organizations, U.S. Federal government agencies, state government agencies, local governments, municipal governments, Tribal governments, educational institutions. Ineligible applicants include for-profit entities and unincorporated individuals. For more information, visit NFWF.

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is pleased to announce the opening of the Local Soil Health Workshop Grant. Donor Name: Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) State: Utah County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The grant is meant to increase opportunities for Utah agricultural producers and professionals to learn about regenerative farming practices and build local networks of soil health-focused individuals.  Funding will be made available for the conservation district to host local workshops/conferences focused on soil health. The funding cap will be $10,000 per application, with a focus on holding workshops in the 2025 calendar year. The grants will be reimbursement-based. Funding will be used for the rental of event facility, speaker fees, supplies, advertisements, and meals (within per diem rate). Objectives Expanding localized knowledge of soil health principles and practices across the state through smaller community-sized education and outreach events across the state.      Conferences / Workshops Provide resources to cover expenses to      Pay for expert speakers Pay for soil practitioner presenters from around the state to present Supplies, advertisements, and event rental to host the events Providing a support network for producers implementing soil health Increase implementation of soil health practices through knowledge sharing      Field days / Demonstration Events. Funding Information Grant Cycle Total Funding Available: $30,000. Award Ceiling $10,000. Award Floor $1,500. Eligible Costs  Event space rental Speaker Fees Meals (within state per diem rates) Printed Materials / Supplies Advertisements Administrative Costs (5% max). Eligibility Criteria  Organizations that work with agriculture producers in the state of Utah. Organizations with the capacity and experience to host high-quality local events. Organizations with experience in grant management, and project implementation. Must be for a new event or significantly expanding the scope of existing events. For more information, visit UDAF.

This grant provides funding to agricultural professionals and organizations in the Western U.S. to implement educational and demonstration projects that promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices based on previous research findings.

The U.S. Department of the Interior's WaterSMART Title XVI Program offers financial and technical assistance for the planning, design, and construction of water reclamation and reuse projects, aiming to secure future water supplies, improve efficiency, support underserved communities, and address climate change.