OpportunityTitle: Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program - Base Funding
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Only State Conservation Agencies are eligible to receive these funds. A subaward agreement to another State Conservation Agency is allowed. Only the Lead State Agency (or Agencies), as determined by the Governor of each Highlands State, may apply for funding under the Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program. If the Governor assigns multiple Lead Agencies, those Agencies must coordinate on funding requests prior to submission and ensure no more than the maximum allowable amount is requested through this funding opportunity.
Description: The Highlands Conservation Act (H.R. 1964, 2004; 16 U.S.C. 3901) (HCA) is designed to assist Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania in conserving land and natural resources in the Highlands Region through Federal grants to support land conservation projects in which a State entity acquires land or an interest in land from a willing seller to permanently protect resources of high conservation value. The USDA Forest Service (USFS) was directed by the HCA to identify lands that have high conservation value through the &#8220;New York-New Jersey Highlands Regional Study: 2002 Update&#8221; and the &#8220;Highlands Regional Study: Connecticut and Pennsylvania 2010 Update.&#8221; Subject to availability of funds through Federal appropriation, each year, Governors of the four Highlands States may submit proposals for up to 50% of the total cost of land conservation projects in the Highlands Region. Proposed projects must be consistent with areas identified in the Study and Update as having high resource value. This program funds land conservation by State Conservation Agencies in the Highlands Region. Funding appropriated under the HCA has been divided into two separate categories &#8211; Base and Competitive. Eligible applicants may submit requests for Base Funding in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. A separate Notice of Funding Opportunity will be posted for Competitive Funds. A property may not be proposed for funding from both the Base and Competitive funding opportunities. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) administers the HCA grant program.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: jason_rasku@fws.gov
GrantorContactText: Jay Rasku&lt;br/&gt;jason_rasku@fws.gov
CloseDateExplanation: Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM., ET, on the listed application due date.  The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will be open until October 31, 2022. After 60 days of the initial posting of the NOFO, the Service may choose to amend the NOFO in the event that the Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act becomes law.  Application Due Date Explanation  APPLICATION CHECKLIST    Project Abstract  Project Narrative  Separate Budget Narrative  Indirect Cost Statement and related documentation  Conflict of Interest Disclosure  Single Audit Reporting Statement  SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities  Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement  SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance  SF-424D, Assurances  SF-424C, Budget Information  SF-429B&#160;Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish Real Property    Failure to provide complete information may cause delays, postponement, or rejection of the application.