Apply for Grant Opportunity 2026 for Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition Grants in United States of America (USA)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Land Acquisition Grants offer matching financial assistance to eligible state and territorial agencies for acquiring land that permanently protects habitat for federally listed, candidate, and at-risk species addressed through approved HCPs. Funding helps eligible agencies acquire and permanently conserve important habitat through fee-simple acquisition (purchasing and owning property outright) or permanent conservation easements.

The program is designed to supplement existing HCP conservation efforts, not replace obligations already required under an HCP. Grant funds cannot be used to fulfill mandatory mitigation, minimization, or monitoring commitments under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) or other federal laws. Voluntary conservation projects supported by this funding must permanently protect habitat for species covered by an active Section 10(a)(1)(B) permit.

Individual grant awards range from $10,000 to $26 million. Standard cost-sharing requires a minimum 25% non-federal contribution of total project costs. For qualifying multi-state collaborations, the required match is reduced to 10%. Grants awarded to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands require no non-federal match. Non-federal contributions can be satisfied via cash, qualifying in-kind contributions, or real property contributions.