Project Advancement Grant Categories

The Project Advancement Grant Program will award funds that build the capacity of the state’s land trusts and their partners to advance projects towards the goals of 30x30 and NWLCSS in three categories.

1. Transaction, Project Development, and Permitting
2. Organizational Capacity Building
3. Building and Sustaining Partnership Projects

Eligible entities and partnerships may only submit one application for consideration under this program. The Project Advancement Grant program is targeted towards project development, transactions, and planning.

Note that categories are described only to provide context for program goals and as funding examples. Applicants may formulate projects that align with multiple categories.

Funding can include staff or consultant time or may fund new positions or partner stipends. Applications that advance land trust projects but do not include partnerships or collaborations are welcome and encouraged. Evaluation Criteria are listed here.

1.    Transaction, Project Development, and Permitting

Transaction, Project Development, and Permitting Grants will cover costs associated with new conservation easement and fee-title acquisition projects that will result in strategic, permanent protection of land that directly contributes to the strategic goals of WCB around Biodiversity, Climate Change, and Access to Nature, as well as the goals of 30x30 and/or the NWLCSS. Projects that align with multiple goals will generally be most competitive. Urban projects should clearly describe the biodiversity benefits of their projects.

Costs may include staff or consultant costs directly tied to completing the project or moving the project toward implementation. Funds are not available for restoration implementation, nor construction. Priority is given to projects that are located within, or directly benefit, underserved communities and/or support Tribal or Native priorities.

Grant funds are intended to cover indirect transaction costs and may not be used directly for land or easement purchase price. Examples include:

• Project-related staff and/or contractor time
• Legal fees for option or purchase/sale or easement agreements, deed preparation/ review, title review, etc.
• Baseline documentation, due diligence, Phase 1, title review and discovery costs[1]
• Other tangible due diligence item that leads to a successful transaction project
• Land appraisals for fee title or easement acquisitions
• Development of baseline, stewardship, or management plans
• Preparing non-state grant applications for acquisition or easement projects
• Design of public access improvements associated with acquiring a conservation easement or fee property
• Preparing project plans, specifications, and cost estimates that will result in a specific project
• Acquiring permits for specific, future on-the-ground projects
• Analysis required to support and complete CEQA and/or NEPA documentation for specific projects
• Performing necessary cultural resources, biological, botanical, aquatic, soil, hydrologic, mineral, wildlife, timber, or other studies/survey/mapping; and/or developing necessary project designs related to a specific site or physical project

2.    Organizational Capacity Building

Organizational Capacity Building Grants support land trust efforts to increase the pace of land conservation in California. Applications should describe specifically how the grant will assist the organization to increase or strengthen its capacity for new or additional projects related to 30x30 or NWLCSS. Funding is intended to help land trusts build and sustain organizational capacity and effectiveness and develop and enhance community programs and services. Grant projects should be focused on tangible activities and outcomes and grantees should be able to describe the metrics they will use to measure these outcomes. Examples include:

• Developing or refining baseline documentation or management plans, especially related to updating GAP coding
• Developing or refining specific organizational policies or practices related to acquisition or stewardship
• Conservation planning, including integrating climate science into strategic conservation planning and priorities
• Organizational planning such as strategic planning, planning or strategy building for project specific fundraising or grant development
• Developing or expanding a GIS database to support conservation planning
• Accessibility assessments and planning for improvements

3.    Building and Sustaining Partnership Projects

Building and Sustaining Partnership Project Grants include projects that will build and sustain partnerships between land trusts and historically underserved community and/or Native partners and will lead to new conservation projects. Successful projects should advance all partners’ goals and purpose/mission. Letters of Support that demonstrate partner commitment and readiness to participate are required. The partners should submit a joint proposal, with the land trust as the lead applicant. Joint proposals should specify how grant resources will be shared and help strengthen and/or formalize the partnership. Priority will be given to projects and/or partnerships that are likely to be sustained beyond the grant period. Examples include:

• Establishing and building connections with community-based organizations, Native Tribes or Native-led organizations to develop a specific project
• Planning for Indigenous stewardship of conserved lands, planning or providing cultural access, planning for co-stewardship using Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), or planning for ancestral land return/rematriation processes
• Regional conservation collaboration implementation
• Collaborative grant writing for a large-scale protection or restoration initiatives
• Community outreach and/or listening sessions for a specific project. Note that these funds cannot be used for community education or training programs.

[1] Note that these funds cannot be used to pay for insurance costs, including title insurance, nor to pay taxes, including taxes due at closing through escrow. If your budget includes escrow costs, be sure to exclude typical taxes and insurance escrow items from your budget.

ROUND 2 APPLICATION RESOURCES

• Application PDF
• Guidelines
• Resources & FAQ

ROUND 2 GRANT TIMELINE

Rolling Deadline for Partnership Proposals or Proposals from Native-led Land Trusts
Applications from Native-led land trusts, or applications that include partnerships with underserved community organizations, Tribes, or Native-led organizations may be accepted on a rolling deadline. You must contact the Program Director by July 18, 2025 to discuss. Regardless of when you submit your application, your grant project must end by October 31, 2026.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Karin Winters, Program Director
E-mail:  grants@calandtrusts.org
Phone: 916-497-0272 x2
Book a meeting with Karin