Wild East Action Fund - Land Protection Grant

The Wild East Action Fund, administered by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, provides competitive grants to support conservation projects in the Appalachian Trail landscape. With a focus on land protection, conservation planning, and community resilience, the fund aims to enhance strategic conservation efforts and promote community engagement. Eligible applicants include government entities and qualified nonprofits within the A.T. region, with grant amounts ranging from $20,000 to $75,000, emphasizing collaborative approaches to protect vital natural and cultural resources.

NOTE: Here are the other associated grants in regards to this opportunity.
Here is the Community Resilience page.Here is the Community Planning page.
The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that accelerate the pace of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape.
Since 2018, the Wild East Action Fund has supported a variety of land protection and conservation capacity-building projects that have accelerated the pace and scale of conservation within the Appalachian Trail landscape. This funding opportunity is available to conservation organizations, including nonprofit partners and public agencies, that support the mission of the Appalachian Trail Landscape Partnership (ATLP).
In celebration of ATC’s 100th anniversary and the ATLP’s 10th anniversary, ATC is excited to host a Wild East Action Fund cycle!
The Wild East Action Fund is a private, competitive grant opportunity, administered by ATC, supporting the ATLP mission to connect the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the A.T. landscape. The Wild East Action Fund seeks applications that aim to accelerate the pace and scale of A.T. landscape’s conservation and resiliency.
ATC has identified needs and strategies, at multiple scales, to effectively support the acceleration of conservation and resiliency within the A.T. landscape. The program’s three grant categories are designed to catalyze new and existing conservation partners’ knowledge, abilities, and expertise to address many of these dynamic needs:

• Land Protection
• Conservation Planning
• Community Resilience

The Wild East Action Fund supports projects that contribute to the protection of lands and waters within the A.T. landscape, enhance capacity for strategic conservation activities, build community support for a conserved and resilient A.T. landscape; and champion an A.T. landscape that encourages all people to feel welcome, respected, supported and valued.
Purpose - Protecting privately held land through fee-simple purchase, conservation restrictions, or transfer to public trust.
Land Protection grants will be awarded to projects that contribute to the protection and stewardship of the exceptional values of the A.T. Landscape for future generations. These values reflect, but are not limited to, the natural, cultural, historic, scenic, recreational, agricultural, and community assets found within and benefit the landscape. Competitive projects will use collaborative and/or community-driven conservation approaches, advance climate resiliency, protect clean water, and improve public access to outdoor recreation where appropriate.
Funding
Up to $400,000 will be granted through the Wild East Action Fund to qualified land protection, conservation planning, and community resiliency projects.  Land Protection grant requests between $20,000 and $75,000 will be considered.
All funding opportunities require a cash or in-kind match. Match ratio will be considered on a case-by-case basis, evaluated on the circumstances of the organization and project context. The match should be secured or demonstrate with confidence that it will be secured during the grant period.
Funding for the Conservation Planning and Community Resilience grant categories are made possible through the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s A.T. Resiliency Fund.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Wild East Action Fund, applicants must demonstrate a project focus and organizational mission that is aligned with the ATLP’s mission of connecting the wild, scenic, and cultural wonders of the A.T. Landscape. The applicant’s project should occur within, serve the needs of, or explicitly benefit the A.T. Landscape. To qualify to receive funding, organizations must be a Tribal, State, or Local government entity/agency or a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.Available for projects in -ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, WV, VA, TN, NC, & GAPrevious grant awardees are eligible to apply. Previously awarded projects may re-apply for additional funding but will be less competitive.Regional partnerships without501(c)(3) nonprofit status may have a qualified 501(c)(3) apply on behalf of the partnership.Allowable Expenses: Funding is broadly constrained to costs associated with the process of protecting private land through fee-simple purchase, easement, and/or transfer to the public trust, to ensure that the property is protected and conserved for future generations. Eligible funding requests can include, but are not limited to, land acquisition, due diligence, and transaction costs (e.g., appraisals, surveys, titles, environmental assessments, legal costs, etc.).

Ineligibility

Funding Restrictions: Grant awards cannot be used for organizational overhead/administration, scholarships, lobbying efforts, or supporting political groups.