The Open Space Institute launched the Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund, an $18 million effort that provides capital grants to protect 50,000 acres in key focus areas along the Appalachian Range.
Donor Name: Open Space Institute
State: Selected States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/15/2023
Size of the Grant: $50,000 and $400,000
Details:
To complement land protection efforts, OSI’s Climate Catalyst Program works in partnership with states, local communities, Tribes, land trusts, and other not-for-profit organizations to reduce climate risks for communities disproportionately affected by flooding and other climate-induced threats.
This Fund builds on the success of OSI’s Resilient Landscapes Initiative (2013 – 2020), which advanced the use of climate resilience science in land protection. Climate resilience remains a priority in this new fund, along with new emphasis on forests’ ability to store atmospheric carbon and on community equity and inclusion.
Capital Grant Focus Areas
The Fund awards capital grants for land protection in portions of (1) the Cradle of Southern Appalachia (Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama), (2) the Kittatinny (New Jersey and Pennsylvania), (3) Western/Central Pennsylvania and, (4) the Northern Appalachians (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont).
Funding Information
- At this juncture, of funds raised or conditionally committed, OSI has allocated $6.6 million to the Cradle of Southern Appalachia; $2.6 million to the Kittatinny; $3 million in grant capital and $1 million in zero interest loan capital to Western/Central Pennsylvania; and $2.3 million to the Northern Appalachians Focus Area. They will allocate additional funds based on monies raised and project demand.
- The Fund does not have a minimum or maximum grant size, but awards are typically between $50,000 and $400,000.
Uses of funds
Grants must be used to acquire land or permanent conservation easements. In exceptional cases, grants may be applied to cover transactional costs, including cost of appraisals, surveys, title, and environmental assessments. The Fund may also provide short-term low-interest loans for projects that require bridge financing. Grant funds cannot be used for stewardship endowments, staff time, land management or restoration, or building construction or maintenance.
Eligible Projects
OSI evaluates Eligible Projects against the following Criteria:
- Amount and extent of the property that ranks above average for Climate Resilience based on current conditions or, if relevant, estimated benefits of restored landcover;
- Extent and type of Underrepresented Geophysical Settings found on the property;
- Forest carbon storage potential for 2050 relative to the Focus Area average;
- Extent, status and condition of plant and animal species and natural communities found on the property;
- Role the project plays in facilitating long-range movement of plants and animals;
- Threat of conversion from forest and/or threat of significant forest carbon loss including through mineral extraction, poor forest management, development, or other threats;
- Management intent and effectiveness of the stewardship plan for the long-term conservation or enhancement of the property’s climate resilience attributes and carbon storage;
- Ability to meet and/or exceed OSI’s financial match preference; and,
- Community benefits of the project, such as flood hazard mitigation, drinking water protection, recreational access, or benefit to overburdened, Black, Indigenous and People of Color or economically underserved communities, including returning the land to Indigenous stewardship.
Eligibility Criteria
OSI makes grants to qualified not-for-profit conservation organizations, federally and state-recognized Tribes, government entities, and municipalities through a competitive process with the assistance of an Advisory Committee with expertise in land protection, climate science, social equity, and philanthropy. For land trusts, OSI gives a preference to those with or seeking land trust accreditation.
For more information, visit Open Space Institute.
