The Conservation Partnership Grant Program provides funding to assist qualified 501(c)(3) organizations and conservation districts in acquiring interests in land suitable for conservation or recreation purposes.
Donor Name: Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)
State: Massachusetts
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Reimbursement
Deadline: 07/11/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The Conservation Partnership Grant Program supports Executive Order 569, which calls for state government to adapt to climate change and build a more resilient Commonwealth, by including resiliency criteria in its rating system.
The Conservation Partnership Grant Program can help not-for-profit groups acquire interests in land for conservation or recreation purposes. Potential projects fall into one of two categories:
- Acquisition of the fee interest in land or a conservation restriction
- Due diligence costs for donations of land or CRs.
Funding Information
- This is a reimbursement program
- The maximum grant award for the purchase of land or a CR is $425,000
- The maximum award for due diligence costs related to a gift of land or CR is $20,000.
- The maximum reimbursement amount is 50% of the total eligible project cost up to the applicable grant award maximum.
Grant Period
All approved project costs must be expended by the applicant on or before June 30, 2026 to be eligible for reimbursement.
Eligible Expenses
Eligible expense categories:
- Title search
- Acquisition (appraised value or negotiated price, whichever is less)
- Other contractual services, such as consultants to negotiate transaction terms, facilitate due diligence and other services for the conservation transaction (up to 10% of grant request, and with EEA approval) – include sufficient detail in project budget
- Baseline Documentation Report
- Chapter 21E assessment
- Survey
- Legal fees associated with the acquisition
- Recording fees.
Eligible Projects
Eligible projects include:
- Purchase of land or a CR
- An eligible Applicant may request grant funding for reimbursement of acquisition and due diligence costs associated with the purchase of land (fee simple) or a perpetual CR as defined in G.L. c. 184, § 31 that provides appropriate public access. Conversion of a term-limited CR to a permanent CR is eligible for funding. Eligibility for funding is limited to costs associated with the purchase of land or interests in land that the Applicant intends to hold in perpetuity
- Due diligence costs for gifts of land or a CR to an eligible Applicant
- An eligible Applicant may request grant funding for reimbursement of eligible due diligence costs associated with a land or CR gift that provides appropriate public access or for the due diligence costs associated with the acquisition of land.
Eligibility Criteria
- You can only apply for this grant if you are an IRS 501(c)(3) organization
- Municipalities can’t apply for this grant
- You may only apply for the Conservation Partnership Grant at certain times of the year.
For more information, visit EEA.
