The Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative provides funding to facilitate high priority, bird-focused conservation projects for land trusts.
Donor Name: Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/01/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The land trust grant program will fund up to fourteen grants via two tracks:
- Capacity and Partnership Projects:
- 6 grants of $10,000 each
- Management and Restoration Projects:
- 8 grants of $25,000 each.
General Evaluation Criteria
- Applicant organizations must reside within the U.S.
- Project must accomplish or contribute to bird conservation on private lands through activities such as (but not limited to) strategic planning, outreach, habitat management, stewardship, bird monitoring, eBird use, capacity building, and land or easement prioritization.
- Strong proposals for the $10K and $25K grants will include more than one of the above activities (note: these tracks do not fund land or easement acquisition).
- Project partners should be engaged through the proposed work.
- Proposal must articulate clear project objectives, detailed plan of activities, and expected conservation outcomes with associated measures of success.
- Proposed objectives and activities should be accomplished within the stated grant period of one year, although extensions may be granted.
- Co-funding is not required, but strong applications will be supplemented by in-kind or partner contributions, matching dollars, or other resources that will leverage the impact of the proposed work.
- Project budget must include allowable expenses, such as indirect costs no greater than 10%, a budget justification, and project funds clearly delineated if included within a larger budget.
- Applicant should demonstrate sufficient organizational capacity and commitment to complete, and sustain if applicable, the proposed grant-funded activities.
- Proposals to build on previously funded projects from past awardees will be considered. They must demonstrate a high level of competence, accountability and due diligence, including satisfactory completion of previous award.
- Past land trust awardees are free to apply again to expand their past project, repeat this work at a new preserve, or propose a different project supported by their land trust and partners.
- Applicants can apply for any of the grant tracks and are welcome to submit or be a partner on more than one proposal for different projects. Expect only one request, for which you are a lead applicant, will be funded if selected.
For more information, visit Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative.
