On May 4, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced the 2022 Request for Proposals for the America the Beautiful Challenge, a public-private grant program designed to support locally led, voluntary ecosystem restoration projects.

Proposals are due July 21.

This new program will invest in the restoration of watersheds, forests and grasslands while also working toward other goals consistent with the America the Beautiful Initiative, including strengthened resilience, equitable access to the outdoors, workforce development, migration corridors, habitat connectivity and collaborative conservation.

The America the Beautiful Challenge coordinates funding from multiple federal agencies and private philanthropy into one competitive grant program, following the same conservation approach NFWF has used for nearly four decades.

This streamlines the application process, enabling larger, more impactful cross-boundary projects while making it easier for states, Tribes, territories, local groups, non-governmental organizations and others to apply for multiple funding sources with one application.

This one-stop-shop solicitation is the result of financial contributions from the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Defense, as well as private philanthropy.

“NFWF looks forward to working with states, Tribes, territories and the conservation community to invest in voluntary conservation projects that support working lands, improve community resilience through nature-based investments, and enhance habitat for our nation’s fish and wildlife,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “This historic new initiative will drive conservation at a landscape scale by partnering with multiple agencies to create a single point of entry for potential grantees across the nation to apply for conservation funding.”

The America the Beautiful Challenge will seek to advance conservation and restoration projects that are consistent with at least one of the following core areas of need:

-- Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands and watersheds

-- Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks

-- Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds, and seascapes

-- Improving ecosystem and community resilience to coastal flooding, drought and other climate-related threats

-- Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities

Applicants are encouraged to develop large landscape scale and/or cross jurisdictional projects that advance existing conservation plans or are informed by Indigenous Traditional Knowledge

May 19 Webinar

Applicants are encouraged to participate in a webinar on the program set for May 19 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.  Click Here to register.

For more information, visit NFWF’s America the Beautiful Challenge webpage.

[Posted: May 5, 2022]

5/9/2022