RICHMOND — The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation is accepting applications for nearly $15 million in land conservation grants, a record amount, it announced Thursday.
The foundation provides 50-50 matching grants for localities and nonprofit conservation entities to support farmland preservation, forest preservation, historic preservation, natural area protection, and open spaces and parks.
A total of $16 million each in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 was approved in the state budget, with $4 million each year allocated to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Another $2.9 million in previously awarded grants that was not spent because projects were withdrawn or came in under budget is also being made available, in addition to the newly allocated $12 million, the foundation said in a press release.
In 2021, the board awarded $7.5 million for the fiscal year 2022 grant round to fund 30 conservation projects and protect 8,000 acres of land across the commonwealth.
For the first time this year, thanks to state legislation that went into effect on July 1, Virginia’s Indian tribes will be eligible to apply.
The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
A virtual workshop is scheduled for Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. Details about the workshop, the grant manual and application are posted at dcr.virginia.gov/land-conservation/vlcf.
