Created by Congress in 1965, the LWCF is the nation’s premier land conservation program. The program is divided into two funding pots: state grants and federal acquisition funding. On the state side, grant funds can be used for park development, easements, and acquisitions. State park directors solicit communities to apply for projects and distribute funds to worthy projects based on a scoring process. Potential applicants should contact their state agency for information regarding deadlines, criteria, and required documentation.

The federal side provides for national park, forest and wildlife refuge, and Bureau of Land Management area fee and easement acquisitions. Funds are appropriated annually by Congress following a rigorous budget process. Given the intense competition among projects, funding is generally only provided for projects with universal support.

Forest Legacy Program:

Established in 1990, the Forest Legacy Program provides federal funding to states to assist in securing conservation easements on forestlands threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. Fee transactions are also used under the program, either for the whole transaction or combined with easements to achieve a state’s highest conservation goals. Projects must be located in the state’s Federal Legacy focus areas. Each enrolled state has a Forest Legacy program coordinator, housed in the agency designated to administer the program. The program requires a minimum non-federal match of at least 25 percent of total project cost. Match can consist of state, local, or private funds, donated land value, and in some cases, project costs.

Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELP):

Run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this is a grant program to state and local governments who will acquire or obtain easements on lands with coastal and estuarine resources. CELP grants are available only to non-federal government agencies and easements must be held by a non-federal government agency. This program requires a 50% non-federal match, which can include site restoration, land value donation, and other acquisitions.

This program sets aside a portion of federal highway funding for the community-based activities defined below. Each state must set aside 10% of its Surface Transportation Program funds for use on TE activities. TE projects are federal-aid reimbursement activities, which means sponsors receive funding after expenditures have been made. In most cases, the federal government pays 80% of the project cost, and the project sponsor is responsible for the remaining 20%.

Transportation Enhancements (TE) Program:

This program sets aside a portion of federal highway funding for the community-based activities defined below. Each state must set aside 10% of its Surface Transportation Program funds for use on TE activities. TE projects are federal-aid reimbursement activities, which means sponsors receive funding after expenditures have been made. In most cases, the federal government pays 80% of the project cost, and the project sponsor is responsible for the remaining 20%.