Applicants Sought for Grants From Land Conservation Fund

Grants from the State of Hawai‘i Land Conservation Fund support efforts by state agencies, counties, and nonprofit land conservation organizations to acquire land and protect resources for public benefit.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), through its Legacy Land Conservation Program, seeks applications from these partners for grants to preserve—forever—land that has natural, environmental, recreational, scenic, cultural, agricultural production, or historic value, including park and trail systems that provide access to such land.

DLNR’s Legacy Land Conservation Program is a popular tool that aids Hawai‘i communities by working with partners to spend state conveyance tax revenue for important environmental and social purposes, often leveraging the state funds to meet the matching requirements of federal and private co-sponsors.

Grant applications for land acquisition, and for debt service payment on previous state-financed acquisitions, are vetted in a thorough process of public review and government approval that involves three consulting state agencies; the all-volunteer Legacy Land Conservation Commission; the President of the State Senate and the Speaker of the State House of Representatives; the State Board of Land and Natural Resources; the State Department of Budget and Finance; and the Governor.

Based on its annual consultation with the Legacy Land Conservation Commission, DLNR strengthened the 2018-2019 application process with additional questions about project readiness and due diligence, particularly concerning land title and hazard assessment.

DLNR Chairperson Suzanne Case noted that in the last twelve years, the Legacy Land Conservation Program contributed over $24 million for transactions that conserved 30 properties. “Land conservation is the foundational first step for stewarding an abundant future. Through the Legacy Land Program, DLNR helped to build stewardship commitments by working with numerous partners to protect over 11,000 acres of critical lands that harbor a wide range of important resource values. These achievements rely upon the collaborative efforts of conservation-minded landowners, community and government organizations, private donors, and elected officials,” Case said. An additional 16 transactions that are in progress will protect over 15,000 more acres when completed.

Applications for land acquisition grants are due September 24, 2018. Approximately $4.4 million is available for award during the 2018-2019 grant cycle. Application materials are available online.

DLNR encourages state agencies, counties, and nonprofit land conservation organizations that are interested in securing a grant from the Land Conservation Fund to contact the Legacy Land Conservation Program, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, at (808) 586-0921, or by email at legacyland@hawaii.gov.

For more information about the Legacy Land Conservation Program, go online.