Closed
California state funding opportunity
2026 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Conservation Planning Assistance (Nontraditional Section 6)
Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Portal ID184464
- StatusClosed
Competitive proposals usually start 6+ weeks out.
Program summary
Synopsis
Support the development of new, or the renewal or amendment of existing, Habitat Conservation Plans and Conservation Benefit Agreements (formerly referred to as Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances).
The Conservation Planning Assistance Grant program provides funding to States to support the development of new Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) and Conservation Benefit Agreements (CBAs; formerly referred to as Safe Harbor Agreements and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances). Funding may also be used to support the renewal or amendment of existing HCPs or CBAs. The development of HCPs that include only candidate or at-risk species (i.e., no federally listed species covered by the HCP), such that the HCP would be in place if the species is listed, is also supported through this program. Funding may be used to support development and planning activities such as document preparation, public outreach, baseline species surveys, habitat assessments, and inventories. The preparation of environmental compliance review documents, such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), is also an eligible use of grant funds. For CBAs, outreach, coordination, and administrative costs associated with the implementation of permitted agreements is also an eligible use of funds this year. Please Note: Applicants to the 2026 Nontraditional Section 6: Conservation Planning Assistance grant program must submit a proposal through this State opportunity. CDFW will not forward proposals to USFWS that were not submitted through this solicitation. This is a federal grant program administered by the State. Federal conditions are subject to change. The timeline for the FY2026 US Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Conservation Planning Assistance Grants Funding Opportunity is set by the US Fish and Wildlife Service; it is unknown when that funding opportunity will be released. Proposals must be reviewed and approved by CDFW Regional staff. Contact your CDFW Region to coordinate on proposals. CDFW Regions will submit proposals to nccp@wildlife.ca.gov. Resources for this solicitation are based on the FY2025 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Conservation Planning Assistance funding opportunity announcement from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (F25AS00184) and FY2025 CDFW requirements.
Timeline
Key dates
-
July 15, 2026
Opportunity posted to California Grants Portal -
August 14, 2026
Applications close -
Late 2026/early 2027
Expected award date
Who may apply
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types as published by the awarding agency:
- Business
- Individual
- Nonprofit
- Public Agency
- Tribal Government
- Additional info on eligibility
- Includes State and local government agencies; private entities; institutions of higher education, including public, private, state colleges and universities; 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations; Native American tribal organizations. Private entities will require a different agreement type. Contact your CDFW Region for further information on these agreements.
- Geography
- Statewide voluntary conservation efforts.
Awarding agency
Additional information
- Agency name
- Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Full announcement
- View the full announcement ↗
- Grantor contact
-
NCCP Program
1-916-594-4485
NCCP@wildlife.ca.gov
Funding
Funding source
- Source
- Federal
- Funding method
- Reimbursement(s)
- Notes
- Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) In order to ensure that funding is available to fund both HCPs and CBAs, the USFWS will roughly split the total funding available as follows:• Up to 40% to HCPs;• Up to 40% dedicated to CBA planning and development;• Up to 10% dedicated to the administration of permitted CBAs;• Remaining funds as needed to any application type dependent on the number and quality of applications received.
Government Grants Consulting
Federal, state, and local grant funding is highly competitive, and the gap between a complete application and a winning one usually comes down to strategy, compliance, and execution. GTC 360° Advisors supports organizations across the entire grant lifecycle — from identifying the right opportunities to managing the award long after it is won. The questions below cover how our grant consulting practice works and the organizations we serve.
What is government grant consulting, and how does GTC 360° Advisors help?
Government grant consulting means guiding an organization through the full grant lifecycle — research, eligibility review, strategy, writing, submission, and post-award compliance. GTC 360° Advisors manages this end to end, pairing grant writers, project managers, financial analysts, and compliance analysts to maximize the odds of an award and keep it in good standing afterward.What types of organizations can GTC 360° Advisors help win grants?
GTC 360° Advisors supports municipalities, state agencies, nonprofits, school districts, tribal governments, higher education institutions, and private companies pursuing grant funding. Clients have included the City of Los Angeles, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, Virginia Commonwealth University, and nonprofit partners such as the Walton Family Foundation and Blue Meridian Partners.What federal agencies has GTC 360° Advisors secured funding from?
GTC 360° Advisors has secured funding from agencies including the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Commerce (EDA and NIST), Education, and State, as well as FEMA, EPA, NSF, NIH, HRSA, SAMHSA, and the CDC. The firm has won over $860 million and counting in federal and state contracts and grants for its clients.Does GTC 360° Advisors handle state and local grants, or only federal?
GTC 360° Advisors pursues grant funding at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The firm’s advisor network is positioned in every state to help clients identify and compete for regional and state-level funding in addition to federal opportunities.What is GrantSignal AI, and how does it help find grant opportunities?
GrantSignal AI is GTC 360° Advisors’ AI-powered funding intelligence platform. It aggregates federal, foundation, and other public funding sources into a single dashboard, then uses AI to match opportunities to an organization’s mission, eligibility, and capacity — rather than relying on simple keyword search — and sends alerts as new, winnable opportunities appear.Does GTC 360° Advisors provide grant compliance and post-award management?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors manages grants through close-out, including compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), Davis-Bacon labor standards, Section 3, environmental review requirements, and funder reporting obligations. The firm builds compliance systems and reporting frameworks so clients stay in good standing with federal and state grantors.What is GTC 360° Advisors’ track record on grant applications?
GTC 360° Advisors has historically maintained an 88%-plus win rate on the grant applications it has submitted, including a 100% win rate in 2024 across several highly competitive programs. Recent wins include $180 million in EDA Tech Hubs funding for three consortia and $20 million in EDA Recompete funding for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.Can nonprofits and higher education institutions work with GTC 360° Advisors on grants?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors regularly supports nonprofits and universities with grant strategy, writing, and administration, including current work with the Walton Family Foundation, Blue Meridian Partners, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Working With GTC 360° Advisors
Every engagement is scoped around the organization in front of us — its goals, its deadline, and the internal capacity it already has. Pricing, team assignments, and project milestones are agreed before any work begins, so there are no surprises mid-project. Below are the questions prospective clients and partners ask us most often.
How much does it cost to work with GTC 360° Advisors?
Pricing is customized to the scope, timeline, and budget of each engagement, with both hourly and fixed-fee options available depending on the deliverable. GTC 360° Advisors prices transparently, with no hidden fees for administrative or incidental work, and structures fees so clients gain a full team of senior professionals for less than the cost of a single in-house hire.What is the process for getting started with GTC 360° Advisors?
Engagements typically start with a conversation about your organization’s goals, funding needs, or growth targets, followed by a scoped proposal outlining services, team, and pricing. From there, GTC 360° Advisors assigns team members matched to the work and begins with research, strategy, or capture planning, depending on the engagement.How long does it take to see results from a grant or contract engagement?
Timelines vary by opportunity: some grant or contract cycles run a few months from research to submission, while others (large infrastructure or multi-year programs) take longer and continue through post-award management. GTC 360° Advisors sets clear project timelines and milestones at the start of every engagement so clients know what to expect.Does GTC 360° Advisors work with organizations outside the United States?
GTC 360° Advisors primarily supports U.S.-based government contracts, grants, and business development, but its public affairs and business development services extend internationally through its global partner network for clients running cross-border campaigns.Can I join the GTC 360° Advisors Network as a consultant or subject matter expert?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors welcomes applications from experienced firms and freelancers who align with its mission and values to join the GTC 360° Advisors Network, giving members access to mutual marketing, referrals, and new client opportunities.How do I contact GTC 360° Advisors to discuss a project?
You can reach GTC 360° Advisors at info@gtc360.com or through the contact form at gtc360.com/join-our-network. The firm typically responds to discuss goals, funding needs, or growth targets and outline next steps for an engagement.
Planning for the next cycle?
Tell us the opportunity and we will come back with an honest read on fit, the partners you would need, and what a compliant submission takes.