Closed
California state funding opportunity
Endangered Species Recovery Land Acquisition Grants (Non-Traditional Section 6)
Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Portal ID5080
- StatusClosed
Competitive proposals usually start 6+ weeks out.
Program summary
Synopsis
The Endangered Species Recovery Land Acquisition Grant Program provides funding from US Fish and Wildlife Service to the States and Territories to acquire habitat for threatened and endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act in support of approved and draft federal species recovery plans. This grant program supports acquisition of habitat to promote listed species recovery in California.
The Endangered Species Recovery Land Acquisition (RLA) grant program promotes State and federal cooperation in listed species conservation by leveraging funds to acquire specific parcels of land, through fee simple or conservation easement, in support of US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service)-approved recovery plans and outlines. Only a species' most recently approved draft or final recovery plan document will be considered if the species has been listed for at least 2.5 years. A recovery outline may be referenced for species listed less than 2.5 years. To be considered for funding, the proposed land must benefit at least one listed species for which: (1) habitat loss is identified as a threat; and (2) habitat protection is identified as a priority recovery action in the species' most recently approved recovery planning document. All applicants must state a commitment to funding, implementing, and managing the land in perpetuity, consistent with the species' conservation needs. For this cycle, the Service may award up to $22.3 million. There is no minimum or maximum award amount and applications will compete at the national level. In fiscal year 2019, the Service awarded about $23.2 million through 14 grants ranging from $201,000 to $4.9 million. Applications may address new or ongoing work. Federal land acquisition grant programs fund the purchase of land at market value, from willing sellers. Appraisals to federal standards are required prior to expenditure of the funds, if the project is selected. Applicants must provide written acknowledgement by the landowner or their legal representative stating a willingness to enter into negotiations should grant funds be awarded as part of the application package. Applicants must provide a minimum of 25% of the total project cost in non-federal matching funds. A California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) grant lead is required for all RLA grant projects. The grant lead is responsible for coordinating and managing the RLA grant and to get approval through the Department Region Office (of the Region where the project is located). Therefore, applications need to be developed in close coordination with Department Region Office staff. Project coordination with the appropriate Service Field Office staff prior to submission is also highly recommended. Proposals for this grant cycle are due to the appropriate Department Region Office prior to February 17, 2021. Check with the Regional Office where your project is located for its submission deadline. Applicants should review the 2021 federal Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this grant program (select "see related documents" near bottom of the linked page). Applicants are encouraged to consider and address the review criteria in Section E of the NOFO when preparing their proposal.
Timeline
Key dates
-
January 11, 2021
Opportunity posted to California Grants Portal -
February 17, 2021
Applications close -
Late summer 2021
Expected award date
Who may apply
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types as published by the awarding agency:
- Individual
- Nonprofit
- Public Agency
- Tribal Government
- Additional info on eligibility
- Public agency includes state departments, colleges, and universities.
- Geography
- Statewide
Awarding agency
Additional information
- Agency name
- Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Full announcement
- View the full announcement ↗
- Grantor contact
-
Erin Chappell
1-916-708-2038
wildlifemgt@wildlife.ca.gov
Funding
Funding source
- Source
- Federal
- Funding method
- Reimbursement(s)
- Notes
- Funds are provided to states and territories from the US Fish and Wildlife Service through its Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. The Department administers Recovery Land Acquisition funded projects in coordination with the US Fish and Wildlife Service through a Section 6 Cooperative Agreement. The Department's authority to administer the program is granted through Section 1501.5 of the Fish and Game Code.
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.