Grants Database

This database includes grants available to support a range of land conservation activities in Massachusetts, including land acquisition, habitat management, education and outreach, and organizational operations and capacity building. 

This tool only displays grants with upcoming deadlines. Grants offered on an annual basis are not included until the next deadline has been announced. Grants are displayed in order by nearest application deadline. Filtering by Applicant Type or Program Category will limit results to applicable grants.

The database includes all grants MLTC has heard about, but we may have missed some. For lists compiled by others, visit Other Funding Resources page.

  • Application Deadline:

    Mon, Mar 10 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Grants

    Grant Administrator:

    USDA

    Program Category:

    Operations & Capacity Building, Outreach & Education Programs

    Applicant Type:

    Farm, Co-op, Food, or Agriculture, Land Trust or Conservation Organization, Municipality, Town, or Local Govt, Other Non-Profit, State Agency, Tribal

    Funder Type:

    Federal

    Max Award:

    $250,000

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    Funds are to support the development of urban agriculture and innovative production through planning and implementation activities. Planning activities will initiate, develop, or support the efforts of farmers, gardeners, citizens, government officials, schools, members of tribal communities, and other stakeholders in areas where access to fresh foods are limited or unavailable. Implementation activities will accelerate existing and emerging models of urban and/or innovative agricultural practices that serve multiple farmers or gardeners. Innovation may include new and emerging, as well as indigenous or non-traditional agricultural practices. 

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Fri, Mar 14 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Massachusetts Preservation Projects Fund

    Grant Administrator:

    MHC

    Program Category:

    Land Acquisition, Land or Habitat Management & Restoration

    Applicant Type:

    Land Trust or Conservation Organization, Municipality, Town, or Local Govt, Other Non-Profit

    Funder Type:

    State

    Max Award:

    See details

    Match Required?:

    This is a 50% reimbursable matching grant program, applicants must be able to document a 75% share of the project cost in order to cover temporary cash flow.

    Summary:

    MHC is for municipalities and nonprofits to support the preservation of properties, landscapes, and sites (cultural resources) listed in the State Register of Historic Places. Eligable projects include feasibility studies, historical structure reporting, construction and restoration activities, and acquisiting projects. 

     

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Rolling until Mon, Mar 31 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program

    Grant Administrator:

    EOEEA

    Program Category:

    Land Acquisition, Land or Habitat Management & Restoration

    Applicant Type:

    Farm, Co-op, Food, or Agriculture, Land Trust or Conservation Organization

    Funder Type:

    State

    Max Award:

    See details

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    The APR Program helps Landowners with at least five acres of land with suitable soils in agricultural production for the last two years to preserve agricultural land to keep farmland soil from being built on by development companies for non-agricultural purposes. The program offers to pay farmland owners the difference between the "fair market value" and the "agricultural value" of their farms in exchange for a permanent deed restriction which prevents any use of the property that will negatively impact its future agricultural viability.

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Tue, Apr 1 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    AgEnhancement Grants

    Grant Administrator:

    Farm Credit East

    Program Category:

    Outreach & Education Programs

    Applicant Type:

    Farm, Co-op, Food, or Agriculture, Land Trust or Conservation Organization

    Funder Type:

    Private & Corporate Foundations

    Max Award:

    $10,000

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    Farm Credit East awards grants to help organizations promote awareness and strengthen agriculture, commercial fishing and forest products. Applicants that clearly demonstrate how a program, project, activity or event will have a long-term positive effect on the agriculture, forest products or the commercial fishing industries in the eight-state Northeast region are encouraged to seek funding.

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Rolling until Tue, Apr 1 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Subregion of Massachusetts

    Grant Name:

    Partnership Grants

    Grant Administrator:

    Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area

    Program Category:

    Land or Habitat Management & Restoration, Outreach & Education Programs

    Applicant Type:

    Land Trust or Conservation Organization, Municipality, Town, or Local Govt, Other Non-Profit, State Agency

    Funder Type:

    Non-Profit Org (i.e., cultural council, LTA, OSI)

    Max Award:

    $7,500

    Match Required?:

    2:1 match. See guidelines for details.

    Summary:

    These reimbursable matching grants have a rolling application deadline, which starts on October 1. Freedom's Way welcomes calls before submitting an application. See info page for details. Grants support of the goals and objectives outlined in the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area Management Plan and are summarized as: Inclusive Storytelling; Education, Interpretation & Curation; Community Planning & Resource Conservation; Historic Preservation; and Regional Cultural Events.

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Thu, Apr 3 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Landscape Partnership Grant

    Grant Administrator:

    Division of Conservation Services

    Program Category:

    Land Acquisition

    Applicant Type:

    Land Trust or Conservation Organization, Municipality, Town, or Local Govt, Other Non-Profit, State Agency

    Funder Type:

    State

    Max Award:

    $1,250,000

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    The Landscape Partnership grant program supports work to protect large blocks of conservation land, including  Purchase of property interests through fee simple acquisition, conservation restriction (CR), agricultural preservation restriction (APR), or watershed preservation restriction (WPR). Local, state and federal government agencies, and non-profit groups can use this grant to work together to protect properties that meet the minimum acreage required based on county. 

     

     

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Mon, Apr 7 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Program

    Grant Administrator:

    DEP

    Program Category:

    Climate Mitigation & Resiliency, Operations & Capacity Building

    Applicant Type:

    Farm, Co-op, Food, or Agriculture, Land Trust or Conservation Organization, Municipality, Town, or Local Govt, Other Non-Profit, State Agency, Tribal

    Funder Type:

    State

    Max Award:

    See details

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    Funds are to support efforts to replace less efficient, polluting vehicles, engines, and equipment, and replace them with new zero emission vehicles and equipment.

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Rolling until Fri, Apr 11 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Land Conservation Assistance Program

    Grant Administrator:

    EOEEA

    Program Category:

    Land Acquisition, Land or Habitat Management & Restoration

    Applicant Type:

    Land Trust or Conservation Organization, Municipality, Town, or Local Govt, Tribal

    Funder Type:

    State

    Max Award:

    $50,000

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    The Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affair's Division of Conservation Land Services' Land Conservation Assistance Grants are for municipalities, 501(c)(3) land trust organizations, tribal governments, conservation districts, water/fire districts, and public water suppliers to support property transactions that will result in the permanent protection of land.  Funds can be used to develop or update a municipal Open Space and Recreation Plan, or plan for the development or renovation of a park.

    Details:

    Learn more

  • Application Deadline:

    Rolling until Tue, Apr 15 2025

    Geographic Eligibility:

    Statewide

    Grant Name:

    Farm-Pass: Farm Transfer Planning Assistance Program

    Grant Administrator:

    MDAR

    Program Category:

    Land Acquisition

    Applicant Type:

    Farm, Co-op, Food, or Agriculture

    Funder Type:

    State

    Max Award:

    See details

    Match Required?:

    No

    Summary:

    MDAR's Farm-Pass Farm Transfer Plan Assistance provides direct services for owners of commercial farms in Massachusetts that have identified a successor to transfer the farm to and are seeking assistance to develop a farm transfer plan. Support includes assistance from a technical service provider to help with the development of the plan.

    Details:

    Learn more