2025 Biodiversity Conservation Grant

Eligibility

• Open to non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations, state or federal government agencies, federally recognized tribes and local governments, and educational institutions.*
• Projects must be on public lands, defined as any local, state, or federal government- or nonprofit-owned land that is accessible to the public for recreational use on a regular basis.
• Private for-profit firms and individuals are not eligible to apply.
• Grant funding may not be used to support political advocacy, fundraising, lobbying, litigation, terrorist activities, or Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations.
• Must meet the funding criteria (below).
• Please visit our FAQ page for more eligibility information.

*An organization can submit more than one LOI

LOI Criteria

LOI (Phase 1) applicants will provide the following in their application:

• Number of acres impacted directly, separate from external funding.
  • Impacted acreage must have a direct conservation activity proposed including but not limited to invasive species removal, planting, seed drilling, prescribed burn, etc. Ecosystem services to nearby plots should not be included in the tally. Projects may be on separate plots of land to meet the 500-acre minimum, but the plots should serve the same pollinator species and be managed under the same habitat management plan, ideally within several miles of each other.
  • Impacted acreage for this project excludes other private grants or corporate donations to the project. More information is provided in the Grant Writer’s Guide (below).
• Total acreage impacted.
• Describe the conservation activities planned to improve the proposed acreage.
  • Describe how the habitat enhancement project will benefit pollinator species and which pollinator species are expected to be impacted. Proposed projects must be technically sound and apply the best available science and accepted best management practices for enhancement of pollinator habitats and species specific to their ecological region.
• Briefly describe the applicants’ and/or partners’ expertise and previous experience with habitat management, restoration for pollinator species, and community education/volunteerism.
  • NEEF encourages applicants to have a variety of partners to improve the project’s connection to the local community, ensure quality volunteer involvement, expand the impact of the project through landowner or land trust partnership, and/or improve credibility of the science-based habitat improvement.
• Summarize educational components and/or volunteer involvement in the project.
• Estimate of project impacts for the following metrics:
  • Species of focus: estimated number of pollinator species impacted
  • List species, genera, or family of pollinators that will benefit specifically from your project’s habitat improvements
  • Estimated number of volunteers
  • Estimated number of individuals directly impacted by outreach or community engagement
• Total request amount: Applicants can request a minimum of $50,000 and a maximum of $75,000 to be spent over a one-year period.

Application Criteria

Applicants invited to submit a full application (Phase 2) will build on their LOI. Applications will provide the following:

• Project summary and timeline of programs and activities
• Project Budget: Describe how funds will be used to meet project goals. A budget and a budget narrative are required.
• Describe how the applicant will provide educational or volunteer offerings that link the on-the-ground conservation work taking place on public lands to the surrounding community (e.g., educating property-owners about the impact of invasive species and encouraging removal of targeted species on private property surrounding the project site).
• Describe applicant’s experience with similar projects and expertise of project partners.
• Provide Partner Letters of Support from those listed under the project team section of the LOI who will be responsible for implementing grant activities, if applicable.
• Describe the sustainability plan and ongoing maintenance. If applicable, list how the organization will share lessons learned or further the impact of the project on adjacent lands (i.e. landowner information sessions, published works, public education, conferences).
• Provide required financials which include:
  • Conflict of interest policy
  • A list of the Board of Directors
  • Annual organizational budget
  • Audit for prior fiscal year, or if an audit is not available, a balance sheet and Profit and Loss Statement for prior fiscal year

Project Metrics

To better gauge progress on individual grants and to ensure greater consistency of project data provided by multiple grantees, NEEF has provided a list of project metrics. All applicants must commit to collecting and reporting on key project metrics listed below. 

Acres Enhanced:

• Number of Acres
• Number of Acres of Monarch Habitat
• Number of Individual Project Work Sites Monitored or Improved

Biodiversity Enhanced:

• Number of Pollinator Species Promoted
• Number of Imperiled Species Protected
• Number of Native Plant Species Installed
• Number of Milkweed Plants Installed

Community Members Engaged:

• Number of Individuals Engaged in Volunteer Activities
• Number of Volunteer Hours
• Number of Individuals Engaged in Outreach Activities
• Number and Type of Community Groups/Organizations Engaged in Volunteer and Outreach Activities
• Number of Landowners Engaged
• Number of Toyota Employees Engaged (if applicable)

Grantees are also asked to capture photos and videos of grant work throughout the year.

Expectations if Funded

• Participate in calls with NEEF and other grantees to share project updates, successes, challenges, and best practices.
• Collaborate with NEEF on evaluation strategies to ensure accurate and timely reports are submitted.
• Collaborate with NEEF’s Marketing & Communications team on press releases, stories, and other external communications related to funded projects.
• Commitment to collect and report on relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) listed in the “Program Metrics” section of this document.

All applications must be submitted through our online system. If you have any questions or problems, please contact us at grantsadmin@neefusa.org. Please reference the Frequently Asked Questions and Glossary page before submitting your questions.

Submit LOI