2026 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: Conservation Planning Assistance (Nontraditional Section 6)

Purpose

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).

Description

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.