OPEN for 2026–2027 Great Plains Grassland Fund applicant grants; full proposals due January 27, 2027, 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Exact applicant form fields should be confirmed in NFWF Easygrants.
National — NFWF Great Plains Grassland Fund 2026–2027 (Individual Awards Not Published; January 27, 2027)
NFWF's Great Plains Grassland Fund accepts 2026–2027 conservation proposals through January 27, 2027 at 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time. Up to $10 million is available in total, not per applicant; individual award cap not published. Minimum 1:1 match. Eligible nonprofits, governments, Tribal entities and educational institutions within the program boundary.
FundingIndividual applicant award amount or cap not specified in controlling NFWF RFP. Up to $10,000,000 is the overall 2027 fund pool, NOT an individual applicant grant. At least 1:1 project matching resources required.
DeadlineFull proposal due January 27, 2027 at 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time (MT), as published by NFWF. No daylight/standard time abbreviation specified.
Last verified2026-11-05
Required next actionCheck NFWF Great Plains program boundary and complete controlling RFP at https://www.nfwf.org/programs/great-plains-grassland-fund/great-plains-grassland-fund-2026-2027-request-proposals; speak with program staff; develop land conservation strategy, eligible match, shapefiles, metrics and required acquisition or easement due diligence; submit through NFWF Easygrants by January 27, 2027 at 9:59 p.m. MT.
Broad Eligibility
Eligible leads: 501(c) nonprofit organizations, state/local/municipal government agencies, Tribal governments and organizations, educational institutions; conservation projects within NFWF Great Plains program boundary. Federal agencies, for-profit entities, unincorporated individuals and international organizations ineligible as lead applicants.
Atlas Analysis
Official NFWF Great Plains Grassland Fund 2026–2027 controlling Request for Proposals independently rechecked November 5, 2026. Funding is actual applicant grants for intact grassland permanent protection within the program boundary, not procurement. Full proposals due January 27, 2027, 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time (MT; funder does not identify daylight/standard abbreviation). Up to $10,000,000 is the aggregate 2027 program pool, not an individual applicant award; the controlling RFP does not publish individual applicant minimum/maximum. 1:1 matching contributions required, potentially federal or nonfederal eligible sources; higher 5:1 match is contextual benchmark, not a requirement. Eligible nonprofit 501(c), state/local/municipal, Tribal entities, educational institutions; US federal agencies, businesses, unincorporated individuals and international organizations cannot lead but may collaborate. Review boundary map, land conservation easements, shapefile requirements, partner commitments, match documentation and prohibited uses; payments primarily reimbursement. NFWF Easygrants is the application route, but its account-specific fields were not accessed. Official https://www.nfwf.org/programs/great-plains-grassland-fund/great-plains-grassland-fund-2026-2027-request-proposals. Same applicant track represented by existing WordPress #6694; avoid duplicate. Source RFP and standard program terms sufficient for Atlas catalog-level official verification without representing gated form as reviewed.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation — Great Plains Grassland Fund 2026–2027
Competitive grants support voluntary, durable protection of intact Great Plains grasslands threatened by conversion, together with compatible community-led stewardship, grazing management, biodiversity protection and water-conservation benefits. This is applicant financial assistance, not a government purchasing or vendor-services solicitation.
Funding
Individual applicant award maximum: not published in the controlling RFP. NFWF states that up to $10,000,000 may be available across the entire 2027 program; this figure is a program pool, not an individual grant award. Every award requires at least a 1:1 match through cash or contributed goods and services. Both federal and nonfederal matching sources may qualify. Higher match ratios can strengthen competitiveness. Payments are primarily by reimbursement; limited advances require an imminent need and justification.
Eligibility and geography
Eligible lead applicants: 501(c) nonprofit organizations; state, local and municipal governments; Tribal governments and organizations; and educational institutions. Federal agencies, for-profit companies, unincorporated individuals and international organizations are not eligible lead applicants, although they may participate as partners or subrecipients where allowed. Projects must conserve grass-dominated landscapes within the funder’s Great Plains program boundary; consult the official interactive boundary map before determining geographic eligibility.
Deadline and application
January 27, 2027, at 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time (MT) is the full proposal deadline stated by NFWF. The funder has not separately identified a daylight/standard-time abbreviation. Applications are filed through NFWF Easygrants; applicants are strongly encouraged to consult NFWF program staff and the recorded October 23 webinar before applying. Award decisions are anticipated in May 2027.
Required components and restrictions
Proposals should describe the land-conservation strategy and threat of conversion, conservation outcomes, partnerships and ranching-community engagement, ecological benefits, performance metrics, project budget and match sources. NFWF requires accurate spatial data, including shapefiles delineating proposed conservation properties; conservation-easement projects must explain applicable restrictions, including no conversion of protected grassland to cropland. Acquisition and easement due diligence may require appraisals, title reports, baseline inventories, hazard assessments and related documents. The award may not finance lobbying, political advocacy, litigation, fundraising or routine compliance with existing legal obligations. Equipment purchases and federal telecommunications or drone restrictions require attention.
Official controlling RFP: https://www.nfwf.org/programs/great-plains-grassland-fund/great-plains-grassland-fund-2026-2027-request-proposals. Application portal: NFWF Easygrants. Research last verified November 4, 2026 from the complete publicly available RFP. The applicant-specific Easygrants questionnaire requires login and was not independently inspected; applicants should confirm any additional application questions and the current portal instructions before submission.
Source verificationReferenced source · www.nfwf.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-05. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
