Land Trust

CLCC’s Forever Connecticut Fund is a conservation finance tool that provides land trusts with access to immediate, flexible capital to acquire natural and working lands, including fee simple and conservation easements. Beyond financial assistance, the Forever Connecticut Fund strengthens organizations through a new capacity-building program that includes one-on-one coaching from a development expert to help land trusts secure grants and donations, launch capital campaigns, and boost their overall fundraising capacity.

The Land & Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP) is designed to bridge funding gaps and accelerate the protection of valuable conservation lands. CLCC will prioritize projects that:

• Have a closing time frame of 12 months or less.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to conservation.

• Align with statewide land conservation goals.

• Have leveraged and/or exhausted other public and private funding sources.

Administered by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC), CCPP has established a coordinated process by which land trust applicants to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA) may apply for a federal grant as a source of match funds.

Use the PERSISTS criteria included in this guide and worksheet to help identify, prioritize, and implement high-impact projects. These criteria serve as a guide for LIS communities to move projects from idea to implementation – they will help you identify & prioritize sustainable and resilient projects that advance the goals of the Long Island Sound Partnership Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The guiding questions in the sections below are intended to help you think through each of the eight criteria. Not all of the guiding questions below will be applicable to every project type. The questions and criteria are not listed in order of importance or priority. Each guiding question will not be applicable to every project type, so it is recommended that you consider all the criteria equally and as appropriate for your project.

CLCC’s Climate-Smart Forest Stewardship Grant Program is a new initiative that enables land trusts to take care of their forests. To help land trusts face these challenges, CLCC will provide funding for land trusts that integrate climate mitigation, resilience, and adaptation strategies into their long-term forest stewardship.

The National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) is a national focused on reducing risks to coastal communities. The NCRF is now soliciting pre-proposals for coastal resilience projects that restore, increase, and strengthen natural infrastructure such as coastal marshes and wetlands, dune and beach systems, oyster and coral reefs, rivers and floodplains, coastal forest, and barrier islands that mitigate the impacts of storms and other coastal hazards to communities.

The Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) invite coastal communities, Tribes, and non-profit organizations from across New England to apply for the Living Shoreline Planning Series, which will offer free training and technical assistance to help guide you and your team through the process of identifying and developing a conceptual design for a living shoreline. These projects will be designed to reduce erosion and coastal flooding and increase resilience with co-benefits like improving habitat and public access to coastal resources. The training and technical assistance are intended to build capacity towards designing, permitting, and implementing living shoreline projects in New England and ensure your community or organization is well positioned to secure funding to advance the project beyond the conceptual design phase.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is now accepting proposals for fiscal year 2025 Clean Water Section 319 grants.  Section 319 of the Federal Clean Water Act (Section 319) is a Federal program to control nonpoint sources (NPS) of water pollution.  Connecticut receives funds from EPA for Section 319 grants that can be passed onto communities, local conservation groups, and other organizations for NPS implementation projects, plans, and statewide NPS management efforts.

The 3rd Annual Learning Exchange hosted by the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund (LISCIF) is a collaborative, in person event designed to bring together current and past grant recipients, partners, and community stakeholders working to improve the Long Island Sound region. The event focuses on knowledge sharing, peer learning, and strengthening connections among organizations engaged in environmental justice, climate resilience, and community based solutions. Through facilitated discussions and interactive sessions, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their work, exchange best practices, and explore shared challenges and successes.

This free event is intended specifically for LISCIF grantees and invited partners and emphasizes accessibility and inclusion, with accommodations available upon request. By fostering dialogue and collaboration across diverse organizations, the Learning Exchange aims to build capacity, encourage cross sector partnerships, and support long term, community driven impact throughout the Long Island Sound watershed.

This opportunity allows Connecticut communities to submit water resource project priorities for consideration in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 2026. WRDA is a federal process led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that authorizes studies and projects related to flood risk management, coastal and shoreline protection, dredging and navigation, and ecosystem restoration. Authorization through WRDA is an important first step toward potential federal funding, though it does not guarantee that funding will be awarded. Projects typically require a non-federal cost share and must fall within the mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. General information is available here: Water Resources Development Acts: Primer and Action in the 119th Congress | Congress.gov | Library of Congress. See the Solicitation Letter at the link for Connecticut-specific guidance.

UConn CLEAR is offering a series of engaging webinars this winter, including an in-depth session on Connecticut’s ongoing Lidar and orthoimagery project. This presentation will explore the statewide effort that began in 2022 and continues through 2026. Speakers from Dewberry will explain the data products created from the 2023 acquisition and highlight how these datasets are being used in planning, mapping, environmental analysis, and other geospatial applications. The session is designed to help participants understand the importance of high quality elevation and imagery data in supporting statewide decision making.

The webinar will also discuss potential uses for these datasets in the coming years and provide a preview of the planned 2026 acquisition and delivery. Participants will gain insight into how Lidar and orthoimagery support climate resilience work, infrastructure planning, land use analysis, and broader environmental assessments. This session is open to anyone interested in geospatial data, statewide imagery, or Connecticut’s evolving GIS resources, and registration is available through UConn CLEAR.

This UConn CLEAR webinar provides an updated overview of Connecticut’s ongoing statewide Lidar and orthoimagery project. Dewberry’s technical team will introduce the data products generated from the 2023 acquisition and explain how these datasets are being used across environmental planning, land management, infrastructure mapping, and community decision-making. The session is designed to help participants understand the value of high resolution elevation and imagery data and how these resources support public agencies, researchers, and local communities.

The webinar will also look ahead to the 2026 phase of the project, offering insight into expected updates, new deliverables, and potential applications for longterm statewide planning. Attendees will gain a stronger understanding of how Lidar and orthoimagery fit into Connecticut’s geospatial data strategy and how these datasets can support climate resilience, hazard mapping, and improved environmental analysis. This session is open to anyone interested in GIS, remote sensing, or the state’s evolving geospatial data resources.

The Nature Conservancy is piloting a new program for land trusts across New York to receive tailored technical assistance aimed at accelerating the protection of lands vital to freshwater and coastal ecosystems, climate adaptation, and landscape connectivity. There is no cost to the land trust and no application is required to access this program.

The Land & Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP) is designed to bridge funding gaps and accelerate the protection of valuable conservation lands. CLCC will prioritize projects that:

• Have a closing time frame of 12 months or less.

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to conservation.

• Align with statewide land conservation goals.

• Have leveraged and/or exhausted other public and private funding sources.