Resources for
biodiversity
Funding
: Apr 20, 2026
min $50K
Forever Connecticut Fund
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 Forever CT Fund is designed to help land trusts act quickly on conservation opportunities when traditional funding sources are not immediately available. Applications are accepted by invitation only. Email Yaw to discuss your project(s) and eligibility for funding.
Funding
: Apr 20, 2026
min $50K
Forever Connecticut Fund
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.
Funding
: Apr 20, 2026
min $50K
The Land & Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP)
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.
Applications are accepted by invitation only. Potential applicants are required to contact Yaw Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants and Programs, to discuss their project and determine eligibility.
Funding
: Apr 20, 2026
min $50K
The Land & Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP)
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.
Mapper
Level of Effort:
Resilient Land Mapping Tool
The Resilient Land Mapping Tool, developed by The Nature Conservancy’s Center for Resilient Conservation Science, is an interactive mapping tool that helps users explore climate resilient landscapes across the United States. The tool allows users to view and analyze data on terrestrial resilience, biodiversity, connectivity, and other conservation indicators to support land protection and planning decisions. Users can explore different map layers, analyze specific areas, and download datasets for conservation research and planning. This tool is designed to support conservation efforts that protect biodiversity and maintain ecological functions in a changing climate.
Mapper
Level of Effort:
Resilient Land Mapping Tool
The Resilient Land Mapping Tool, developed by The Nature Conservancy’s Center for Resilient Conservation Science, is an interactive mapping tool that helps users explore climate resilient landscapes across the United States. The tool allows users to view and analyze data on terrestrial resilience, biodiversity, connectivity, and other conservation indicators to support land protection and planning decisions. Users can explore different map layers, analyze specific areas, and download datasets for conservation research and planning. This tool is designed to support conservation efforts that protect biodiversity and maintain ecological functions in a changing climate.
Mapper
Level of Effort:
The Long Island Sound and Watershed Metadata Map Application
The Long Island Sound watershed is home to nearly 9 million people in parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Canada. Government agencies, nonprofits, and Tribal Nations have overseen numerous projects to monitor and protect the water resources of this watershed and the sound. Although there is an abundance of data, there is no easy way to search them or a central place to manage this information. To help, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Long Island Sound Study have created an interactive map to help users find and understand data about the water resources of the Long Island Sound and its watershed.
This mapping tool does not host data or maintain data repositories. Instead, it compiles and presents metadata from publicly accessible databases managed by State and other organizations.
Refer to this fact sheet for details about the application and its data sources: The Long Island Sound and Watershed Metadata map application
Mapper
Level of Effort:
The Long Island Sound and Watershed Metadata Map Application
The Long Island Sound watershed is home to nearly 9 million people in parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Canada. Government agencies, nonprofits, and Tribal Nations have overseen numerous projects to monitor and protect the water resources of this watershed and the sound. Although there is an abundance of data, there is no easy way to search them or a central place to manage this information. To help, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Long Island Sound Study have created an interactive map to help users find and understand data about the water resources of the Long Island Sound and its watershed.
This mapping tool does not host data or maintain data repositories. Instead, it compiles and presents metadata from publicly accessible databases managed by State and other organizations.
Refer to this fact sheet for details about the application and its data sources: The Long Island Sound and Watershed Metadata map application
Funding
: Mar 1 – Apr 1, 2026
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land & Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP) March-April
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.
Applications are accepted by invitation only. Potential applicants are required to contact Yaw Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants and Programs, to discuss their project and determine eligibility.
Funding
: Mar 1 – Apr 1, 2026
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land & Easement Acquisition Program (LEAP) March-April
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.
Funding
: Jul 1 – Sep 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 4
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Applications are accepted by invitation only. Potential applicants are required to contact Yaw Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants and Programs, to discuss their project and determine eligibility.
Funding
: Jul 1 – Sep 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 4
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Funding
: May 1 – Jul 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 3
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Applications are accepted by invitation only. Potential applicants are required to contact Yaw Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants and Programs, to discuss their project and determine eligibility.
Funding
: May 1 – Jul 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 3
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Funding
: Mar 1 – May 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 2
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Applications are accepted by invitation only. Potential applicants are required to contact Yaw Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants and Programs, to discuss their project and determine eligibility.
Funding
: Mar 1 – May 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 2
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Funding
: Jan 1 – Mar 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 1
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.
Applications are accepted by invitation only. Potential applicants are required to contact Yaw Darko, CLCC’s Director of Grants and Programs, to discuss their project and determine eligibility.
Funding
: Jan 1 – Mar 1, 2025
$50K - $500K (or 30% of appraised value)
The Land Capital Grant Program – Round 1
The Land Capital Grant Program (LCG) 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.