Best Grants for Land Conservation in Oregon

Oregon land and habitat conservation 501(c)(3) nonprofits can access funding through Burning Foundation to support general operations or special projects preserving rivers, forests, native fish, and wild lands. Grants of US $5,000 - US $15,000 focus on habitat that supports biodiversity and quiet remote recreation in larger functioning ecosystems across Oregon.

Agricultural producers, non-industrial private forest owners, Tribes, and water management entities in Oregon can apply for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of Oregon’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program to fund conservation practices on working lands. Support covers technical and financial assistance to improve soil health, water and air quality, wildlife habitat, and land and habitat conservation.

Eligible partners such as tribes, state and local governments, and land trusts in Oregon can secure funding to purchase agricultural land easements that conserve working farms, ranches, and grasslands. Grants from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of Oregon help protect farmland, grazing uses, wildlife habitat, open space, and other land and habitat conservation values through permanent or long-term easements.

Oregon private and tribal landowners with eligible farmed or converted wetlands can access funding through the Natural Resources Conservation Service of Oregon to place conservation easements and restore wetland habitat. American Indian tribes, state and local governments, and NGOs with land protection programs may participate, with priority for projects benefiting migratory birds and other wildlife.

U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits working on forest and freshwater habitat conservation in Oregon can apply for Jubitz Family Foundation’s invitation-only grants, awarding US $5,000 - US $25,000 for restoration and advocacy projects. Land and habitat conservation organizations in the Mount Hood region may be especially competitive if they demonstrate clear, measurable outcomes and non-discriminatory practices.

Nonprofits, government entities, sportsmen’s groups, and educational institutions in Oregon can seek funding for land and habitat conservation, public access, wildlife management, and hunting heritage projects. Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supports efforts that conserve big game habitat, protect migration corridors, and create or improve public access through easements, agreements, and state-run access programs, with awards from US $5,000 - US $50,000.

Nonprofit organizations serving rural Oregon communities with land and habitat conservation, outdoor recreation, or youth-focused wilderness programs can apply for more than US $1,000 in flexible support. Grants from Arthur R Dubs Foundation help Oregon groups fund general operations, special projects, or capital campaigns that empower youth, strengthen families, and inspire love of wilderness areas.

Nonprofit organizations and public agencies in Oregon can receive US $1,000 - US $5,000 for land acquisition, habitat restoration, and park improvements through the Oregon Parks Foundation Fund. The Oregon Community Foundation supports projects that conserve native landscapes, enhance trails and interpretive features, and provide ecological education and park access, especially for underserved communities.

Conservation organizations and partners working on land and habitat conservation in Oregon and other western states can seek funding to enhance big game seasonal habitat, stopover areas, and migration corridors. With a mission to protect wildlife and habitats, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation supports projects on federal, private, and Tribal lands that improve connectivity and climate resiliency.

Oregon conservation organizations and agencies working on land, water, or habitat projects can receive support to benefit HCP-covered fish and amphibian species. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife provides Oregon land and habitat conservation efforts with funding for implementation, research and monitoring, planning, and stakeholder engagement projects that restore, preserve, enhance, or create habitat and reduce threats.

Public water suppliers in Oregon can apply for Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board’s Drinking Water Source Protection Grant Program; awards up to US $3,000,000 for land acquisition and related agreements to protect, restore, or enhance drinking water sources. Projects involving land or habitat conservation and water resource management for rural or lower-income communities may be especially competitive.

Undergraduate and graduate students researching land and habitat conservation in Oregon grasslands can apply for US $5,000 - US $15,000 from the Oren Pollak Memorial Research Fund. With a mission to advance conservation science, The Nature Conservancy provides funding for projects on grassland management, habitat for rare species, and community ecology, including work on TNC preserves.

Oregon Health Authority

The Oregon Health Authority is at the forefront of lowering and containing costs, improving quality and increasing access to health care in order to improve the lifelong health of people in Oregon.

Mission: Ensuring all people and communities can achieve optimum physical, mental, and social well-being through partnerships, prevention, and access to quality, affordable health care. OHA will transform the health care system in Oregon by: improving the lifelong health of people in Oregon, increasing the quality, reliability, and availability of care for all people in Oregon and lowering or containing the cost of care so it's affordable to everyone.

Land Acquisition (Conservation) Planning Grant

The Drinking Water Source Protection Fund (DWSPF) is designed for the protection of drinking water sources. Drinking water sources include watersheds above a public water supply surface water intake and/or the delineated portion of the aquifer supplying water to public water supply wells or springs. 

Land Acquisition (Conservation) Planning grants are for conservation purposes directed at the preservation of land to protect, restore, or enhance sources of drinking water serving eligible public water systems. Eligible conservation planning projects can include any studies or activities that involve or are related to assessing legal and/or financial feasibility of purchasing land, easements, or similar projects within an identified drinking water source area. 

This project aims to enhance the management of freshwater habitats in the Northwest, vital for native fish like bull trout and salmon. By developing a predictive modeling tool, it addresses threats from non-native species and environmental changes. The initiative aligns with federal conservation efforts and prioritizes science-based strategies to safeguard ecosystems and support recreational fishing, benefiting both local economies and tribal resources.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is funding a project to enhance floodplain connectivity assessments and riverscape health in the Great Basin using lidar data. This innovative approach aims to improve existing methods by providing continuous, robust measures of riverscape health, benefiting ecosystem services and addressing challenges related to drought and land management. Collaboration with federal, state, and NGO partners will ensure accessibility and scalability of the results, fostering broader scientific engagement in riverscape restoration efforts.

The F26AS00088 grant program aims to support states and tribes in preventing and compensating for livestock losses due to wolf depredation. Funded by the US Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service, it promotes nonlethal strategies for livestock protection, such as fencing and livestock-guarding dogs, while also providing reimbursement for confirmed losses. This initiative enhances coexistence between wildlife and agriculture, ensuring sustainable practices for livestock producers.

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board is a state agency that provides grants to help Oregonians take care of local streams, rivers, wetlands, and natural areas. Community members and landowners use scientific criteria to decide jointly what needs to be done to conserve and improve rivers and natural habitat in the places where they live. OWEB grants are funded from the Oregon Lottery, federal dollars, and salmon license plate revenue. The agency is led by an 18-member citizen board. The board includes representation from the public, tribes, and federal and state natural resource agency boards and commissions.

Technical Assistance (TA) Grants

Technical Assistance grants support resource assessment and planning, technical design and engineering, and organizational technical assistance that is necessary to carry out restoration and acquisition projects or programs that lead to the development of projects that protect or restore fish and wildlife habitat and/or natural watershed functions to improve water quality and/or stream flow.

Eligible Projects

​Technical Assistance grants include two types of Technical Assistance grants: Type 1 - Technical Design and Engineering; Type 2 - Resource Assessment and Planning

These types cannot be combined into a single application; a separate grant application must be submitted for each type of project.

Type 1: Technical Design and Engineering

Support the development of project feasibility reports, designs, or engineering materials that directly lead to site-specific restoration or acquisition projects within a specified timeframe.

Required Match:​ 5%

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board

The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board is a state agency that provides grants to help Oregonians take care of local streams, rivers, wetlands, and natural areas. Community members and landowners use scientific criteria to decide jointly what needs to be done to conserve and improve rivers and natural habitat in the places where they live. OWEB grants are funded from the Oregon Lottery, federal dollars, and salmon license plate revenue. The agency is led by an 18-member citizen board. The board includes representation from the public, tribes, and federal and state natural resource agency boards and commissions.

Technical Assistance (TA) Grants

Technical Assistance grants support resource assessment and planning, technical design and engineering, and organizational technical assistance that is necessary to carry out restoration and acquisition projects or programs that lead to the development of projects that protect or restore fish and wildlife habitat and/or natural watershed functions to improve water quality and/or stream flow.

Eligible Projects

​Technical Assistance grants include two types of Technical Assistance grants: Type 1 - Technical Design and Engineering; Type 2 - Resource Assessment and Planning

These types cannot be combined into a single application; a separate grant application must be submitted for each type of project.

Type 2 - Resource Assessment and Planning

Support the development of information about existing water quality or habitat conditions and processes at an identified scale, and relate those conditions and processes to actions that will directly lead to desired future conditions within a specified timeframe.

Required Match:​ 5%

Nonprofit and conservation organizations supporting land and habitat conservation in Oregon can seek US $250,000 - US $750,000 to expand regenerative agriculture and conservation practices on private lands. The Conservation Partners Program from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funds technical assistance that helps landowners plan, implement best practices, join Farm Bill programs, and share conservation outcomes.

Tax-exempt organizations, ODFW, volunteer groups with a fiscal sponsor, and qualified individuals in Oregon can seek funding for land and habitat conservation, restoration, and related research projects. Oregon Wildlife Foundation supports fish and wildlife habitat work, public access improvements, outdoor education, pollution prevention, invasive species control, and studies that enhance fish and wildlife management, with awards up to US $5,000.

Oregon land and habitat conservation nonprofits restoring diminished native tree species through research, seed orchards, or forest land preservation can access funding through The Oak Hill Fund. Eligible 501(c)(3) organizations across the continental U.S. may request project-specific support, including necessary overhead, for biodiversity and forest ecosystem health initiatives.

Nonprofit and public entities seeking support for land and habitat conservation projects in Oregon can apply for the OWEB Land Acquisition Grant Program. With a mission to enhance watersheds and natural areas, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board provides Oregon land conservation efforts with funding for competitive land acquisition projects, following required pre-application consultation with staff.

Watershed councils and soil and water conservation districts in Oregon can receive biennial operating support to strengthen their capacity for collaborative, voluntary watershed restoration and conservation. The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board funds council and district operations that engage communities in protecting land, habitat, water quality, streamflows, and native fish and wildlife habitat.

Agricultural producers and land stewards in Oregon can apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program, with awards of More than US $7,500 to enhance conservation on working lands. This USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service program offers five-year contracts with annual payments for maintaining and improving soil health, water quality, wildlife habitat, and sustainable farming practices.

The Sachs Family Foundation Grant aims to enhance the quality of life for economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals and families. The Foundation supports self-sustaining charitable organizations focusing on economic and educational opportunities, particularly in low-income communities in the U.S. and developing countries. Grants are available for various initiatives, including education, housing, and job training, with a keen interest in programs that demonstrate clear potential for sustainability.

SITKA Ecosystem Grants support projects that enhance ecosystems and promote conservation efforts. These grants encourage both grassroots initiatives and larger organizational projects, aiming to improve habitat restoration, biodiversity, and the hunting experience. With funding ranging from $3,000 to $20,000, applicants must be 18 years or older and have relevant experience. The review process is ongoing, and projects should emphasize collaboration and measurable impacts on environmental goals, benefiting both society and ecosystems.

The REPI Challenge, initiated by the DOD's REPI Program, aims to protect critical testing and training capabilities through funded projects. Since 2012, over $193 million has been allocated to 69 initiatives, leveraging more than $512 million in partner contributions. The upcoming 2026 REPI Challenge will focus on strategic mission safeguarding, with up to $20 million available for preventing land use conflicts and enhancing military resilience, thus ensuring the longevity of vital defense capabilities.