Best Plant Grants

New Mexico Department of Agriculture

NMDA is a producer-consumer service and regulatory department responsible for various statutes legislated since its inception. NMDA’s mandate has changed over the years in response to changes in population, the needs of agribusiness, and technological advancements. NMDA remains committed to serving its constituents by periodically reviewing statutes and fee structures, as well as offering compliance assistance and education in an effort to maintain a safe and secure food supply, promote a fair marketplace, and secure our natural resources.

Noxious Weed Management Grant

Purpose

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA) will award competitive grants to eligible applicants for projects that improve the state’s economy and environment by managing noxious weeds in New Mexico. The grants are funded through New Mexico’s Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund to achieve the purposes of the New Mexico Noxious Weed Management Act. 

Grant funds will be awarded for the following activities, but must include activities in at least one of the first three bullets bolded below to be considered for funding:

• Surveying & Mapping
• Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR)
• Integrated Weed Management (On-the-Ground-Treatments)
• Education/Outreach
• Planning, Capacity Development, & Partnership Building

Arizona Department of Agriculture

The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) protects consumer safety, facilitates commerce, promotes equity in the Arizona marketplace, and safeguards market access both domestically and internationally through a variety of inspection, licensing, and certification programs involving plants, livestock, meat, dairy, vegetables, citrus, fruit, eggs, feed, fertilizer, seed, agricultural and non-agricultural pesticides, packaged consumer goods, retail pricing, and commercial weighing and measuring devices. AZDA protects and guards against the risks associated with the entry and spread of plant and livestock pests and diseases. AZDA protects environmental resiliency through education and training programs to assure safe pesticide use and on-farm food safety, and assists in attaining air quality standards. AZDA maintains a state lab for testing agricultural samples and a lab for ensuring the accuracy of weights and measurement tools. AZDA provides non-regulatory assistance to members of the agricultural community and administers agricultural grant programs.

Section 6 - Segment 32 Grant Program

Program Background

The Section 6 Grant Program is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund Traditional Conservation Grants Program Region 2 which is established under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, 16 U.S.C. § 1535. This program supports the development and implementation of State programs to conserve and recover threatened and endangered species under USFWS jurisdiction.

Because many listed species spend at least part of their life cycle on non-Federal lands, USFWS recognizes that conservation success depends heavily on working cooperatively with States. In Arizona, the AZDA collaborates with the USFWS to manage and allocate Section 6 funding specifically for rare plants.

Eligible projects consist of habitat restoration/enhancement, surveys and inventories, plant propagation, genetic research (population health and structure), and monitoring/demography studies.

Matching Requirement: Applicants are required to provide matching funds in the form of cash or in-kind contribution of no less than 40%.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

CDFW’s MISSION is to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.

Natural Community Conservation Planning Local Assistance Grant Program

Description

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife seeks proposals for highest priority projects associated with the implementation of an NCCP. The intention of this Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) is to solicit proposals of the highest quality that are consistent with the goals of the NCCP Program. Proposals must address the highest priority tasks associated with the implementation of an NCCP such as:

• Management Activities: Immediate management actions on newly acquired NCCP reserve lands.
• Restoration/Enhancement: Restoration or enhancement of habitats or species populations on NCCP reserve lands.
• Monitoring: Design and implementation of biological monitoring programs identified in an NCCP, including the establishment of sampling methods, monitoring plots, data collection, management, and analysis.
• Reserve Management Plans: Development and implementation of individual reserve management plans.
• Mapping: New or updated mapping in support of NCCP management or monitoring activities, such as vegetation community mapping.
• Targeted Studies for Adaptive Management: Studies to evaluate management actions for covered habitats or species, and whether such actions are meeting stated goals or require adjustments through adaptive management.
• Other: Other non-land acquisition priority tasks, identified by the applicant and implementing partners, which are needed to ensure effective implementation of the NCCP.

Cattaraugus County Trappers Memorial Scholarship

Created by the Cattaraugus County Trappers Association, this scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school student who plans to pursue a degree in Natural Resources Conservation, Fish & Wildlife Management, Forest Management or similar area of study at a 2- or 4-year college. Financial need will be considered. Applicants must include list of outdoors sports in which they participate, a statement on importance of the role of sportsmen in conservation and management of fish and wildlife and natural resources, and information on career path in their goal statement.

Scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors. Applications are accepted from mid-November until mid-March. Scholarship award recipients will be announced at the high school awards ceremony. 

Van Cott Family Memorial Scholarship

Established in memory of Kermit Van Cott and his son Forrest to provide tuition assistance to a graduating Senior from one of the High Schools in Susquehanna County, with priority given to Blue Ridge, who will major in Landscape Architecture, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Horticulture, Botany, Forestry, or Agriculture and who will matriculate at college or a post-secondary degree program.

Mission

The Biodiversity Fund supports efforts to maintain and strengthen biodiversity in the Duluth-Superior region through preservation and restoration of habitat, help for particular species and ecosystems, planning for changing conditions, research and education. The purpose is to consider now the value to future generations of the species and ecosystem diversity that will remain when/if human population stabilizes.

Biodiversity Fund

The Biodiversity Fund supports projects that preserve and restore habitats, assist vulnerable species and ecosystems, plan for environmental change, and promote research and education in the Duluth-Superior region.

The fund aims to protect the region's biodiversity through conservation, preservation, and restoration of natural resources for the benefit of future generations.

Biodiversity Fund- Large & Multi-Year Grants

The Fund may also support larger initiatives of up to $50,000 per year for up to three years, for projects that require sustained investment to achieve meaningful, long-term impact. ‍

Multi-year requests should demonstrate:

• A clear long-term vision with defined milestones that allow progress to be assessed prior to subsequent years of funding each year
• How the work will scale, adapt, or deepen impact over time
• Strong partnerships, stewardship plans, or systems-level outcomes
• A plan for sustainability beyond the grant period

What We Mean by Biodiversity

‍Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, encompassing the diversity of genes, species, and ecosystems and the complex relationships that sustain them. Biodiversity underpins ecosystem stability, climate resilience, and human well-being by providing essential services such as clean air and water, natural food systems, nature-derived medicines, and climate adaptation and regulation.

This grant recognizes that healthy natural ecosystems and sustainable native plant and animal communities are deeply interconnected — environmental degradation often exacerbates social inequities and instability of communities of habitats and ecosystems. Community-led solutions strengthen ecological outcomes.

Biodiversity Fund Priorities

Funded projects should demonstrate strength in several of the following areas. Not every project must address all principles, but competitive proposals will show clear alignment across multiple dimensions.

• Upstream & Preventative Focus
  • Projects address root causes rather than symptoms.
  • Prioritize prevention, restoration, and long-term solutions
  • Reduce risk and vulnerability for people, species, and ecosystems
  • Anticipate environmental and social change rather than reacting after harm occurs
• Collaboration & Community Voice
  • Projects are grounded in authentic partnership.
  • Build cross-sector collaboration (e.g., nonprofits, Tribal Nations, schools, governments, researchers, community groups)
  • Center the expertise and leadership of people with lived experience, including Indigenous knowledge and local ecological expertise
  • Share power in design, decision-making, and implementation
• Equity-Centered Impact
  • Projects advance equity for both people and place.
  • Prioritize historically marginalized communities and/or vulnerable species and ecosystems
  • Focus resources, decision-making power, or stewardship closer to impacted communities
  • Recognize how environmental harm and social inequity intersect
• Systems, Policy & Practice Change
  • Projects have transferability and relevance beyond a single site or program.
  • Improve institutional practices, policies, land-use decisions, or resource flows
  • Strengthen community-level systems related to housing, food security, climate adaptation, education, or conservation
  • Demonstrate potential for replication, scaling, or broader adoption
• Sustainability & Capacity Building
  • Projects plan for impact that lasts beyond the grant period.
  • Strengthen organizational, community, or ecosystem capacity
  • Build skills, infrastructure, stewardship, or long-term management plans
  • Promote ongoing care, monitoring, or adaptive management of natural systems
• Evidence of Change & Learning
  • Projects contribute to shared learning and understanding.
  • Use data, research, community knowledge, or storytelling to demonstrate impact
  • Measure ecological, social, or systems-level outcomes
  • Share lessons learned to inform future equity-, resilience-, and biodiversity-focused work

South Carolina Native Plant Society

The South Carolina Native Plant Society (SCNPS) is a community of nature lovers, hikers, gardeners, environmental advocates, students, educators, photographers, land managers, botanists, naturalists, and others representing many different talents, interests and backgrounds.

We have banded together to protect native plant communities that are threatened, restore those that have been decimated or destroyed, and educate ourselves and others about…

• the importance of native plants
• where to find them in nature
• how to add them to our gardens
• and how to fully appreciate the essential role native plants play in sustaining our ecosystems, and, by extension, us.

Grand Strand Grant Program

The Grand Strand Chapter of the South Carolina Native Plant Society (SCNPS) is pleased to announce our Spring 2026 Grant Program. The SCNPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to protect and restore native plants and educate our communities. The Grand Strand Chapter, based in Conway, hosts field trips, plant sales, invasive species removals, lectures, and meetings to promote native plants in our region.

Our Grand Strand Chapter Grants Program allows us to support local projects that align with the SCNPS mission. 

Grant Overview & Requirements

Projects must be directed at protecting, restoring, and/or educating the public or students about native plants in the Grand Strand region of South Carolina. We are especially interested in funding projects involving cultural significance, rare species, or the removal of invasive species.

You must demonstrate that you have permission to implement your project, as outlined in the application.

Native Tree Nursery RFP

The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (“LCBP”), in coordination with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (“NEIWPCC”), is pleased to announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that will directly support the Healthy Ecosystems goals of Opportunities for Action: An Evolving Plan for the Future of the Lake Champlain Basin by supporting organizations situated in the United States that have the ability to sell or grow native trees and shrubs for habitat conservation planting projects in the Lake Champlain Basin. The intent of this funding opportunity is to measurably enhance the native plant supply available to local organizations for habitat conservation projects that benefit Lake Champlain.

Awarded funding may be used for infrastructure investments and to support workforce development initiatives needed to build or grow tree nursery capacity and reduce the cost of stems for conservation planting projects located in the Lake Champlain basin.

Applicants must demonstrate or provide a viable business plan and describe how costs to local non-profits purchasing the native plants will remain stable or be reduced or eliminated through use of this funding. Approximately $1,000,000 in funding is available to support awarded projects. Grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded. One proposal may be submitted per eligible organization or entity. LCBP anticipates granting multiple awards from this RFP.

This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on behalf of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Proposals should offer a scope that supports work in the U.S. portion of the Lake Champlain Basin. Partial funding of total application requests may be awarded if agreeable to the applicant. All awards are subject to funding availability.

The Botany in Action Fellowship Program at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is designed for PhD students in plant-based research. It provides $6,000 for research and outreach expenses, an all-expenses paid trip for science outreach training, and opportunities to connect with the public through various outreach initiatives. This program nurtures the next generation of plant scientists committed to impactful research and educational outreach, fostering a deeper understanding of plant science.

The Fort Orange Garden Club Centennial Endowed Scholarship is designed for third- and fourth-year undergraduate or current graduate students majoring in plant sciences, conservation, environmental sciences, or landscape architecture. Scholarship recipients must demonstrate financial need and reside in specific counties in New York, including Albany and Schenectady, fostering academic growth while contributing to environmental stewardship.

The Bentham-Moxon Trust offers financial support to overseas botanists and mycologists for training and research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Established in 1984, the Trust enhances the educational experience of visiting scholars through grants that cover training and travel costs. Applicants must secure support from Kew staff and have their salaries covered by their home institutions. This initiative aims to strengthen botanical and mycological research and collaboration globally.

The Thomas H. Wootten Family Student Conservation Grant, offered by the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, supports university students engaged in conservation-related projects. With a funding limit of $2,000, this grant emphasizes field research and public education related to native plants. It honors Tom and Eleanor Wootten, dedicated conservationists whose foundation's assets were donated to NPSNM. Eligible projects must align with NPSNM's mission to educate, conserve, and conduct research on native plants.

The Soil and Water Stewardship Scholarship, sponsored by the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, provides financial support to students pursuing careers in natural resources. Applicants must reside in specific Illinois counties and plan to enroll in a full-time program related to fields such as ecology, hydrology, and conservation. Academic performance is a key consideration in the selection process. For more details, contact the Winnebago County Soil & Water Conservation District.

The Longboat Key Garden Club offers scholarships to support eligible college students in Florida pursuing degrees in natural or marine sciences. Awards range from $5,000 to $10,000, aimed at enhancing educational experiences for dedicated students. This initiative encourages studies in diverse fields such as Botany, Marine Biology, and Ecology. By investing in future leaders, the Garden Club fosters academic achievement and inspires students to pursue their professional dreams in environmental stewardship.

The 1928 AGC Founders Fund, established by the Adirondack Garden Club, aims to support nonprofit organizations, including schools, that enhance the Adirondack environment. By providing grants, this fund promotes gardening knowledge, protects native species, encourages civic planting, and conserves natural resources. Applications are welcomed from organizations dedicated to making a positive impact in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin counties, covering a diverse area of 1,824 square miles.

The Montana Native Plant Society's Small Grants Program offers funding up to $1500 for projects that conserve native plants in Montana. This initiative aims to enhance research, conservation, and education regarding native flora. Eligible projects may cover direct costs such as travel and supplies, while preference is given to those that generate research data, demonstrate collaboration, and include educational components. This program seeks to foster a deeper appreciation for Montana's unique plant communities.

The Philip Keenan Award, presented by the American Orchid Society, honors individuals dedicated to studying or preserving native orchids in North America. This prestigious award acknowledges past accomplishments in these fields, promoting broader appreciation for orchids and supporting ongoing conservation efforts. Applicants can include students, amateurs, or professionals who demonstrate commitment and passion for orchid research and preservation, contributing to the sustainability of these beautiful plants.

The INPS Biodiversity Grants, offered by the Indiana Native Plant Society, support projects that promote the appreciation and preservation of Indiana's native plants. Grants are available for research on native plant species, demonstration gardens, and land management efforts. Eligible projects must be open to the public, while funds cannot be used for transportation or lodging. This initiative aims to educate the community about the ecological significance of native flora.

The Margaret Williams Research Grant, offered by the Nevada Native Plant Society (NNPS), awards up to two grants of $2000 each annually. These grants support basic botanical research focusing on Nevada's native flora, encompassing various disciplines such as conservation, ecology, and ethnobotany. Eligible costs include travel, lodging, and research-related services, while non-eligible costs cover equipment and wages. This initiative aims to enhance the understanding of Nevada's unique ecosystems.

The Ann Miller Gonzalez Graduate Research Grant, offered by the Native Plant Society of Texas, supports graduate students at Texas universities conducting research on native plants and habitat conservation. Grants up to $2500 are available to promote academic pursuits in biology, botany, and related fields. This initiative honors an early advocate for Texas native plants, encouraging future research that emphasizes the importance of native flora in the state's ecosystems.

The Old York Garden Club Scholarship Program supports aspiring students in plant sciences, including botany, ecology, and horticulture. The scholarship, established in memory of Marion Prince Hosmer, awards $2,700 to a full-time Maine resident who has completed one year of study in a related field. This opportunity aims to foster the next generation of environmental stewards and gardening enthusiasts, ensuring their educational journey is supported financially.

The NEBC Graduate Student Research Award offers up to $3,000 to support graduate students conducting botanical research on New England's flora, including plants, algae, and fungi. This award encourages projects involving field, lab, and herbarium work, as well as travel within the region. Open to all graduate students, it aims to foster significant contributions to systematic botany, plant ecology, genetics, and conservation biology.

The GCA: Catherine H. Beattie Fellowship in Conservation Horticulture, provided by the Garden Club of America, offers an annual research grant of up to $4,500 for graduate students in biology or horticulture. This fellowship aims to promote the conservation of rare and endangered flora in the U.S., particularly focusing on the southeastern region. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled in a U.S.-based institution, with preference given to those studying plants native to the Carolinas.

The California Garden Clubs Scholarship offers six $2,000 scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year, aimed at students with notable achievements or those who have completed two years of college. This initiative promotes horticulture and environmental conservation while encouraging civic beautification across California. The scholarships reflect the organization's commitment to fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural beauty of the state through education and community involvement.

The Washington Biologists' Field Club (WBFC) Research Awards Competition offers grants to support field research focused on the Mid-Atlantic Region's natural history. This includes studies on biodiversity, ecology, and conservation, with a particular emphasis on organisms from Plummers Island and the Potomac River. The WBFC encourages proposals that enhance understanding of lesser-known taxa and has funded diverse research topics, such as fish behavior and conservation genetics.

The Jack and Martha Carter Grant, offered by the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, supports projects that enhance public understanding of native plants and their conservation. Grants typically range from $1,000 to $5,000, aimed at educational, ecological, and botanical research initiatives. Both members and nonmembers are eligible, with a focus on practical, innovative proposals that align with the Society's mission. Applicants must report on their project outcomes, fostering accountability and continued support for environmental efforts.

The Heritage Partnership Program, managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, aims to foster collaboration on projects that deliver conservation and recreational benefits. Eligible entities include governmental agencies, Indian tribes, and 501c3 organizations. With specific funding categories for habitat management, public access enhancement, and urban wildlife conservation, projects must be completed within one year, following the state fiscal year. Note that no funding is available for FY26 as all funds are obligated.