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Natural Community Conservation Planning (NCCP)

Grants Information

DFG sponsors two grant programs for NCCP/HCPs. The LOCAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS (LAG) program provides state funds for urgent tasks associated with implementing approved NCCPs, or NCCPs anticipated to be approved within 12 months of grant application.

DFG is also the state sponsor of the federal ESA SECTION 6 GRANTS program, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) offers annual grants to states (PDF) to support conservation planning and purchases of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife, and plant species. The grants are authorized by Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act.

Local Assistance Grants

If you are interested in these grants, see the Procedural Guidelines, which contains eligibility criteria, application and submission procedures, project administration guidance, and DFG contact information. Applicants, please work with your local DFG regional representative (see final page of Procedural Guidelines) to develop a project concept proposal by November 1, 2011.

ESA NON-TRADITIONAL Section 6 Grants

The 2011 Federal HCP Grant Cycle has begun. Visit the FWS grants site for information on eligibility and approved uses of these grants. Contact your local DFG office if you are interested in applying.

DFG and local HCP sponsors have been very successful in the national competition for Section 6 grant funds. Plans with large geographic areas, multiple species, high match amounts, multiple stakeholders, and high conservation importance score high. A combination of these factors for most California plans has led to significant grant awards (PDF) each year. These grants require a contribution of a minimum of 25 percent of the projects' total costs by non-federal project partners. A list of eligible non-federal match sources (PDF) is available. Grants are offered for HCPs under two programs:

  1. The HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (Non-traditional Section 6) provides grants for creating HCPs, through funding of tasks necessary in the planning phase: for example, baseline surveys and inventories, preparation of planning and environmental documents, and outreach.
  2. The HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM (Non-traditional Section 6) provides grants for land acquisitions associated with approved HCPs. Grants do not fund any mitigation required of an HCP permittee, but are instead intended to support land purchases that complement actions associated with the HCP.
  3. The RECOVERY LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM (Non-traditional Section 6) provides grants for the acquisition of habitat for endangered and threatened species in support of draft and approved recovery plans. These grants are administered through DFG's Wildlife Programs Branch.

ESA TRADITIONAL SECTION 6 GRANTS

In addition, some HCP/NCCP activities are eligible for the CONSERVATION GRANTS PROGRAM (Traditional Section 6), which provides funds to implement conservation projects for listed and at-risk species. In the past, the NCCP Program has received and distributed these funds on behalf of several approved NCCPs. These grants are now administered through DFG's Wildlife Programs Branch.