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Conservation Futures application process
Apply for Conservation Futures funding to add parks and open spaces to your community
The application round for 2028 funding will open November 2, 2026. Applications will be due February 5, 2027.
CFT grants are used to buy or conserve sites that will be used as parks and open spaces - for example, urban greenspaces and parks, natural areas, sites for habitat and stream restoration, forests, community gardens, farms, and trails. These open spaces may be used for passive recreation. We may be able to partner on green stormwater acquisitions or create parks near affordable housing. CFT grants can be made to local governmental agencies and eligible nature conservancy or historic preservation nonprofits.
First-time nonprofit applicants: please visit our nonprofit page for more information; our entry point for nonprofits is during the summer prior to the grant round to ensure adequate time to review organizational capacity and financial readiness.
In communities that have been under-served with open space investments, CFT funding may be able to cover 100% of the acquisition costs for some projects. Please visit the match waiver page for details.
Application materials:
- CFT Application Guidance - please read for guidance on maps & submittal process.
- Projects Applying for Acquisition Funding: download both documents in this folder: Download these materials - Acquisition projects
- Projects Applying for Site Stabilization Cost (SSC) Funding: download the document in this folder: Download these materials - SSC requests
Additional references:
- Schedule
- Program guidance
- Application evaluation criteria and general conditions
- Match waiver information
- Nonprofit applicants
- Conservation Futures flyer
Applicant Support
General project support
Please contact Ingrid Lundin to discuss your project. We encourage early conversations, particularly for first-time applicants; nonprofits; match waiver requests; land match projects; projects with areas not eligible for CFT.
Workshops
Conservation Futures Application Workshops review the Conservation Futures open space acquisition grant program policies, and step through the application process. Workshops are held on Zoom and advanced registration is required. The program overview handout summarizes the workshop material.
- Workshop #1 (for first-time applicants): Wednesday, November 18, 2026 (10 am-12 pm) Click here to register.
- Workshop #2 (for returning applicants): Wednesday, December 9, 2026 (2-3 pm) Click here to register.
- Workshop #3 (for first-time applicants): Thursday, December 10, 2026 (1-3 pm) Click here to register.
If you can’t join one of these sessions, you can view a recording of a first-time applicant workshop:
Technical assistance
We have consultants who can provide free grant-writing technical assistance to applicants. To request help, please email Ingrid Lundin as early as possible, and no later than January 8, 2027.
Translations
Email Ingrid Lundin with requests for interpretation and translation.