Desert Tortoise Recovery Partnership
This grant funds research and habitat restoration to support the recovery of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise in California’s western Mojave Desert through science-based conservation actions.
Funder: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): May 2027 (West Mojave Landscape Resilience and Desert Tortoise Recovery Partnership RFP, projected)
Funding Amounts: ~$60M total over 10 years; typical annual RFPs support multiple awards; recent grants range from ~$130K–$1.5M each; matching funds encouraged
Summary: Supports coordinated habitat restoration, management, and research to address urgent conservation needs of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise in California’s western Mojave Desert.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity; all deadlines are projected—check the program page for updates.
Description
The Desert Tortoise Recovery Partnership (DTRP) is a major conservation initiative led by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in collaboration with U.S. military branches, federal land management agencies, and other partners. The program targets the recovery of the threatened Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in California’s western Mojave Desert, a region experiencing severe population declines due to habitat loss, urbanization, invasive species, predation, and other threats.
The DTRP funds projects that deliver measurable conservation outcomes, focusing on:
- Habitat restoration and management
- Installation of exclusion fencing and road crossing structures
- Acquisition and protection of critical tortoise habitat
- Research and monitoring of tortoise populations and habitat effectiveness
- Community outreach and education to reduce human impacts
The program operates under a 10-year implementation plan, with annual requests for proposals (RFPs) supporting both applied research and on-the-ground conservation actions. Projects are expected to align with the Recovery and Sustainment Partnership (RASP) objectives, emphasizing collaboration and adaptive management across jurisdictions.
