Donated Conservation Easement Funding Program
Donated Conservation Easement Funding Program helps willing Vermont landowners cover easement transaction and stewardship costs to protect farms, working forests, natural areas, and recreational lands.
Funder: Vermont Housing and Conservation Board
Due Dates: Rolling (Applications)
Funding Amounts: Up to $32,500 or 50% of eligible project costs; matching funds required
Summary: Supports transaction and stewardship costs for donated conservation easements on Vermont farms, working forests, natural areas, and recreational lands.
Key Information: Individual landowners should work with a land trust to apply for VHCB funds.
Description
The Vermont Housing and Conservation Board’s Donated Conservation Easement Funding Program helps cover the transaction and stewardship costs of conservation easements donated by willing landowners. By reducing financial barriers to voluntary land conservation, it makes donated projects more accessible and affordable while supporting the protection of Vermont farms, working forests, natural areas, and recreational lands.
The program supports projects that align with VHCB’s conservation policies and contribute to Vermont’s clean water, biodiversity, and climate resilience goals. Funding addresses both the work needed to establish an easement and its ongoing stewardship. The program also aims to expand Vermont’s conservation capacity, leverage private and federal resources, and secure lasting benefits for Vermonters.
