Open Space Land Acquisition Fund Grant Program
Open Space Land Acquisition Fund Grant Program supports community organizations and public bodies in acquiring land and conservation easements to protect open space and expand free public access to nature.
Funder: Community Foundation of Mendocino County
Due Dates: October 19, 2026 (LOI opening) | Rolling until all funds are awarded (LOIs) | By invitation (Full application deadlines)
Funding Amounts: Up to 50% of eligible project costs; remaining costs must be committed from other sources before disbursement
Summary: Supports land and conservation easement acquisitions that protect open space and expand free public access to low-impact recreation, prioritizing the Ukiah Valley.
Key Information: Acquired land must remain free and open to the public for non-motorized, low-impact recreation.
Description
The Community Foundation of Mendocino County’s Open Space Land Acquisition Fund supports the acquisition and preservation of land for trails and open space. It funds land purchases and conservation easements that protect undeveloped land from development or monetary use while providing or meaningfully expanding public access to nature.
The program prioritizes land in the Ukiah Valley, connections to existing public lands, and projects that extend trails into a more connected network across the Ukiah Valley and Mendocino County. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity, independently or through partnerships, to complete the acquisition and steward the property over the long term. Projects with a stewardship endowment in their funding plan receive priority, although stewardship costs are not eligible grant expenses.
