Tribal Land Acquisition Grant Program
Tribal Land Acquisition Grant Program supports tribal governments and conservation partners in acquiring and permanently protecting ancestral land to restore cultural ties and conserve natural resources.
Funder: Division of Conservation Services
Due Dates: November 8, 2024 (FY25 application) | December 17, 2026 (FY27–28 application; rolling review)
Funding Amounts: FY27–28: up to $500,000 for acquisitions; up to $50,000 for gift-related due diligence; projects through June 30, 2028
Summary: Supports tribal acquisition and permanent protection of ancestral land to restore cultural relationships and conserve natural resources.
Key Information: Tribal governments must accept a limited sovereign-immunity waiver for enforcement of grant and land-protection obligations.
Description
The Division of Conservation Services, within Massachusetts’ Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), administers this program to restore tribal relationships to ancestral land and revitalize cultural lifeways. It supports tribal governments and collaborating conservation organizations, municipalities, and eligible restriction holders in acquiring land or permanent interests in land.
FY27–28 funding covers fee purchases, Conservation Restrictions (CRs), Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (APRs), Watershed Protection Restrictions (WPRs), and transaction or due diligence costs associated with purchases or gifts. Conversion of term-limited restrictions to permanent restrictions is eligible. Acquired land must remain predominantly natural, scenic, or open, or in agricultural, farming, or forest use, in perpetuity. The program advances environmental justice, natural-resource conservation, climate resilience, and cultural access.
