The MassConn Sustainable Forest Partnership, a Regional Conservation Partnership serving 39 towns in southern-central Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut, is pleased to announce a grant program to assist with the transactional costs of donated land or donated conservation easements.

Using a $100,000 grant from the Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust Donated Land and Easement Program to encourage the permanent conservation of ecologically significant land, the MassConn Regional Conservation Fund will provide funding for the following types of transactional expenses, through a competitive grant program: surveys, baseline documentation reports, appraisals, legal review (including title search/certification, closing costs) and associated attorney/legal fees.

Grants will be up to $20,000, though most will be smaller, with final grant funding allocation determined by the number of qualified applications. One project per organization per grant round will be allowed. Grant funding for accepted projects will be provided on a reimbursable basis (see Terms and Conditions).

Projects must be:

• Within the 39 town MassConn Service area and Hardwick, MA
• For the donation of at least 50% or more of the fee interest, or 100% of the conservation easement
• Donated from private ownership to a qualified conservation organization or municipality with provisions for permanent conservation

Projects will be ranked based on the amount of acreage they contain that are within the “Conservation Focus” categories of the MassConn Mapper– the top two fifths (top 40%) of priority for conservation. The MassConn steering committee will evaluate all applications based on these criteria, and others at its discretion, to award and distribute funding to as many applicants as possible, in two rounds of grant applications.