The Nature Conservancy’s Appalachians Grant Program funds conservation in 11 states to support wildlife corridors and climate resilience

More than 17,000 acres of land will be protected this year after The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program provided up to $100,000 in grant funding to support projects that create a connected network of healthy lands and waters across 18 states in the Appalachians region from Maine to Alabama.

Projects supported by the Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program (RCA) deliver meaningful benefits to communities, including strengthened resilience to climate change and expanded access to natural spaces that promote overall well-being. These outcomes are especially vital for under-resourced communities—such as those lacking quality green spaces or facing disproportionate climate-related challenges due to longstanding underinvestment and inadequate infrastructure.

This year, grants went to 14 organizations in 11 states to support the acquisition of more than 17,000 acres, giving more than $1 million in privately raised funds to communities, nonprofits, land trusts, Indigenous tribes and other partners. The 14 projects protect forestlands, waterways, mountains and natural habitats in the Appalachians region, a vital and vast corridor for wildlife migration, climate resilience and overall ecological protection.

“We are thrilled to support projects that are making the Appalachians more vibrant by protecting lands and waterways for wildlife and people who care about this region,” said Heather Furman, Appalachians director for The Nature Conservancy. “Protecting connected lands is one of the key ways to make nature and communities more resilient in a changing world, ensuring that our land, forests, waterways, mountains and habitats remain a stronghold where wildlife and humans can thrive, now and forever.”

This year’s funded projects—touching down in Alabama, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Vermont—range from supporting a partnership with an Indigenous-led nonprofit focused on protecting traditional territory in Virginia to connecting critical habitat for species to move across the landscape in Maine and beyond.

The Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program is part of the larger Connectivity, Climate and Communities Fund, which also includes The New York Climate Resilience Grant Program.

The Fund’s overall areas of focus include:  

• Connectivity: Creating a connected network of resilient lands and waters—a biodiversity superhighway enabling plants and animals to adapt to a changing climate.  

• Climate: Protecting and managing forests that store significant amounts of carbon, accelerating the transition to well-sited renewable energy and helping communities to adapt and mitigate impacts from flooding. 

• Communities: Supporting resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods and strong connections to their natural landscapes. 

For more information about eligibility and guidelines, visit the website.