The Jessie B. Cox Trust announces the second round of grants to increase the capacity of Regional Conservation Partnerships (RCP) in New England.
The Trust is a accepting applications for its Donated Land and Easement Grant Program. The program provides funds to RCPs to cover transaction costs associated with the donation of conservation easements and fee simple lands of ecological significance.
Pre-Proposal Deadline: November 1st. 2016
The pre-proposal deadline is Tuesday November 1st, 2016. The Trust requires applicants to complete a short concept application. The Trust will then invite full proposals from this pool of applicants. Guidelines are available at www.jbcoxtrust.org.
Insights from the proposal review process
The Cox Trust’s program advisory committee identified several strengths of the successful proposals that may be helpful to future applicants including:
Creative incentives. Incorporating incentives that rewarded matching dollars.
Fair and friendly competition. The design of an equitable and competitive funding process that allows all members to apply for funding.
Long-term vision. A commitment and plan for continuing the program beyond the Cox grant.
The advisory committee also identified areas that future applicants should address in their full proposals:
Solid leads. Realistic projections of potential landowners interested in donating easements or land in the near term.
Financial creativity. Practical strategies for leveraging Cox grant funding to increase additional resources for conservation .
Communication plans. Effort to increase public awareness of the transaction fund and regional conservation vision that it supports.
A long-term perspective. General interest and ideas to sustain a pooled fund as a long-term resource for RCP member organizations
Capacity building agenda. An understanding of how the process can help develop the capacity of member organizations to work together more effectively.
As it reviews concept applications and invites proposals, the advisory committee will balance the programmatic merits of each request with the larger mission of the funding initiative to support work that strengthens and benefits RCPs in New England.
If you have any questions about the application process, contact Prentice Zinn at 617-391-3091.