The New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) is a collaborative effort between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Land Trust Alliance's New York Program. Its mission is to provide competitive matching grants to qualified New York land trusts. The goal is to foster land conservation, stimulate economic development, protect farmland, and support community conservation along with recreation and tourism endeavors. Funded by New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund, it aims to leverage additional local funding to facilitate the conservation of farmland, wildlife habitats, recreational areas, and urban open spaces across New York.
The New York State Conservation Partnership Program Grants aim to enhance the capacity, excellence, and sustainability of nonprofit conservation organizations in New York. Through a competitive process, these grants support diverse initiatives including the professional development of land trust staff, catalyzing new community-supported conservation partnerships, stewardship and resource management of conserved properties, and covering transaction costs for conservation efforts. Specifically, the grants target organizational development, foster collaborative conservation projects, facilitate significant capital investments in public access improvements, and help manage the indirect costs associated with conservation easements and land acquisitions, all with the vision of protecting environmentally significant lands in New York.