The mission of the funder (likely MDC, although not explicitly stated) is not detailed within the provided text, so it's undefined in this context.
The grant program, comprising the Land Conservation Partnership Grant and the Conservation Easement Assistance Program, focuses on providing financial assistance to support land conservation efforts. It aims to help communities and local governments acquire land or easements for the purpose of preserving land with high conservation value. This includes projects that protect habitat for wildlife, improve water quality, provide outdoor recreation opportunities, and offer other ecosystem services. The program offers competitive, matching grants and financial assistance to cover costs related to the establishment of donated conservation easements, with a maximum award of $200,000 per project proposal. However, it does not currently compensate landowners for the value of the easement itself, although this aspect is under review.