Volunteers at Coldwater Springs, Minnesota

Grants

NEEF offers a variety of grants and awards to help organizations engage their local community to improve the environment, increase diversity, and expand their work locally. We routinely highlight individual and group commitment to nature through education and service. Last year, NEEF provided nearly $700,000 in grants and awards to educational (both formal and informal) and public land partners across the country.

To stay on top of our grant programs, make sure to sign up for our email list.

If you have any questions about an open grant, please email grantsadmin@neefusa.org. Please note that we cannot provide any information about grants that are not open. This includes when a closed grant will be open again.

For information on helping your organization manage its money and get on the road to grantseeking, check out the PwC Nonprofit Learning Center.

Current Funding Opportunities

The majority of NEEF’s grantmaking is through competitive grant award programs. Search below for all available funding opportunities and learn how to apply for a grant. To apply, please select the program below and follow the guidelines and application requirements. We recommend that you carefully review eligibility criteria and selection guidelines as they vary by grant program. All applications must be submitted via our online grants system by the deadline date provided. Unfortunately, we cannot accept unsolicited proposals.

Please review NEEF’s Glossary of Terms and Frequently Asked Questions before applying for a grant opportunity.

Volunteers at a National Public Lands Day

2021 Biodiversity Conservation Grant

With support from Toyota, NEEF is offering $225,000 in grant funding to support conservation projects within the California Floristic Province.

Kids rowing a boat

Restoration & Resilience COVID Recovery Fund

With support from Toyota, International Paper, and the Hilton Effect Foundation, NEEF is granting $128,000 for public lands impacted by COVID-19.

Recently Awarded Grants

Kahanahaiki

2020 National Public Lands Day Department of Defense Awards Grantees

In commemoration of NPLD 2020, the Department of Defense has awarded 15 NPLD projects on military lands that are open for recreation.

Dad and son planting at San Diego River Mouth

2020 DoD Legacy Park Rx Day Award Recipients

NEEF, with support from the DoD Legacy Resource Management Program, has awarded six military installations to participate in National Park Rx Day.

MSI at a presentation

NEEF Announces Awardees for Second Round of Restoration & Resilience Grants

NEEF and Toyota Motor North America are proud to announce the awardees for the second round of Restoration & Resilience Grants for 2020.

Past Grantees

Grantee Highlights from 2018

Our grantees have lead service events dedicated to the restoration, resilience, and conservation of public lands, worked with the National Park Service on professional training and development, coordinated with the US Forest Service on conservation activities, and engaged in place-based environmental education efforts. From impactful service-oriented events throughout the country to local development of pollinator gardens, NEEF's expansive grantmaking opportunities embodied our mission and values.

Get acquainted with NEEF’s grantmaking by learning about past programs and grantees.

Contact NEEF’s Grantmaking Department at grantsadmin@neefusa.org with any questions or for additional information about current or impending grant opportunities. Sign up for NEEF’s Grantmaking distribution list to receive the latest news and updates.

Past Grantees >>

Grantee Highlights

Mississippi River Park Connection volunteers

How One Minnesota Nonprofit Brought People Together to Restore a Mississippi River Habitat

With funding from the Every Day Event Grant, the Mississippi Park Connection addressed a lack of local biodiversity.

Monka Krach shows students from June Jordan High School how to use a quadrat

San Francisco Bay Students Get Hands-On Ecology Lesson at Duxbury Reef

Duxbury Reef is a recipient of the Hands on the Land Mini-Grant, sponsored by the collaborative efforts of Partners in Resource Education.

Volunteers with the Mountain Studies Institute at a stewardship event

After wildfires decimated their town, this local nonprofit group helped a Colorado community heal through environmental stewards

NEEF & Toyota awarded Mountain Studies Institute with a Restoration & Resilience grant for environmental education & stewardship.

Landscape photo of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River valley in Washington State

A Seattle-based nonprofit has conserved public lands for three decades

NEEF supported Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust with a Pollinator/Community Garden Grant for a project in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Crowd at a pier at Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan

Improving Accessibility at Sleeping Bear Dunes

Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes conducted accessibility assessments to identify barriers for people with physical disabilities & recommend improvements

Moccasin Bend National Park: Walnut Street Walking Bridge in Chattanooga, TN

Connecting Communities to Local History

The National Park Partners created an exhibit and walking tour focused on African-American history.

Presentation at MSI Summit

Local Wildfire Helps Teach Students About Science and Ecology

Mountain Studies Institute and local schools organized outings where students conducted soil and water tests to understand the impact of wildfires.

Mississippi River Paddle Share Program

NEEF's Centennial and Beyond Fund

Commemorating NPS’ 100th year, NEEF launched its Centennial and Beyond Fund, providing financial support to partnering friends groups of NPS units.

Davey Tree Company presentation during BioBlitz

BioBlitz with the Americas for Conservation + the Arts

During the BioBlitz, students acted as citizen scientists by taking guided tours of the park, identifying species, and cataloging their discoveries.

Fourth grade students at Deschutes National Forest during Discover Your Forest's 2016 BioBlitz

How One NEEF Grantee Connects Communities to Their Local Public Lands

Learn more about how NEEF grantee, Discover Your Forest, designs successful outdoor field experiences for K-12 students.

Group yoga at the Atlanta Beltline

What has 7.8 miles of open trails, 406 acres of parks, free fitness classes AND an urban farm?

By 2030, the Atlanta BeltLine is expected to loop 22 miles of modern streetcar, 33 miles of multi-use trail, and 1,300 acres of parks.

Nonprofit Tools and Resources

NPLD at Coldwater Springs

Free or Low-Cost Resources for Nonprofits

To help organizations accomplish all of their goals in the coming year, NEEF has compiled a list of free or low-cost resources for nonprofits.

People working together at a conference room

7 Tips for Writing an Effective Grant Proposal

Whether you are applying for grant funding from NEEF, or elsewhere, these tips will ensure that your proposal is in top shape.

Nonprofit meeting

PwC Nonprofit Learning Center

NEEF teamed with PwC to develop these six, free-to-use modules to help your organization be more financially prepared.

NEEF Resources

Ecologist at a riverbank

Environmental Educator Resources

Check out these resources tailored for educators, citizen scientists, and more!

Outdoor classroom, Greening STEM

Greening STEM Hub

Every classroom has a STEM lab right outside their doors. Our Greening STEM Hub has the resources educators need to engage students with nature.

Yoga in the park

Public Lands Engagement: A Focus on Health and Wellness

NEEF's Public Lands Engagement Guide: Health & Wellness in Nature promotes spending quality time in nature and green spaces for general well-being.

Kids in an outdoor classroom

Public Lands Engagement: A Focus on Environmental Education

NEEF's Public Lands Engagement Guide: Environmental Education in Nature promotes incorporating EE activities into events on public lands.

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