The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), joined by the U.S. Department of the Interior through the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Defense through the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, Native Americans in Philanthropy, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation, announced the 2024-year round of funding with 61 new grants totaling $122.4 million, leveraging nearly $8.7 million in matching contribution from grantees and generating a total conservation impact of more than $131.1 million.
The American the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) encourages applicants to develop diverse, landscape-level projects that address priority conservation and restoration needs, showcase cumulative benefits to fish and wildlife, enhance carbon sequestration and storage, engage with and benefit underserved communities, connect people with nature, and help safeguard ecosystems and communities through resilience-focused and nature-based solutions.
Kansas will receive a part of this grant through the Southern Great Plains Wetlands and Prairie Collaborative to restore ecologically functional grassland, wetland, and riparian ecosystems in the Southern Great Plains of Oklahoma and Kansas. This will involve removing invasive species from 10,000 acres, conducting prescribed burns on 30,000 acres, and restoring 1,000 acres of wetlands to benefit whooping cranes. The initiative will collaborate to enhance wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risks, improve water availability, and boost livestock production. The total cost of this project is $4,444,800.
Funds will also be received through the Native-Led Restoration and Stewardship of Bison-grazed Land, which will provide outreach and technical assistance to Native buffalo producers on bison-grazed lands across Indian Country. By utilizing Working Lands for Wildlife frameworks and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, it will help develop preparedness and conservation plans for 34 native buffalo producers. This effort aims to increase access to farm bill programs and climate-smart practices, while strengthening resilience and enhancing biodiversity on Native-managed grasslands, prairies, and savannas. The total cost of this project is $662,300.
More information about the America the Beautiful Challenge can be found here.
