Youth Opportunities and Wildlife Conservation Grants

This grant opportunity supports impactful work in two broad and complementary areas: expanding opportunities for young people and conserving natural systems in the face of environmental change. The funding is designed to help nonprofit organizations implement programs that make a meaningful difference in the lives of youth and strengthen community engagement in environmental stewardship. While specific funding levels, deadlines, and detailed criteria vary from cycle to cycle, the opportunity is structured around annual application periods and is available to entities working within a specific multi-state region of the Western United States.

In the first area of focus, the funds are intended to help expand access to enriching experiences for children and adolescents — especially those from historically underserved communities. Eligible projects are those that create, enhance, or sustain programs in education, culture, and athletics for youth between roughly the ages of 6 and 18. Educational projects might involve experiential learning, critical thinking, out-of-school enrichment, or early college awareness activities. Cultural programs may include creative engagement in art, music, dance, theatre, literature, heritage preservation, or related areas that help young people explore identity and build confidence. Athletics programs seek to broaden participation in sports and active play, with attention to inclusivity, leadership development, coaching quality, and access for girls and youth of color.

Priority is often given to organizations that are led by, or specifically serve, diverse and underrepresented populations, including rural communities and historically marginalized youth. Instead of supporting passive participation, the grants emphasize programs that actively involve youth in driving and shaping their experiences. Schools, nonprofit youth service organizations, and community groups can be eligible, but individual applicants generally must be affiliated with an eligible nonprofit that can serve as a fiscal sponsor.

The second major area of funding supports efforts to conserve wildlife, habitat, and biodiversity in a changing climate. Eligible conservation projects are those that take a systems-aware approach to protecting ecosystems, addressing threats, and enhancing resilience. These initiatives often involve assessment and planning to identify species or habitat at risk, adaptive restoration strategies that anticipate shifting ecological conditions, efforts to improve landscape connectivity, and stewardship activities that engage the public alongside scientists and land managers.

Conservation projects may take place in rural, urban, or tribal contexts, but must demonstrate a clear link between proposed activities and long-term biodiversity outcomes. Grants in this focus area support organizations with missions centered on wildlife and habitat protection — particularly those that are already active in community-based conservation or that are situated within the targeted geographic region. Activities that do not align with the primary mission (such as small parcel land acquisition with primarily recreational value, captive breeding programs, or unrelated urban park development) are typically outside the scope of eligible funding.

Across both focus areas, applicants are expected to articulate clear goals, methods, and measurable outcomes. Successful proposals generally show that the organization has experience relevant to the project, understands the community it serves, and has established relationships with partners and participants. Sustainability beyond the funded period — whether through community buy-in, diversified support, or built-in evaluation — is another element often cited as a positive feature of competitive proposals.

Grant amounts vary based on project type, scale, and need, ranging from modest awards that seed smaller community initiatives to larger awards that support well-defined programs or multi-year planning efforts. Applications are reviewed annually, with typical open and close dates published prior to each cycle, and decisions communicated later in the year.

Geographically, the opportunity serves organizations operating across a defined multi-state area in the northern and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. These include Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Within this region, both rural and urban communities are intentionally supported, with a focus on expanding opportunity and fostering environmental resilience through place-based action.

Ultimately, the grant opportunity serves as a bridge between philanthropic intent and community-driven impact — helping nonprofits bring youth development programs to life and supporting conservation efforts that benefit ecosystems and people alike. By encouraging applications that are rooted in local needs, grounded in experience, and centered on measurable outcomes, the grants help build long-lasting cultural, educational, and ecological benefits across the region.