Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) is soliciting proposals for the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund (NEFRF)(formerly known as the New England Forests and Rivers Fund) to restore and sustain healthy rivers, forests and grasslands that provide habitat for diverse fish and wildlife populations. The program will advance this goal by investing in projects that:

• Restore the quality and connectivity of stream and riparian habitats with a focus on improving habitat for river herring, Atlantic salmon, eastern brook trout and wood turtles;
• Improve management of forest blocks to enhance age and structural diversity, resulting in improved forest conditions for native wildlife, with a focus on improving habitat for goldenwinged warbler and New England cottontail; and,
• Promote hayfield management that allows for successful grassland bird breeding, with a specific focus on habitat for bobolink.

Within the Long Island Sound and Connecticut River watershed, NEFRF will only consider fish passage projects, grassland projects, and early successional forest projects. 

Proposals should strive to contribute to goals detailed in NFWF’s Northeast Watersheds Business Plan (March 2023), and specifically the strategies for Stream and Riparian Habitat, and Upland Forests and Grasslands.

Projects that incorporate outreach to communities, foster community engagement, and pursue collaborative management leading to measurable conservation benefits are encouraged. When possible, projects should be developed through community input and co-design processes and should consider traditional knowledge where relevant. Additionally, projects should engage community-level partners (e.g., municipalities, NGOs, community organizations, community leaders) to help design, implement, and maintain projects to secure maximum benefits for communities, maintenance, and sustainability post-grant award.

Priority implementation strategies for NEFRF funding in 2023:

• Restore Stream and Riparian Habitats
• Improve Upland Forest Health
• Increase Grassland Bird Habitat

For more information on the above priorities, see https://www.nfwf.org/sites/default/files/2023-04/nefrf-2023-rfp%20%282%29.pdf#page=2

• Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)

Additional Geographic Information:

Estimated Total Program Funding: