Nov 14, 2023
The America the Beautiful for All Coalition today praised the administration and National Fish and Wildlife’s announcement of $141.3 million for the second round of America the Beautiful Challenge grants. The 74 new grants will support landscape-scale conservation projects across 46 states, three U.S. Territories, and 21 Tribal Nations, and will generate at least $13 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of more than $153 million.The approximately 40 percent of funding that will support projects implemented by Indigenous communities represents an unprecedented level of funding dedicated to Tribally-led projects for a NFWF grant program. This second round of grants demonstrates a 4x increase in Tribal and Indigenous-led projects from the first round of awards. As in the previous round of submissions in 2022, there was far greater demand for this funding than there were dollars to allocate. More than 100 Tribally-led projects were submitted and did not receive funding in the second round of awards. Private philanthropy has an opportunity to work with America the Beautiful for All Coalition members including Native Americans in Philanthropy, the new National Congress of American Indians Foundation, and others to close the gap and fund these under-funded projects through to completion. Progress on the largest conservation goal of the century relies on it and so do the local communities who have identified challenges and defined conservation solutions. Below are statements from the Coalition’s Co-chairs:
Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, Co-chair, America the Beautiful for All Coalition; Executive Director, Children’s Environmental Health Network: “Today’s announcement of over $141 million for the America the Beautiful Challenge grants underscores a powerful commitment to health, justice, and landscape-scale conservation. This funding heralds a groundbreaking era for environmental health and for our most vulnerable population: children. This is not just an investment in our environment but a testament to the collaborative strength shaping the future of conservation—a future where diverse voices and communities play a pivotal role in protecting our shared landscapes.”
Mark Magaña, Co-chair, America the Beautiful for All Coalition; Founding President and CEO, Green Latinos: “Today, the Biden Administration and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) are taking bold steps to advance the America the Beautiful Initiative goals. By generating these significant investments in on-the-ground projects, our communities will be resourced toward ensuring 30×30 goals are met, including continued advancement in local conservation and restoration priorities. Simultaneously, these efforts enhance community resilience and broaden access to nature, particularly for thousands of communities that encounter daily barriers to connecting with nature.The cumulative impact on Tribal-led projects will be unprecedented through this second round of challenge grants. By allocating 40 percent of these grants to Indigenous-led projects supporting and benefitting Indigenous communities, we begin to turn the tide of the systemic injustices these communities have faced for decades. As proud members of the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, we eagerly anticipate collaborating with the Biden Administration, NFWF, and local Indigenous communities to ensure that the allocated funding reaches the communities and conservation projects that need it most.About Us:The America the Beautiful for All Coalition consists of nearly 200 organizations working collectively to thwart the rapidly advancing impacts of climate change; stem the loss of biodiversity; increase more equitable access to nature’s benefits; and ensure at least 40% of conservation spending occurs in communities of color and frontline communities that have historically seen little to no conservation investments. Member organizations range in focus from urban parks and green space, Indigenous rights, public lands protection, public health, wildlife, outdoor recreation and freshwater and ocean conservation — all representative of identities and issue areas that have traditionally been underrepresented in conservation decision-making in the United States.
