Lake Champlain Basin Program to Fund Land Conservation for Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystems
Grand Isle, VT – The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), in coordination with NEIWPCC, seeks proposals for the acquisition of land or conservation easements to benefit Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystems goals.
The intent of this funding opportunity is to support land conservation projects that protect or improve water quality, enhance habitat for native species, or provide flood resiliency.
“Protecting land within the Lake Champlain Basin is one of the most effective long-term strategies we have for improving water quality and enhancing habitat,” said Jim Brangan, Interim NEIWPCC Division Director of Lake Champlain Programs. “This funding opportunity allows us to support partners equipped to conserve vital landscapes that contribute directly to a healthier lake and more resilient communities.”
In February 2026, the Lake Champlain Steering Committee awarded nearly $4.2 million to six land conservation projects that together will conserve approximately 2,312 acres.
- Vermont River Conservancy will restore a 41-acre floodplain on the North Branch of the Winooski River.
- Vermont Land Trust will conserve about 227 acres of woodland and agricultural land in the Missisquoi River sub-basin, with critical protections for riparian and wetland areas.
- Adirondack Land Trust will secure a conservation easement for 945 acres in the highlands above Lake Champlain’s South Bay in the town of Fort Ann, New York.
- The Nature Conservancy will conserve 684 acres in Vermont’s Rutland County with a working forest conservation easement to be held and stewarded by the Lake Champlain Land Trust.
- Vermont Land Trust will obtain a conservation easement for 265 acres of managed forest in Middletown Springs, Vermont, with protections for water quality and habitat.
Up to $3.5 million is available to support awarded projects. Applicants may request between $100,000 and $3.5 million for an individual proposal, and multiple proposals will be accepted from a single organization.
This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC on behalf of the LCBP by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Proposals are due at 5:00 PM EST on December 9, 2026. An informational webinar will be held on August 25, 2026 (register here). Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in February 2027, and the awarded projects are targeted to begin work in May 2027. More information, including grant guidelines and applications, is available on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s website at lcbp.org/grants.
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The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program coordinates and funds efforts that benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. The program works in partnership with federal agencies, state and provincial agencies from New York, Vermont, and Québec, local communities, businesses, and citizen groups. NEIWPCC—a regional commission that helps the states of the Northeast preserve and advance water quality—serves as the primary program administrator of LCBP at the request of the Lake Champlain Steering Committee and administers the program’s personnel, finances, quality management and contracts. NEIWPCC is a program partner of LCBP. For further information, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit https://www.lcbp.org/.
