Acres for America is the premier land conservation program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), established in partnership with Walmart to conserve large-scale, high-value habitats for fish, wildlife, and plants across the United States. This program provides funding for projects that secure permanent conservation through land acquisition or conservation easements, with the goal of connecting ecosystems, protecting biodiversity, and supporting outdoor recreation and local economies.

The 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks pre-proposals for projects that will protect critical wildlife habitats, unify wildlands, enhance public access to nature, and ensure the longevity of community-based natural economies. Projects may support fee title acquisitions or perpetual conservation easements, and must demonstrate clear ecological and community benefit. The program has helped protect over 2 million acres since its inception in 2005 and was renewed through 2034 under a 10-year agreement with Walmart.

Applications follow a two-stage process:

Pre-Proposals Due: May 20, 2025, by 11:59 PM ET

Full Proposal (invite-only) Due: July 9, 2025

Award Notifications: November 2025

An applicant webinar will be held May 2, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET. Applicants are encouraged to contact their NFWF regional office before submitting a pre-proposal to refine alignment with conservation goals.

Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, state and local government agencies, Tribes, and educational institutions. Federal agencies, businesses, and individuals are not eligible. Up to $4 million in total funding is available for 2025, and NFWF expects to fund 4–8 projects. All grants require at least a 1:1 match, though competitive proposals often provide a 5:1 match or more.

Proposals are evaluated based on their alignment with program priorities, technical merit, cost-effectiveness, ability to secure long-term stewardship, and community partnership. Key conservation criteria include:

Landscape-scale significance

Protection of endangered species

Ecological service delivery (e.g., water protection, carbon sequestration)

Public access enhancement

Community and economic benefits

Threat mitigation (e.g., development pressure)

Successful full proposals must include documentation such as shapefiles, appraisals, environmental assessments, and legal descriptions. Only the purchase price of land or easement can be funded by NFWF grant dollars. Final disposition, stewardship, and access details must be clearly outlined.

Applicants must apply through NFWF’s Easygrants system. For technical assistance, contact easygrants@nfwf.org. For program questions, applicants should contact their appropriate regional representative (see list in RFP).