Land Acquisition Grant Program

The Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Floodplain Protection, Farmland & Historic Preservation Trust Fund provides funding for land acquisition projects to municipalities and qualified nonprofit organizations within Bergen County, New Jersey. The program aims to support open space preservation, recreation, floodplain protection, farmland preservation, and historic site conservation. The 2025 funding cycle is dedicated to acquiring land that aligns with local, county, and state preservation and recreation plans.

Applicants must submit a Declaration of Intent to Apply form no later than March 28, 2025, with full applications due by April 25, 2025. The review process involves site visits conducted by the Division of Land Management and the Trust Fund Public Advisory Committee, culminating in a final funding decision by the Board of County Commissioners in November 2025. The Trust Fund does not provide full coverage of acquisition costs, and funding awards will not exceed either the appraised value, the New Jersey Green Acres Certified Market Value, or the purchase price (whichever is lower).

Eligible applicants include Bergen County municipalities and qualified nonprofit organizations. Applicants must submit at least one professional appraisal if the estimated land value is under $250,000, and two appraisals if the land value exceeds $250,000. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate compliance with state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) plans, verify the presence of historic structures with the Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs, and provide documentation of environmental hazards, natural resources, and cultural characteristics of the property.

Application requirements include a project title, applicant details, location, current ownership information, development status, zoning information, existing structures, infrastructure, and consistency with municipal and state plans. A public hearing must be held on the proposed acquisition, with both a legal notice and a display advertisement published at least 10 days before the meeting. Applications must be submitted electronically, either via email (if under 50 MB), an external USB drive, or a cloud-based file-sharing service.

Financial documentation is required, including an Initial Project Finance Sheet, details of the funding request, supplemental funding sources, and municipal financial statements. Matching funds are required, and applicants must disclose all funding sources, including municipal open space trust funds, state Green Acres funds, and private donations.

Final decisions will be based on criteria such as environmental impact, historical significance, public benefit, and financial feasibility. The program emphasizes long-term land conservation, requiring grant recipients to enter into a permanent deed of conservation easement to ensure the land remains protected for open space and recreation purposes.