Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery

Purpose: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering $2 million in grant funding to develop or enhance Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) Recovery. This funding supports projects that produce measurable, near-term progress toward Mojave Desert Tortoise recovery in California, prioritizing actions with a strong evidence base and the ability to report outcomes within the grant period. Description: Eligible projects should be focused on: Managing habitat connectivity and linkage protection, including maintenance and installation of Mojave Desert tortoise fencing along roads within and near the Tortoise Conservation Area corridors to concentrate desert tortoise and increase adult survivorship and overall population densities. Installing, or improving culverts, underpasses or overpasses to allow for Mojave Desert tortoise movement. Cumulative-impact monitoring and data infrastructure, such as a centralized geospatial tracking system for surface disturbance, remediation effectiveness, and translocation outcomes across the species' range. Supporting on-the-ground efforts to improve habitat conditions for Mojave Desert tortoises in landscapes affected by adjacent development including, but not limited to, addressing surface hydrology disruptions, predator monitoring and control, habitat restoration and enhancement actions (including seeding with desert tortoise forage species), and nonnative removal and control to benefit population recovery. Activities to support population augmentation of depleted Mojave Desert tortoise populations including establishment of facilities, head-starting and reintroduction, genetic testing, translocation logistics, health screening, post release monitoring.   Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants: Business Nonprofit Public Agency Tribal Government Eligible applicants include state and local government agencies; special districts; California Native American Tribes (Tribes), public entities, private entities, nonprofit organizations; and land trusts operating within the priority areas. Eligible Geographies: Project should be located within the range and recovery units of the Mojave Desert Tortoise in California counties, including but not limited to the following counties: San Bernardino. Important Dates Application deadline The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight. 12/3/26 04:00 Expected award announcement The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant. Early 2027 Period of performance The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized. March 15, 2029 Funding Details - Prod Migration Test Total estimated available funding The total projected dollar amount of the grant. $2,000,000.00 Expected number of awards A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. Dependent Estimated amount per award Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. Dependent Letter of Intent Required? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent. No Requires Matched Funding? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source. No Funding Source: The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number.

Purpose: The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is offering $2 million in grant funding to develop or enhance Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) Recovery. This funding supports projects that produce measurable, near-term progress toward Mojave Desert Tortoise recovery in California, prioritizing actions with a strong evidence base and the ability to report outcomes within the grant period. Description: Eligible projects should be focused on: Managing habitat connectivity and linkage protection, including maintenance and installation of Mojave Desert tortoise fencing along roads within and near the Tortoise Conservation Area corridors to concentrate desert tortoise and increase adult survivorship and overall population densities. Installing, or improving culverts, underpasses or overpasses to allow for Mojave Desert tortoise movement. Cumulative-impact monitoring and data infrastructure, such as a centralized geospatial tracking system for surface disturbance, remediation effectiveness, and translocation outcomes across the species' range. Supporting on-the-ground efforts to improve habitat conditions for Mojave Desert tortoises in landscapes affected by adjacent development including, but not limited to, addressing surface hydrology disruptions, predator monitoring and control, habitat restoration and enhancement actions (including seeding with desert tortoise forage species), and nonnative removal and control to benefit population recovery.