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Land Acquisition Grants

OPEN Applications DUE by 5 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2026

Background

The Oregon Constitution specifies that OWEB may fund projects involving the purchase of interests in land from willing sellers for the purpose of maintaining or restoring watersheds and habitat for native fish or wildlife.

Offered: Typically, once yearly in summer or fall
Opens: September 1, 2026 - Closes: Thursday, October 15 at 5 pm (PT)

Program Materials

Eligible Applicants are entities able to hold OWEB-funded interests in land, as long as the entity continues to use the land for the purposes specified in the constitution: ​
  • Local governments (state and federal agencies are eligible to hold OWEB-funded property interests, but cannot be applicants)
  • Tribes
  • Not-for-profit land conservation organizations and trusts
  • Oregon institutions of higher education
  • Independent not-for-profit institutions of higher education
  • Political subdivisions of the state of Oregon

Max Request:​ none
Required Match: 25%​​​

Introduction & Fra​mework

Land Acquisition applications are due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2026 and will be considered for funding at the April 2027 OWEB board meeting.

A pre-application consultation is required. Consultations will be held September 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026. Applicants are encouraged to schedule a consultation early.

Applications must be submitted using OWEB's online grant application. The matching funds requirement is 25%.

Changes to the 2026 grant solicitation materials were made as part of OWEB’s work to modernize the Land Acquisition grant program. Application requirements are described in the program manual.

If you want to schedule a Land Acquisition pre-application consultation, please contact Robin Meacher at robin.m.meacher@oweb.oregon.gov or (971) 301-1578.

If you have questions about the Land Acquisition program, please contact Miriam Forney at miriam.forney@oweb.oregon.gov or (971) 345-7023.

If you intend to apply for matching funds from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program, please review the information on the Coastal Wetlands grants webpage and contact Jillian McCarthy at jillian.mccarthy@oweb.oregon.gov​ or (971) 345-7016.

Public Comment

For those interested in providing public comment to the board or committee on pending Land Acquisition grant applications, please submit your comment using OWEB’s Public Comment Form. You may request to make verbal comment during a meeting or submit written comments. Refer to individual OWEB meeting pages for deadlines to submit public comment. For any questions on public comment, contact Nicole.Bettinardi.

Contact

Please direct questions or comments to Miriam Forney, Land Acquisitions Coordinator, 971-345-7023.

Rules

Oregon Administrative Rules Secretary of State's website