Audubon Great Plains is excited to announce that the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded $460,136.55 to support the "Expanding Technical Assistance for North Dakota Producers" project. This initiative aims to enhance conservation efforts and provide critical support to producers across North Dakota.  

The award allows Audubon Great Plains to expand their network by hiring an additional North Dakota Range Ecologist to increase restoration habitat projects in Eastern North Dakota. The project will leverage an additional $461,568.00 in matching contributions raised by the National Audubon Society, creating a significant investment in sustainable land-use practices and habitat conservation. By combining federal funding and private contributions, this effort will deliver impactful resources, cost-share programs, and expertise to producers. supporting the health of North Dakota’s grassland and wetland ecosystems for the benefit of birds, wildlife, and people.  

“The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s support will allow Audubon’s working lands team to provide technical assistance to landowners and producers across North Dakota, while connecting them to financial assistance programs available through Audubon Great Plains and the Natural Resources Conservation service. With over 93% of North Dakota in private ownership, it is imperative that conservation organizations like Audubon provide resources to conserve and manage those private working lands, and the NFWF support is critical to that effort” said Josh Lefers, Director of Conservation”.  

In total, $14.7 million in grants have been awarded from NFWF to support the implementation of voluntary conservation practices on farms and ranches across 21 states from the Midwest to western grasslands. The grants will leverage approximately $7 million in matching contributions from grantees, generating a total impact of $21.7 million. This marks the largest grant slate from the Conservation Partners Program, fueled by continued, historic investments from program partners.