Southern Cumberland Land Protection Fund

About this program

Open Space Institute offers capital grants and short-term low‑interest loans to permanently protect high‑priority forest blocks on the Southern Cumberland Plateau (portions of Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama), funding fee acquisitions, conservation easements, transaction costs and, in limited cases, stewardship; loans may bridge funding gaps up to two years. Projects must lie within the grant region, conserve contiguous priority forest blocks, meet OSI’s conservation easement and stewardship standards, and be capable of closing within 18 months of award. Eligible applicants are qualified nonprofit land trusts (state or local government agencies considered only in exceptional circumstances) that demonstrate long‑term stewardship and financial capacity; Land Trust accreditation is preferred or a required plan to attain it. Typical matching requirement is 3:1 (three dollars of other funding per $1 granted) with restrictions on eligible match sources; applications are accepted online on a rolling basis and applicants are encouraged to consult OSI staff before applying.