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Pinelands panel outlines $3 million land-acquisition grant round, tightens application requirements
Summary
The Pinelands PNI committee previewed the 2025 Pinelands Conservation Fund grant round, announcing $3,000,000 available for land acquisition, a scoring matrix that favors acquisition-target areas and grassland habitats, and a May 1 application launch with a Sept. 19 deadline.
The Pinelands PNI committee on April 25 previewed the 2025 Pinelands Conservation Fund (PCF) land-acquisition grant round, telling members the program will make $3,000,000 available for permanent land protection.
Gina, the staff presenter for the round, said the fund’s objective is “creating permanent land detection in acquisition areas that the commission has identified” and that the commission’s section 502 and 2021 acquisition target areas will be prioritized. She said, “Currently, we have $3,000,000 available for… permanent land protection in the Pinelands Conservation Fund that was forwarded to us through an agreement with the South Jersey Transportation Authority.”
Under the proposed scoring matrix, projects located in the commission’s target areas and preservation districts (including cultural production and forest areas) will score highest. Projects that protect grassland habitat, threatened or endangered species habitat, and areas important for carbon sequestration or that reduce fire or flood hazard will receive additional points. Staff emphasized that the PCF pays acquisition costs only, not design or other soft costs.
Staff also announced schedule and application changes intended to reduce incomplete submissions. The PCF round is slated to open May 1, accept electronic submissions through Sept. 19 and return ranked recommendations to the committee on Oct. 31. Amber will be listed as the point of contact on the application form. The presenter said the application will now explicitly request a map, a landowner consent letter and an appraisal to show a project is sufficiently advanced to be considered.
Committee members pressed staff to ensure grassland habitat receives visible weight in the scoring matrix and to help applicants who lack digital capacity. One commissioner noted prior rounds produced underdeveloped applications; staff said the revised form and a requirement for basic documentation aim to address that.
The committee did not take a final vote on the round at this meeting; staff said they will return in October with formal recommendations.
