Mojave Desert Tortoise Recovery

Who can apply

BusinessNonprofitPublic AgencyTribal 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.

Where: 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: Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino.

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.

Important dates

Opened

Oct 21, 2026

Application deadline

Dec 3, 2026 04:00

Expected award announcement

Early 2027

Period of performance

March 15, 2029

Funding details

Total estimated available

$2,000,000.00

Estimated amount per award

Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.

Expected number of awards

Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.

Letter of intent required

No

Matching funds

Not Required

Funding source

State

Funding method

Reimbursement(s)

How to apply

Read the full guidelines on the grantor's site, then apply there. Nothing is submitted through this site.

Submission: url: https://watershedgrants.wildlife.ca.gov/index.do

• Grant guidelines & application ↗
• Department of Fish and Wildlife ↗
• Grantor's own update list ↗
• Original listing on grants.ca.gov ↗

Questions about this grant: name: Elizabeth Buttler; email: [email protected]; tel: 1-916-594-3879;