This Highlands Council currently has four active grant programs. Please Note: As required by the Highlands Act, all grantees will be required to submit a detailed scope of work that includes only deliverables that effect local or county regulatory changes or master planning initiatives.

Planning Grants
TDR Feasibility Grants
Agriculture Grants
Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding Program

Planning Grants

The Highlands Council provides planning grants to support costs associated with the development and/or revision of local planning and regulatory documents to integrate the land use provisions and resource management protections of the Highlands Act, so that those documents align with the goals, polices, and objectives of the Highlands Regional Master Plan.

Grants are non-competitive and no match is required. Grants are reimbursement based and require an approved scope of work prior to project start. Technical assistance and coordination with other state agencies is also available.

Eligibile Applicants: Municipal and County governments in the New Jersey Highlands Region, as defined by the Highlands Act.

Eligible Expenses: Planning, design, engineering costs.

Applications/Guidance:

Contact: Herbert S. August, Manager of Grants Administration, (908) 879-6737 or herbert.august@highlands.nj.gov.

An overview of planning grant expenditures to-date is available here.

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TDR Feasibility Grants

Overview: TDR Feasibility Grants provide financial and technical support to municipalities interested in exploring the possibility of designating a TDR receiving zone in their community. Participation in this grant program requires a commitment by a municipality to fully evaluate the feasibility and desirability of designating a receiving zone, but does not obligate a municipality to establish such a zone. Additional information is available via the link below.

Eligibility: Any municipality in the State of New Jersey.

Contact: Herbert S. August, Manager of Grants Administration, (908) 879-6737 or herbert.august@highlands.nj.gov.

 

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Agriculture Grants

Overview: Agriculture Grants provide funding to support sustainable agriculture within the frame work of protecting the Highlands Region’s valuable and limited water supply. This funding stream is focused on three program areas: 1) integrated crop management, 2) Market Development/Niche Crops, and 3) County Agriculture Development Board (CADB) Capacity Building/Land Preservation.

Eligibility: Municipalities or Counties in the Highlands Region, as defined by the Highlands Act (Planning or Preservation Area) and participating in the Plan Conformance Grant Program.

Contact: Herbert S. August, Manager of Grants Administration, (908) 879-6737 or herbert.august@highlands.nj.gov.

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Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding Program

Overview: This program is administered under the provisions of N.J.A.C. 7:70, Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding Program and Highlands Development Credit Purchase Program. 

The Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding program is a matching grant program designed to support the acquisition of property for the protection of resources within the Highlands Region, and to further the goals of landowner equity as specified in the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004 and the Highlands Regional Master Plan.

The Highlands Council shall provide a maximum grant award of 50% of the total purchase price of the property. Applications will be considered for acquisition of property in fee simple or through conservation easements for any passive recreation or conservation purposes. See application package below for complete information.

Eligibility: State agencies, Highlands county or municipal governments, and charitable conservancies are eligible to apply.

Application Package: Highlands Open Space Partnership Funding Program (pdf)

PLEASE NOTE: Applications are accepted at any time; there is no application deadline. Following review of materials, applicants will be notified if funding is currently available for the submitted project proposal.

Contact: James Humphries, Director of Planning and Science, james.humphries@highlands.nj.gov or 908-879-6737.

Completed OSP Projects: Open Space Registry (pdf)

  

  

  

  

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