Mississippi opens applications for more than $15 million in outdoor-stewardship grants
Mississippi opened applications Aug. 3 for more than $15 million in grants supporting conservation and outdoor-recreation projects, giving eligible communities and nonprofits until an expected Sept. 18 deadline to submit proposals.
The fifth Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund cycle is backed by $15 million appropriated during the 2026 legislative session. The MOSTF application page lists Sept. 18, 2026, as the expected deadline, while the official closing date will be set at a future MOSTF Board of Trustees meeting. The state’s MOSTF news page says applications will close at midnight Sept. 18.
What the grants can fund
MOSTF funding is limited to projects tied to conservation or nature-based recreation. Eligible work includes improvements to state or municipal parks, nature-based outdoor-recreation features, trails and related facilities.
Applications also may seek funding to restore or improve public access to water and public lands, support conservation education, or make permanently protected conservation land safer and more usable.
Other eligible categories include conservation work on privately owned working agricultural lands and forests; restoration or enhancement of wetlands, native forests, native grasslands and other important wildlife habitat; clean-water protection; and projects supporting wildlife, hunting, fishing, military-installation buffering or natural-resource-based recreation.
The grant round does not cover land purchases. The MOSTF notice to applicants says the board will not consider land-acquisition proposals until further notice, a restriction that remains in effect for this cycle.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants include Mississippi state agencies, counties, municipalities and qualified nonprofit organizations. Applications must be submitted online, and applicants need to create an account before preparing and submitting materials.
The program is competitive. The governor’s office says MOSTF has awarded more than $50.2 million for 100 conservation and outdoor-recreation projects since the fund was created in 2022. Those earlier awards supported projects across Mississippi, but they are separate from the applications now being accepted.
Applicants need cash flow for most expenses
MOSTF generally operates as a reimbursement program. In most cases, a grantee must pay eligible project expenses first and then submit documentation for reimbursement up to the approved grant amount.
State agencies may be allowed to use funding draws with approval from the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration when permitted by law, an intergovernmental agreement or budget policy. Applicants should not assume that grant approval alone will provide immediate cash for construction or other project costs.
There is no formal matching-fund requirement. Applicants are responsible for identifying any matching funds, and optional matching contributions can improve a proposal’s score. MOSTF does not provide those matching sources.
The program also retains 10% of an approved grant. That money is released after the project is completed, required documentation is approved, and MOSTF conducts a final audit and inspection.
Review and awards are months away
MOSTF plans to review and score applications from September through December 2026. Initial award decisions are expected at the board’s Jan. 11, 2027, meeting.
For projects that are approved, the state lists an expected start date of April 10, 2027, and a project expiration date of April 10, 2029. The official notice says awarded projects generally must be completed within two years of the notice-to-proceed date.
Earlier MOSTF-funded work on the Gulf Coast illustrates the types of public-access and recreation projects the program has supported. WLOX reported that projects in and around Diamondhead have included a public boat launch, a trailhead, a boardwalk, a nature observatory and a nature-themed playground. Those are earlier projects, not awards from the 2026 application cycle.
For Mississippi communities and nonprofits considering a proposal, the immediate task is to match the project to an eligible conservation or outdoor-recreation purpose, assemble the required budget and supporting materials, and plan for reimbursement-based financing before the expected Sept. 18 submission deadline.
Sources
- MOSTF application
- Governor announces MOSTF grant cycle
- Mississippi Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund launches $15M grant round
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