In-Kind Donation Provides Grant Recipients GIS Technology

In recent years, lawmakers have implemented substantial new policies to mitigate the effects of climate change, including new funding pathways for community-based conservation efforts. Across the United States, initiatives to accelerate these land, water, and wildlife conservation efforts have been long underway, including one recent initiative launched in April 2022 by the Biden administration.

America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC)—utilizing federal investments with private and philanthropic contributions—empowers locally led conservation and restoration programs by making it easier to access grants. During its inaugural year, ATBC is expected to award $85 million nationally across four categories: state, territory, and tribal project implementation grants; planning, collaboration, and engagement grants for states, territories, and tribes; grants to buffer and benefit public lands; and private forests, rangeland, and farmland grants.

Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, holds a long-standing commitment to environmental conservation efforts, most recently working with the California Natural Resources Agency for the 30x30 initiative. In support of that commitment, Esri is making an in-kind donation offering for grantees of America the Beautiful Challenge. A winning applicant of each category is eligible for software solutions valued at over $46,000. Applicants must submit a letter requesting an Esri in-kind donation with their proposal to be considered.

"People and the planet are inextricably linked, and the America the Beautiful Challenge presents an opportunity for us all to be better stewards of the world," said Jack Dangermond, Esri founder and president. "Maps are a critical tool for communicating and tracking conservation work and we hope to help grantees advance critical preservation efforts."

America the Beautiful Challenge is a grant program that offers US states, tribes, territories, local groups, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and others, the opportunity to apply for multiple grants through a single application managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The grant program stems from an initial commitment of $440 million of federal resources over the next five years to preserve and restore habitats, improve community resilience, and provide access to the outdoors through nature-based solutions.

Grantees will use Esri software to analyze, plan, and track conservation efforts by generating detailed analyses of information collected and openly exchanging their data with the company's geographic information system (GIS) technology.

"We are committed to being responsible global citizens and we take pride in supporting others' conservation efforts with a geographic approach," said Sunny Fleming, Esri industry specialist for environment and conservation. "GIS enables real-time observations of natural areas, and it provides key insights into ecosystem threats and challenges to find solutions."

The deadline for America the Beautiful Challenge proposals is July 21, 2022. To be considered for a grant match, applicants can visit the Esri Conservation Funding web page at esri.com/en-us/federal-funding/funded-areas/conservation-restoration

About Esri

Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.

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