CLEARFIELD, Utah, December 23, 2025 – The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has received $744,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to expand efforts to restore habitat and improve wildlife connectivity across the Northern Great Plains. The grant will support projects that enhance rangeland health and benefit key species including mule deer, pronghorn, greater sage-grouse, and grassland birds.
In 2024, with support from NFWF’s original Northern Great Plains grant, MDF launched the Private Land Conservation Program and Great Plains Initiative (GPI), as part of its conservation program, to improve habitat conditions and enhance big game migration corridors on private working lands throughout eastern range of mule deer habitat within the Great Plains grassland ecosystems. Through the GPI, MDF works in the Northern and Southern Plains regions to collaborate directly with private landowners, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, and local communities to design, fund, and implement conservation projects that benefit mule deer and other important wildlife species.
This newly awarded NFWF grant will allow MDF to continue its successful approach to implementing on-the-ground restoration work across all states in the Northern Great Plains. These efforts will emphasize voluntary, incentive-based conservation practices that improve wildlife movement and promote sustainable agricultural operations.
“The Great Plains are one of the most vital, yet most threatened ecosystems, in North America,” said Greg Sheehan, President and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. “We value NFWF’s commitment to help MDF bring people together across property lines and jurisdictions to restore grasslands, strengthen wildlife migration corridors, and ensure that mule deer and other species continue to thrive across boundaries for generations to come.”
Through its collaborative approach, MDF will implement conservation practices that deliver multiple benefits for wildlife and rural communities, including:
- Improved Habitat Quality: Restore native vegetation and water resources to support resilient populations of mule deer, pronghorn, sage-grouse, and grassland birds.
- Increased Connectivity: Improve animal movement rates through installing wildlife-friendly fencing and improving habitat corridors to facilitate movement and genetic exchange among wildlife populations.
- Sustainable Land Management: Integrate conservation practices with agricultural operations to ensure productive working lands that benefit both wildlife and ranching communities.
These efforts directly support a suite of federal and state conservation initiatives, including State Wildlife Action Plans, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Farm Bill and other conservation programs such as the Migratory Big Game Initiative, Working Lands for Wildlife, Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, and Sage Grouse Initiative.
About the Mule Deer FoundationThe Mule Deer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer, and their habitat. Through science-based management, partnerships, and community engagement, MDF works to enhance wildlife populations and maintain healthy, connected landscapes for future generations.
For more information about the Mule Deer Foundation and its Great Plains Initiative, or to become a member and support, visit www.muledeer.org.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,800 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of more than $10 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.
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