CLEARFIELD, Utah, April 7, 2026 — Big News for America’s grasslands: The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has been awarded $4 million through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative to support voluntary, large-scale conservation on working lands across much of the United States.
MDF is among the first recipients of this landmark initiative, which aims to improve the health and resilience of 4 million acres of grasslands and grazing lands across the Great Plains, Rocky Mountain West, Midwest, West Coast and Southeast. The initiative is led by NFWF, supported by funding from McDonald’s USA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and several key McDonald’s USA beef and beverage suppliers, and will focus on advancing regenerative grazing practices, soil health, wildlife habitat restoration, and water conservation on working ranchlands.
“Ranchers across the Midwest and western states have long been stewards of native grasslands that support both rural livelihoods and wildlife,” said Greg Sheehan, President and CEO of the Mule Deer Foundation. “Through NFWF and its partners, this program helps landowners implement regenerative practices they believe in, improving soil health, sustaining working ranches, and conserving some of our continent’s most threatened ecosystems.”
Through this investment, MDF will partner with private landowners across priority Great Plains landscapes to implement voluntary, on-the-ground conservation that improves grassland ecosystem health, supports ranching operations, and enhances habitat and landscape connectivity for mule deer, pronghorn, and other wildlife.
“The best grassland conservation happens when ranchers, wildlife, and the land all win together,” said Collin Smith, Director of Private Land Conservation for the Mule Deer Foundation. “When we improve forage, restore habitat connectivity, and reduce fragmentation, we’re strengthening ranching operations and growing mule deer populations at the same time. This program gives us the flexibility and scale to deliver those co-benefits across the Great Plains, and that’s a win for everyone who depends on healthy grasslands.”
Grasslands provide critical seasonal habitat for mule deer across their range, including throughout the Great Plains. Well-managed grazing systems support forage availability, migration corridors, and overall herd resilience, making voluntary working lands conservation essential to MDF’s mission.
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. Learn more at muledeer.org
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) works with partners to foster sustainable and impactful conservation solutions so that people and nature thrive together. Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation’s largest conservation foundation. Since its founding, NFWF has funded more than 23,900 projects that have generated a total conservation impact of more than $12 billion. Learn more at nfwf.org.
Media Contact: Karina Puikkonen, 385-449-7060, karinap@muledeer.org
