Federal Grant Award Summary

The Center for Plant Conservation Inc. received a $479,120 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312), awarded September 1, 2026, with a completion date of August 31, 2029. The organization will develop a national framework for reconciling plant taxonomy by establishing a consensus-building process in partnership with botanical and biodiversity data organizations. Primary deliverables include annual checklist releases for U.S. vascular plants, a permanent public archive documenting taxonomy proposals, discussions, voting outcomes, and decision rationales, and a replicable methodological model for biodiversity communities to govern contested scientific information in an open, transparent, and scalable manner.

The project addresses a critical gap in the plant conservation field by creating a single, broadly accepted taxonomic resource currently lacking in the United States. Upon completion, federal and state agencies, herbaria, botanic gardens, conservation organizations, researchers, and educators will have access to reliable and consistent scientific resources to inform plant conservation efforts. This grant supports IMLS's mission to advance museum and library services by generating tools, models, and practices that can be widely adopted and replicated to strengthen professional practice and extend the benefits of federal investment across the conservation and scientific communities.