This program is designed to assist communities and Tribes that are at risk of wildfires. It helps them plan for and lower the chances of wildfires happening. The program gives special attention to communities that are in areas where wildfires are likely to happen, those that have lower income, or those that have been seriously affected by disasters that make wildfires more likely. You can find more detailed information about these priorities in the Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) provided below.

This program offers funds to communities for two main purposes:
1. Creating and updating Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP).
2. Carrying out projects mentioned in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan that’s less than ten years old.

CWDG Website
CWDG FAQs
CWDG Dashboard for Eligibility
Fillable PDF Application
Round 2 (Two) NOFO Contacts
FAC Net Round 2 Primer
Webinar Recording
CWDG Focused Grant Writing Workshop
Pre-Award Guide
Nevada Community Wildfire Defense Grant “Ask an Expert” Session (Sep 25, 2023)

Track A: Proposal budgets greater than or equal to $2 million and less than $25 million. The application deadline has passed.

Track B: Proposal budgets less than $2 million will be considered for funding on a quarterly basis until 8/21/2024.

Track C: Budgets greater than or equal to $5 million, less than $50 million, and include at least 80% sub-awards. Proposals will be considered on a rolling basis and reviewed at least quarterly until 8/21/2024. NOTE: These programs will include substantive involvement by the USDA Forest Service and be best suited for cooperative agreements rather than grants.

ELIGIBILITY
Entities US State Government; US Local Governments; Tribal Governments; Alaska Native Corporations and Villages; Other Tribal Entities; Education Institutions; Non-profit Entities; For-Profit Entities

Land Program activities must target nonindustrial private forest land, which is defined as meeting all of the following criteria: Rural (all areas outside US Census areas with 50,000 or more people); has existing tree cover or is suitable for growing trees; is owned by any private individual, group, association, corporation, Indian Tribe, or other private legal entity or is Tribal land held in trust by the Federal government.

Beneficiaries Focus Area 1: Underserved Landowners. Forest landowner(s) belonging to one or more of the following groups: forest landowners living in high-poverty areas; Federally recognized Tribes; beginning forest landowners (<10 years); limited resource producers (use self-determination tool); veterans (obtained status within last 10 years). Focus Area 2: Small-acreage landowners, less than 2,500 acres.

Markets Markets currently exist around greenhouse gases (including carbon), water quality, biodiversity/habitat, and wetland restoration. Additional emerging market innovations include certification for products and supply chains that address conservation objectives. Market drivers related to cost savings and risk reduction, such as source water protection or restoration, may also be addressed.

AWARD
Track A: $2-25 million per grant; Track B: Less than $2 million per grant; Track C: $5-50 million per grant, with >80% sub-awards.

MATCH
There is no match requirement for proposals to be funded through this NOFO. While match is not mandated, it is encouraged. The ability to leverage non-Federal sources to increase the overall impact of the proposed project will be considered in the evaluation of proposals.

INFORMATION WEBINARS
NOFO announcement recording

RESOURCES
Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support Website
FAQ
Landscape Scale Restoration Tool for eligibility
Office of Environmental Markets, Quantifying Environmental Services
Ecosystem Services Market Consortium
Conservation Finance Network
EnviroAtlas

The Wood Innovations Grants Program stimulates, expands, and supports U.S. wood products markets and wood energy markets to support the long-term management of the National Forest System and other forest lands. Focus areas include mass timber, renewable wood energy, and technological development that supports hazardous fuel reduction and sustainable forest management.

ELIGIBILITY
For-profit entities; state, local governments; Indian Tribes; school districts; community, not-for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and special purpose districts (e.g., public utilities districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports). Facility must be in close proximity to federal or Indian lands and procure raw materials from federal or Indian lands.

GOALS
1. Reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health on National Forest System and other forest lands.
2. Reduce the cost of forest management on all land types.
3. Promote economic and environmental health of communities.

The Community Wood Grant Program provides funding for grants to install thermally led community wood energy systems or to build innovative wood product manufacturing facilities. The Forest Service expects renewable wood energy systems installed under this program to use the most stringent control technologies. The program places extra emphasis on assisting sawmills in economically challenged areas to retool or add advanced technology.

ELIGIBILITY
Open, no federal entities.

GOALS
1. Install a thermally led wood energy system or build or expand innovative wood products.
2. Improve forest health.
3. Stimulate local economies.

TThe Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance provides funding may be used to provide support for facilities that purchase and process byproducts of ecosystem restoration projects. This includes applications to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility in close proximity to federal or Indian lands that need ecosystem restoration and will generate byproducts. The emphasis is on areas of unnaturally severe high fire or insect or disease infestation with high or very high priority for ecological restoration. This program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The WPIA program aligns with the National Wildfire Crisis Strategy by providing market-driven solutions to reduce wildfire risk, in addition to insect and disease impacts in the nation’s forests.

ELIGIBILITY
For-profit entities; state, local governments; Indian Tribes; school districts; community, not-for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and special purpose districts (e.g., public utilities districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports). Facility must be in close proximity to federal or Indian lands and procure raw materials from federal or Indian lands.