The Small Forestland Grant is intended to fund projects that reduce wildfire risk through the restoration of landscape resiliency and the reduction of hazardous fuels on small forestland owner properties.
Donor Name: Oregon Department of Forestry
State: Oregon
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/24/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 4 Years
Details:
Oregon Department of Forestry’s purpose for this program is to administer a grant program to modernize and improve wildfire preparedness through three key strategies: creating fire-adapted communities, developing safe and effective wildfire response, and increasing the resiliency of Oregon’s landscapes pre and post-wildfire. The program is one of the products from years of hard work by the Governor’s Wildfire Council, the Legislature, and state agencies starting with section 24 SB762 (2018). This has been a successful program for the last 2 biennium (4 years).
- In the 2021-23 biennium: 33 projects, 3,893 acres treated
- In the 2023-25 biennium: 14 projects , 1,379 acres treated
Funding Priorities
Highest priority will be given to projects that clearly demonstrate one of more of the following:
- Protects critical infrastructure, creates shaded fuel breaks along roadways, or is in the red areas displayed in the 20-Year Strategy Priority map found in the 2023 progress report.
- Project treats or protectsthree or more properties in same geographical area (i.e., within 1 mile of each other),
- Project treats critical infrastructure,
- Treatments address additional resource concerns including one or more of the following: insects and diseases, drought mortality, invasive species, storm damage, or enhancement of wildlife habitat,
- Treatment proximity to previous or planned treatments (scored based on proximity),
- Project treats lands that have vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations include elderly individuals, individuals with chronic health conditions, economically disadvantaged individuals, underserved populations, rural populations, tribal communities, individuals with disabilities, or those outside of structural fire protection districts or ODF protected lands.
- Lands with a forest management plan in place or located in the following planning areas:
- Oregon Conservation Strategy’s Conservation Opportunity Areas
- Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Conservation Implementation Strategy areas
- Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board’s Focused Investment Partnerships (Oak Woodland and Dry Type Forest Habitats)
- Priority treatment or focus areas listed in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan or County Hazard Mitigation Plan
- Oregon Forest Management Plan – Uniform Plan
- Properties with an ODF Stewardship Agreement or enrolled in the NRCS Healthy Forest Reserve Program
- Member of Oregon’s Tree Farm System
- American Family Forestland’s Carbon Program or My Land Plan
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife’s 20-year landscape resiliency Strategy
- Project utilizes non-traditional forest products (biochar, biomass, small diameter wood or firewood for example) and/or climate-smart practices.
Funding Information
Application funding request is between $10,000 and $300,000.
Fundable Activities
Activities can include one or more practices that reduce the likelihood of future wildfire severity including but not limited to the following:
- Direct costs associated with prescribed fire
- Thinning
- Mowing or mastication
- Pruning
- Slash treatments
- Defensible Space management
- Chipping, hauling, pile and burn, biochar or other small diameter wood utilization
- Reforestation of climate adapted drought tolerant forest tree species that are less susceptible to damaging insects or diseases
- Treatment of invasive species including juniper encroachment, or species that are particularly susceptible to drought or insect damage/mortality
- Other hand or mechanical treatments of forest fuels to prepare for future prescribed fire
- Other forest management activities listed in owner’s Forest Management Plan intended to reduce the risk of wildfires
- Clearing evacuation routes
- Landowner outreach efforts aimed at improving treatment connectivity or engaging vulnerable populations within the proposed project area
Eligibility Criteria
Projects must support “small forestland owner(s)” defined as an individual, group or federally recognized Indian tribe in Oregon, who owns up to 160 acres west of the crest of the Cascade Mountains or up to 640 acres east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains. For projects involving multiple forestland owners, total project area may exceed the foregoing acreages if each forestland owner receiving treatment is an eligible “small forestland owner” under the definition above.
Project application submissions must also meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Project reduces wildfire risk through the restoration of landscape resiliency and the reduction of hazardous fuels,
- Project must reduce the risk of high severity wildfire,
- At least 75% of project award must fund direct project treatment costs that reduce wildfire risk on the owners’ property,
- Indirect and administrative costs do not exceed 25%,
- Project does not generate net revenue.
- Equipment (Costs over $5,000) must support small forestland owners in reducing wildfire risk through restoration of landscape resiliency and the reduction of hazardous fuels on the owners’ property. Prescribed fire equipment is eligible; fire suppression equipment is not. Equipment is only eligible with prior approval.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to include the following in their project application:
- 25% leverage is strongly suggested. All leverage activities will need to be accounted for via mapping or narrative, depending on the activity.
- Encouraged to have a project sponsor to apply for the grant. Sponsors can directly apply for the grant on their own behalf or on behalf of a group of individuals.
- Project sponsors should be one of the following Organizations:
- Local watershed councils on Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board’s (OWEB) 2021 Map of Watershed Councils,
- Land trust that is a member of the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts,
- 501(c)(3) Organizations,
- Soil and Water Conservation Districts organized under ORS chapter 568,
- Oregon Department of Forestry and/or Fire Protection Associations
- Other state or local government entities
- Other sponsors not identified on this list will need pre-approval, such as HOA’s that are not 501(c)(3), Etc.
For more information, visit Oregon Department of Forestry.
