The Forest Economy Program is designed to support the forest-based economy, and to assist in the industry’s evolution to include new technologies and viable business models across the 4-state Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) region.
Donor Name: Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC)
State: Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/07/2025
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Successful projects support a broad range of forest-based economy initiatives such as, but not limited to, public infrastructure projects that directly support the forest industry; community development projects that support the diversified use of forest for economic activity; workforce training and development projects for the purpose of building the skills and recruiting and retaining the workforce needed for forest businesses; and marketing, communication and education projects that are paired with a public infrastructure, community development or workforce training or development project. Basic research projects will not be considered. Preference will be given to applied research and demonstration projects that demonstrate a strong connection to industry.
FEP will give preference to proposals that:
- Invest in the development and commercialization of technologies that create and grow new markets for low-grade forest harvest residuals.
- Invest in workforce recruitment, development, and training to increase job placement across the forest product continuum.
- Help to sustain and grow existing forest industry businesses and operations, such as through technical assistance.
- Aid in the revitalization of rural communities through the diversified use of northern border forests for economic activity to include wood products and advanced materials manufacturing, as well as for other economic activity that utilizes northern border forests sustainably for the production of wood products and advanced materials manufacturing.
Funding Information
Forest Economy projects are eligible for an award up to $1,000,000.
Eligible Projects
- Community Development Projects
- Support the diversified use of forests within the Northern Border Regional Commission’s service area for economic activity to include wood products and advanced materials manufacturing, as well as for other economic activity that utilizes northern border forests sustainably and demonstrates planning for climate resiliency.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Utilization of wood-based heating technologies and/or “Mass Timber” products (e.g., Cross-laminated timber) in public use projects (prioritizing locally sourced wood products where possible).
- Collaborative efforts to support communities negatively impacted by the decline in the forest-based economy to attract new wood-utilizing enterprises.
- Workforce Training and Development Projects for the purpose of building the skills and recruiting and retaining the workforce needed for forest businesses.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Development and marketing of targeted workforce programs to support identified employers’ needs for a skilled workforce (i.e., new technology, safety, apprenticeship, etc.).
- Training and recruitment programs that prepare participants for careers in logging, forestry, and related businesses.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Business Planning and Technical Assistance Projects to enhance the viability and sustainability of new and existing forest businesses.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Technical assistance, training in business skills, and access to financing to local forest industry businesses.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Marketing/Communication and Education Work (Must be paired with at least one other project category)
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Marketing and communications that promote the benefits of northern border forests.
- Marketing to promote the environmental and climate benefits of forest management and forest products in ways that strengthen markets for wood products.
- Forest resource planning and industry supply chain analysis projects.
- Carbon storage, carbon footprint, and/or life cycle analysis projects for wood products.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Public Infrastructure Projects (defined by Congress in NBRC’s authorizing language to be inclusive of transportation, water and wastewater, telecommunications, and energy.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Energy sourcing or supply upgrades that reduce costs for industry and/or create new markets for residuals.
- Examples include, but are not limited to:
Eligibility Criteria
- State governments of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York
- Local governments and secondary and career technical centers (village, town, city and county);
- Other political subdivisions of States (regional planning commissions, authorities of the state);
- Federally recognized Indian Tribes. Indian tribe means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.
- Non-profit entities. The term ‘nonprofit entity’ means any organization described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under 501(a) of that Code. The non-profit entity must be able to demonstrate they have federal grant experience related to community and economic development.
- Institutions of Higher Education (must be able to demonstrate existing industry partnerships).
- Only projects within the NBRC’s service area are eligible for funding. For 2025, the NBRC service area is:
- Maine: Androscoggin, Aroostook, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo, and Washington counties.
- New Hampshire: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coös, Grafton, Merrimack and Sullivan counties.
- New York: Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Seneca, Sullivan, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates counties.
- Vermont: all counties within the State.
For more information, visit NBRC.
