The Sierra Nevada Conservancy is accepting applications for its Wildfire Recovery and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program to support the planning and implementation of forest health projects that promote wildfire recovery and forest resilience.
Donor Name: Sierra Nevada Conservancy
State: Nevada
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/16/2023
Details:
This program seeks to create more-resilient forest landscapes, reduce wildfire risk, and accelerate recovery from recent wildfires. The climate and ecological benefits of forest restoration treatments are well known. Ecologically sound forest management, including prescribed fire and community protection, are critical in securing the overall well-being of the Sierra Nevada Region. The SNC seeks projects that will help secure carbon stability in the Sierra Nevada by reducing the risk for large, damaging wildfires. Landscape-scale forest health treatments reduce the intensity of wildland fires. Reduced intensity of wildland fire also makes it safer for firefighting resources to utilize fuel breaks to protect structures if a fire enters the wildland urban interface. Additionally, in response to recent wildfires, SNC identified five wildfire recovery strategies for the Sierra Nevada: landscape-scale forest restoration, water supply protection, strategic reforestation, rapid expansion of woodutilization infrastructure, and support for community-led initiatives. This program will support projects that address these strategies
The Forest & Watershed Health regional goal aims to restore and protect the ecological health and resilience of watersheds and forests within their service area.
Projects must support the goals of California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan and the WIP. California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan identifies three goals that are strongly aligned with the WIP: healthy and resilient natural places, safe communities, and sustainable economies. Both plans also stress the importance of climate resiliency, regionally tailored solutions, the linkages between ecological and economic health, the importance of low-intensity fire, and the need to work strategically across land ownership boundaries.
Additional focal areas include: multi-benefit projects, landscape-scale projects, high-impact projects, and wildfire recovery.
Project Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a grant award from the SNC under this program, projects must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be located within, or provide services to, the Sierra Nevada Region as defined by SNC governing legislation.
- Be consistent with the SNC mission and program areas as defined in the SNC Strategic Plan.
- Be consistent with the requirements of the funding source and budget provisions.
- Result in a clear, demonstrable, and enduring public benefit.
- Meet all California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements, as applicable.
Eligibility Criteria
Grant funds may be authorized for:
- Public agencies: any city, county, special district, joint powers authority, state agency, or federal agency
- Qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations: “Nonprofit Organization” means a private, nonprofit organization that qualifies for exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code, and whose charitable purposes are consistent with the purposes of the SNC.
- Eligible Tribal Entities: an Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, or a tribal agency authorized by a tribe, which is one or both of the following: (1) Recognized by the United States and identified within the most current Federal Register; (2) Listed on the contact list maintained by the Native American Heritage Commission as a California Native American tribe.
- Eligible tribal entities are encouraged to apply. On September 25, 2020, the governor released a Statement of Administration Policy on Native American Ancestral Lands to encourage every state agency, department, board, and commission subject to his executive control to seek opportunities to support California tribes’ co-management of and access to natural lands that are within a California tribe’s ancestral land and under the ownership or control of the State of California. The SNC may give favorable consideration to projects which “assist California tribes with procurement, protection or management of natural lands located within their ancestral territories, subject to available resources.” NOTE: SNC does not allow grants to mutual water companies.
For more information, visit Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
