The Wildfire and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program seeks to create more resilient forest landscapes and watersheds and reduce wildfire risk.
Donor Name: Sierra Nevada Conservancy
State: California
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/27/2026
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
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-Cascade region.
Considerations
Consistent with provisions of the Program funding and objectives of the proposed project, the SNC may give favorable consideration to projects which:
- Are forest-health projects that result in a combination of multiple watershed, ecosystem, and community benefits. Examples of such benefits include reduced likelihood of high-intensity fire; protection and enhancement of natural resources, including habitat and recreation, improved air and water quality, increased carbon sequestration and reduced greenhouse gas emissions; workforce development; and stronger regional economies.
- Involve California Native American tribes, including grants directly to tribal entities or those to tribal or other entities that provide meaningful engagement with and support to tribal partners.
- Were identified in a collaboratively developed regional plan, such as a Regional Priority Plan created though the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program.
- Result in immediate implementation of a wildfire risk-reduction project.
- Directly benefit severely disadvantaged communities, disadvantaged communities, or vulnerable populations.
- Engage a workforce-development effort, including, but not limited to, tribal workforce programs, California Conservation Corps, or other training programs.
- Enable the equitable geographic distribution of SNC resources.
Funding Information
Approximately $15,000,000 will be available.
Eligibility Criteria
- 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 Native American 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’ comanagement 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 that “assist California tribes with procurement, protection, or management of natural lands located within their ancestral territories, subject to available resources.
For more information, visit SNC.
