The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State, Private & Tribal Forestry, is requesting applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP).
Donor Name: Forest Service
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/13/2025
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
CFP is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to establish community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest land.
The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forestland from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs. Public access is required for all projects.
Funding Information
Individual grant applications may not exceed $600,000 in requested federal funding, which does not include technical assistance requests.
Grant Period
The initial grant period shall be for two years, and acquisition of lands should occur within that timeframe.
Allowable Project Costs
Allowable project costs include the purchase price for the property as well as transactional costs related to its acquisition. This includes:
- Appraisals and appraisal reviews;
- Land surveys;
- Legal and closing costs;
- Development of the Community Forest Plan;
- Title examination.
Eligible Land
Eligible land for grants funded under this program is private forest land that provides defined community benefits under CFP and is:
- At least five acres in size;
- Suitable to sustain natural vegetation;
- At least 75 percent forested;
- Threatened by conversion to non-forest uses;
- Not held in trust by the United States on behalf of any Indian Tribe and not Tribal allotment lands;
- Offered for sale by a willing seller.
Eligibility Criteria
- City or township governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
