2025-CohesiveStrategyGrantWebinar-12.03.2024.pdf

USFS Eastern Region

Cohesive Fire Strategy

2025 Request for Applications

U.S. Forest Service

Eastern Region State, Private & Tribal Forestry

Fire & Aviation Management, Cooperative Fire Program

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USFS Eastern Region

Cohesive Fire Strategy

2025 Request for Applications

U.S. Forest Service

Eastern Region State, Private, & Tribal Forestry

Fire & Aviation Management, Cooperative Fire Program

Overview

• National Cohesive Strategy

• Northeast Regional Action Plan

• Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR)

• Cross‐Boundary Wildfire Hazard Mitigation on Non‐Federal Lands*

• Wildfire Risk and Underserved Communities

• Grants.gov

National Cohesive Strategy

• Restore & Maintain Landscapes

Landscapes across all jurisdictions are resilient to fire related disturbances in accordance with management objectives.

• Fire Adapted Communities

Human populations and infrastructure can withstand a wildfire without loss of life or property.

Northeast Regional Action Plan Implementation Actions

1. Use of Prescribed Fire for Multiple Benefits

2. Restore Fire Adapted Ecosystems

3. Mitigate “Event” Created Hazardous Fuels

4. Support Local Fire Adapted Communities

5. Treat Hazardous Fuels in the WUI

6. Promote Prevention Programs

Developed by the Northeast Regional Strategy

Committee and stakeholders to identify the most important actions to progress on.

Wildfire Risk Reduction Grant

Target: Goals 1 and 2 of the Cohesive Strategy

• Restore and Maintain Landscapes

• Fire Adapted Communities

Meet one or more Regional options 1-6

1. Use of Prescribed Fire for Multiple Benefits

2. Restore Fire Dependent Ecosystems

3. Mitigate “Event” Created Fuels

4. Support Local Fire Adaptation by Communities

5. Treat Hazardous Fuels in the WUI

6. Promote Prevention Programs

Eastern Area States

Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR) Eligibility

✓ State Forestry Agencies

✓ Forest Fire Compacts

✓ Groups of States

✓ Tribes

✓ Nonprofit Organizations

✓ Academic Institutions

✓ Fire Science Exchanges

“For Profit” organizations are not eligible for this funding opportunity

Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR) Criteria

✓At least 100% match of requested Federal funds is required.

✓Provide 2025 WRR Planned Spending & Accomplishments

Excel spreadsheet.

✓Applications should contain maps to describe project location and activities.

• Submit a separate letter of support from the State Forester or appropriate designated authority for approving activities

(NJ, State Fire Warden; NY, Director of Forest Protection).

• Third Party–non-profits, academic institutions, fire science exchanges

• Not Required–Tribes and State Agencies

Funding Limits & Match Requirements

❑ The FY 2025 allocation for this grant opportunity is subject to funding availability

❑ Individual grant application funding limit of $25,000 to

$300,000 in Federal funds

❑ Equipment: No more than 25% of Federal funds requested

❑ WRR grant funds must be matched 100 percent or more by eligible and allowable costs and are subject to match provisions

❑ 15% WRR cap on total award amounts to states. See guidance for details. Estimated cap is $420,000 per state depending on funding.

Example Activities

• Use of Prescribed Fire

• Use of Mechanical Fuel

Reduction

• Vegetation Management

• Use of small diameter wood

• Defensible Space

• CWPPs or equivalent

• Fuel Breaks & Fire Breaks

• Dry Hydrants that support a Fire

Adapted Community

• Fire Mgmt. Planning in fire adapted landscapes w/ FAC’s

• Slash Removal

• Brochures, PSA’s

• Property Assessments

• Prescribed Fire or fire adapted communities related training

• Exercises that support FAC’s

• I&E, Firewise, RSG, FAC & Fire

Prevention Programs

• Wx station upgrades that support prescribed fire or community readiness

Non-Qualifying Examples: • Research and development projects

• Capital improvements

• Economic development projects

• Fire Suppression or Support training not related to

RX fire needs/qualifications 15

2025 WRR Planned Spending &

Accomplishments Excel spreadsheet

• Replaces the old National Fire Plan Operations and Reporting System (NFPORS) form.

• The Landscape Resiliency Accomplishments

Reporting Module (Landscape ARM) supports

State Fire Capacity (SFC), BIL State Fire

Assistance (SFA), and WRR Grant applications.

• For questions about Planned Spending &

Accomplishments, please contact your Coop Fire staff.

• Please report accurately, the acres treated are part of the region’s accomplishment target.

Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR) Review

✓At least 100% match of requested Federal funds is required.

✓Provide 2025 WRR Planned Spending & Accomplishments

Excel spreadsheet.

✓Applications should contain maps to describe project location and activities.

• Submit a separate letter of support from the State Forester or appropriate designated authority for approving activities

(NJ, State Fire Warden; NY, Director of Forest Protection).

• Third Party–non-profits, academic institutions, fire science exchanges

• Not Required–Tribes and State Agencies

Application Ranking Criteria

100 Points Possible:

• Address Northeast Regional Action Plan's Options (30 pts)

• Engage in partnerships and collaboration (20 pts)

• Assist Underserved Communities (10 pts)

• Explain project effectiveness and efficiency (20 pts)

• Demonstrate a Wildfire Risk Focus (20 pts)

Wildfire Risk and Underserved Communities

Wildfirerisk.orgNortheast Midwest Risk Assessment.com https://wildfirerisk.org/ https://northeastmidwestwildfirerisk.com/

Sources to Support Your Application & Ranking Criteria

Northeast Midwest Risk Assessment.com

Riverside, NY – Curious About Your Risk?

Risk Explorer > Basic Viewer > Risk > Extreme!

Sources to Support Your Application and Ranking Criteria

- Wildfire Risk

- Vulnerable Populations

- Wildfirerisk.org

- Wildfire Hazard Potential

- Underserved Community: Climate and Economic

Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)

- Can use local or state wildfire risk data instead also

- Wildfirerisk.org

Once Again for FY 2025 – Grants.gov

Submit all applications through grants.gov

Search for grant opportunity:

USDA-FS-2025-COHESIVE-STRATEGY

Application deadline is January 15, 2025

Grants.gov provides 24/7 support:

1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=USDA-FS-2021-WRR-WR mailto:support@grants.gov

Preparing to Apply

• FY 2025 guidance document has details on how to register and apply online through Grants.gov.

• Before working in Grants.gov you will need:

▪ Employer Identification Number (~5 weeks)

▪ System for Award Management (SAM) registration (~2 weeks)

▪ Generates the Unique Entity Identifier (formally DUNS#)

▪ Grants.gov account with Authorized Organization

Representative (AOR) role (same day)

• One lead agency/grant applicant will apply in Grants.gov for all other contributors to the project.

• Only Grants.gov users with the AOR role for the applying entity are eligible to submit applications to Grants.gov.

How to Apply: Search Grants

Search for Opportunity:

USDA-FS-2025-COHESIVE-STRATEGY

FOR APPLICANTS:

• Check Your Availability

• Get Registered

• Apply for Grants

• Track Your Application

• Adobe Community

• Applicant Training

• Applicant FAQ’s

• Manage Subscriptions

SUPPORT CENTER:

• Welcome to Grants.gov Support

▪Applicant Support is available 24/7

▪1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov

• FAQ’s

• Report Fraud

• Find Help and Learn

• About the Program

• Grants.gov Releases

• Feedback mailto:support@grants.gov

Reminders

✓Submit application and documents through grants.gov.

✓Link Project Proposal to NCS Goals/Regional Options and

State Forest Action Plans.

✓At least 100% match of requested Federal funds is required.

✓Provide 2025 WRR Planned Spending & Accomplishments

Excel spreadsheet.

✓Applications should contain maps to describe project location and activities.

✓Submit a separate letter of support from the State Forester or appropriate designated authority for approving activities (NJ, State Fire Warden; NY, Director of Forest Protection).

✓Proposals due by January 15, 2025 – Include ALL required items.

Contacts

For the Eastern Region Cohesive Fire Strategy Competitive grant program:

Ray Parrish, Program Manager raymond.j.parrish@usda.gov

(414) 323-2589

For WRR in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia or

Connecticut:

Maris Gabliks, Cooperative Fire Specialist maris.g.gabliks@usda.gov

(609) 235-7524

For WRR in Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan:

Caleb Schreiber, Cooperative Fire Specialist caleb.schreiber@usda.gov

(715) 628-6999

For WRR in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, or

Vermont:

Helene Hochholzer, Cooperative Fire Specialist helene.hochholzer@usda.gov

(860) 861-7322 mailto:raymond.j.parrish@usda.gov mailto:maris.g.gabliks@usda.gov mailto:caleb.schreiber@usda.gov mailto:helene.hochholzer@usda.gov

Key Sources to Support Your Application

• Eastern Region Grant Opportunity: Cohesive Fire Strategy

• National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy

• State Forest Action Plans

• Northeast Regional Action Plan – 2015

• Northeast Regional Action Plan - 2020 Update

• Northeast-Midwest Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (NMWRAP)

• Wildfire Risk to Communities

• Community Wildfire Defense Grants https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r9/workingtogether/grants/?cid=FSEPRD898823 https://forestsandrangelands.gov/strategy/thestrategy.shtml https://www.stateforesters.org/forest-action-plans/ https://northeasternwildfire.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2015_regional_action_plan.pdf https://www.northeasternwildfire.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NE-RSC-Action-Plan-5-year-update-FINAL-January-2020.pdf https://northeastmidwestwildfirerisk.com/ https://wildfirerisk.org/cwdg-tool

Region 9 - Grants & Agreements https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r9/workingtogether/grants/

> Recorded Webinar

> 2025 Grant Information

- Guidance and Instructions

- Optional Narrative Template

> Contact Information

Thank you for your participation!

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