NOFO3 Briefing Sheet July 2024.pdf

State, Private, and Tribal Forestry | July 2024

Briefing Sheet: Landowner Cost Share Payment Programs for Climate Mitigation and/or Forest Resilience Practices A Funding Opportunity from USDA Forest Service

Purpose The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support state-endorsed programs to issue cost share payments to landowners for climate mitigation and/or forest resilience practices, as directed by the Inflation Reduction Act.

Maximum Award For a proposal operating within a single state: $5 million. For a proposal operating across multiple states: $15 million. A non-federal match of 20 percent of the total project cost is required. Match waivers will be considered if the applicant demonstrates significant benefits to underserved landowners.*

Eligible Applicants The following entities are eligible to apply:

• State forestry agencies or their equivalents

• Nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher learning, and units of local government with a letter of endorsement from a State Forester or their equivalent.

Eligible Lands Cost share practices supported by this funding opportunity may be implemented on:

• Non-industrial private forest land;

• Forest land owned by a unit of local government; and

• Forest land held in trust for Native

Hawaiians by the Department of Hawaiian Homelands and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Land must also be rural, forested (or able to grow trees), and owned by an eligible recipient of cost share payments.

Eligible Recipients of Cost Share Payments Non-federal, non-industrial forest landowners are eligible to receive cost share payments. Eligible recipients of cost share payments include but are not limited to:

• Individuals, groups, associations, corporations, or other private legal entities;

• Federally and state recognized Tribes, as well as equivalent governmental representatives of native indigenous communities; and

• Units of local government.

Capacity Applicants may propose to use up to 20 percent of funds for administrative and program management costs, while at least 80 percent of funds should be reserved for cost share payments to landowners.

Applicants are encouraged to develop new or grow existing partnerships to increase program capacity, efficiency, and impact.

How to Apply To learn more and apply, visit grants.gov and search for Opportunity Number USDA-FS-2024-IRA- FLS-03. Applications are due September 30, 2024.

Learn More Contact sm.fs.landownerIRA@usda.gov with questions.

*For full details, download the Notice of Funding Opportunity from the grants.gov listing, under Related Documents.

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355249 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355249 mailto:sm.fs.landownerIRA@usda.gov