Bipartisan Infrastructure Law State, Private & Tribal Agreements

The Department of Agriculture Forest Service is obligating funds for natural resources infrastructure, wildfire management, and ecosystem restoration projects through negotiated cooperative agreements under CFDA 10.732, with the most recent award on September 20, 2024.

Activity remains sparse. The program has generated two total awards since its inception in 2023, one per year, for a combined $609 thousand in federal obligations. The most recent award was posted nearly two years ago. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding under this listing extends through fiscal year 2026, but the grant award pipeline offers limited visibility into whether opportunities are being solicited actively or posted frequently.

The program funds concrete wildfire and ecosystem work: post-fire monitoring and treatment of sudden oak death and port-orford cedar root disease, and fuels reduction on national forest land in partnership with tribal governments. All awards to date are Cooperative Agreements, indicating the Forest Service structures these as joint efforts with state, private, and tribal partners rather than unilateral grants. One funded project was extended by three years to allow continued work on tribal ancestral lands, signaling multi-year commitment where appropriate.

Funding concentrates entirely within the Department of Agriculture Forest Service, specifically its R5–Pacific Southwest Region, which has obligated all $609 thousand across both awards. Recent awards range from $108,675 to $500,000. The fuels reduction project on the Sierra National Forest received $500 thousand and extends through May 2029; the post-fire oak death and cedar disease monitoring project received $108,675 and runs through October 2026.

The program's structure emphasizes case-by-case negotiation and pre-application coordination that varies by program area, meaning applicants should contact the relevant Forest Service regional office early. Research and development activities are prohibited. Recipients must retain records for three years after agreement closure. Award velocity and opportunity posting frequency remain uncertain given the limited recent activity, making this a watch rather than immediate-pursue opportunity unless you have a shovel-ready natural resources project in Forest Service Region 5 ready to discuss.