Inflation Reduction Act - Forest Legacy Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.734
- Agency
-
Forest Service
Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 131 $699,754,599 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- IRA FLP
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury accounts
-
- 12-1105-0-1-302
- 12-5367-0-1-302
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture Forest Service administers the Inflation Reduction Act — Forest Legacy Program (CFDA 10.734), which funds acquisition and protection of environmentally important private forest lands threatened by conversion to non-forest uses through conservation easements or fee simple purchase, with the most recent grant award issued on July 9, 2026.
The program has demonstrated consistent recent activity. A total of 131 grants totaling $699.8 million in federal dollars obligated have been awarded since August 2023. Award volume accelerated sharply in 2024 (71 awards) and has moderated in 2025–2026 (39 and 2 awards respectively), reflecting the concentrated deployment of Inflation Reduction Act funding. Grant recipients contribute non-federal match; combined total obligated across all awards stands at $897.2 million, indicating approximately $197.4 million in non-federal cost-share. Assistance is delivered overwhelmingly as Project Grants (98 percent of awards), with two Cooperative Agreements representing the remainder.
Funded activities span land acquisition, conservation easement purchase, program administration, capacity building, and technical assistance. Recent awards show concrete project scope: a 152,282-acre conservation easement protecting rivers, streams, wetlands, and endangered species habitat in Michigan's Upper Peninsula; a 2,723-acre fee simple acquisition that will become a new state forest; acquisitions protecting watershed lands vital to drinking water supply; and state administrative funding to support staffing, due diligence, landowner outreach, and program operations. Smaller grants support appraisal training, data management platforms, and research on economic impact and program efficiency.
Regional funding concentration is substantial. The Department of Agriculture Forest Service Southern Region (R8) leads by federal dollars obligated at $211.9 million across 31 awards, followed by the Pacific Northwest Region (R6) at $147.2 million across 14 awards and the Eastern Region (R9) at $90.9 million across 44 awards. These three regions account for the plurality of activity; additional active funders include the Northern Region (R1) and the Rocky Mountain Research Station. All states and territories participate except North Dakota, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
Award magnitudes vary widely. Large land acquisitions dominate the federal dollar total—recent examples include $66.6 million for a forest legacy acquisition, $53.3 million for a timberland legacy project in the Pacific Northwest, and $50 million for a conservation easement purchase—while administrative and capacity-building grants typically range from $200 thousand to $2 million. Typical grant periods are two years with no-cost extension authority up to five years upon Forest Service approval. Applicants must operate within approved Forest Legacy Areas and comply with state Forest Action Plans developed in consultation with state Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committees.
No recent grant opportunities are currently open. The program operates on an annual project selection calendar developed each fiscal year; applicants and potential recipients should monitor the Forest Service regional offices for the next funding announcement.
Objective and description
- Objective
To effectively identify and protect environmentally important forest areas threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, through the use of conservation easements or fee simple purchase. The Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is a voluntary private land cons
- Description
Grant program to preserve eligible lands that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Projects are evaluated and prioritized by State lead agencies, in consultation with the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committees. All States and territories participate except North Dakota, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
- Beneficiary eligibility
State Agency, Landowners of Private Forest Lands, and Land Trust Organizations
- Uses of assistance
Landowner participation in the program is voluntary and consists of two components: (1) conveying land or interests in land to achieve land conservation objectives and (2) preparing and periodically updating a Forest Stewardship Management Plan or a multi-resource management plan, when the participation is through conservation easement. State lead agencies must first evaluate and approve projects as Forest Legacy eligible before competing for Forest Service funding.
- Use restrictions
Project grant funds are used to purchase lands and pay for acquisition-related expenses. These funds cannot be used for general program expenses, indirect costs, or for other project costs outside of the project area of the grant award, except for qualified donations located in other Forest Legacy Areas.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Assistance is provided via grants to States. Typical grant period is two years. Grants may receive a no cost extension up to five years with justification if approved by the Forest Service.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Each State must prepare a State Forest Action Plan (Statewide Assessment and Resource Strategy, including Assessments of Need (AON)) to be eligible for program funds. The Forest Service Regional or Institute Responsible Official must concur with the State's Forest Action Plan. Requirements for an eligible project are: (1) within an approved Forest Legacy Area and fits within the priorities of a State's AON; (2) complies with FLP State and National criteria; (3) a completed grant Application.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Project evaluation and priority ranking is based on the three national core criteria (importance, threatened, and strategy, as defined in the FLP Implementation Guidelines) as well as project readiness and other evaluation considerations developed in consultation with States and FS Units.
- Award procedure
The Forest Service conducts an annual project selection process to arrive at a prioritized national project list. The Forest Service then issues grants to states based on the amounts provided in Congressional appropriations of Inflation Reduction Act Funds and the prioritized national project list.
- Time to approval or disapproval
An annual project selection calendar with due dates will be developed each fiscal year, and will identify deadlines and approval times.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 131 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington State Department Of Natural Resources | $93,535,000 | 13% |
| 2 | Natural Resources South Carolina Department | $78,055,900 | 11% |
| 3 | Idaho Department Of Lands | $54,450,000 | 8% |
| 4 | Oregon Department Of Forestry | $53,679,000 | 8% |
| 5 | Energy Minerals & Natural Resources Department | $50,558,000 | 7% |
| 6 | Department Of Natural Resources | $45,251,244 | 6% |
| 7 | First American Title Insurance Company | $40,000,000 | 6% |
| 8 | Fish Wildlife & Parks Montana Department | $35,805,000 | 5% |
| 9 | Texas A&M Forest Service | $29,058,000 | 4% |
| 10 | Virginia Department Of Forestry | $25,848,000 | 4% |
10 of 50 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $5,678,744 |
| FY2025 | $509,561,855 |
| FY2024 | $114,405,000 |
| FY2023 | $60,815,000 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.734?
Assistance Listing 10.734 is Inflation Reduction Act - Forest Legacy Program, a federal grant program run by Forest Service (Department of Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for Inflation Reduction Act - Forest Legacy Program?
Its CFDA number is 10.734: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.734 awarded?
131 grant awards under 10.734 have obligated $699,754,599 in federal funds to 50 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.734?
The recipients obligated the most under Inflation Reduction Act - Forest Legacy Program are Washington State Department Of Natural Resources ($93,535,000), Natural Resources South Carolina Department ($78,055,900) and Idaho Department Of Lands ($54,450,000).
How much did 10.734 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 10.734 obligated $509,561,855 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
On GovTribe
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