Good Neighbor Authority for Restoration

The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) is intended to expand limited federal capacity to implement and plan forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration projects by facilitating partnerships with authorized states, counties, and federally recognized India

The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) for Restoration Program helps state, local, and tribal governments partner with the National Park Service to restore and protect healthy forests, rangelands, and watersheds. Projects funded under 16 USC 2113a may include restoration and management activities. Projects range from treating noxious weeds and invasive species across multiple ownerships to fuels management activities like thinning, prescribed burning, and other treatments to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest resiliency. GNA can also support community assistance projects that benefit multiple landowners, such as thinning around communities at risk, and forest management activities aimed at increasing resilience to wildfire, insects, disease, and drought. Rangeland plant restoration, whether necessitated by wildfire, drought, or invasive species, including seed collection and planting, is also eligible. While NPS decision-making cannot be delegated, cooperating entities can assist with NEPA documentation. Finally, riparian restoration projects, including erosion control and revegetation, are often more effective when implemented across entire stream reaches and are therefore well-suited for GNA partnerships.

Eligible partners include a Governor, Indian Tribe, or county "Governors" includes other appropriate executive officials of an affected state or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico "County" includes appropriate executive official of an affected county or of a compact of the affected counties when multiple counties are affected. 16 USC 2113a(a)(6) defines "Governor" to also include an "…appropriate executive official of an affected State or Indian tribe or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico," and 16 USC 2113a(a)(7) defines "Indian Tribes" as having the meaning given in 25 USC 5304.

Governor, Indian Tribe, or county

Projects are primarily conducted on federal lands administered by the NPS located in the Western United States and Alaska. Projects may also be conducted on other lands to enhance state or Indian Tribe-federal relationships addressing cross-boundary land restoration needs to include activities confined to Authorized Restoration Service which are activities to treat insect and disease-infected trees, activities to reduce hazardous fuels, and any other activities to restore or improve forest, rangeland, and watershed health, including fish and wildlife habitat. The National Park Service must provide or approve silviculture prescriptions and marking guidelines to be applied to public lands in timber sale projects. The term "Federal land" does not include a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System; Federal land on which the removal of vegetation is prohibited or restricted by Act of Congress or Presidential proclamation (including the applicable implementation plan); or a wilderness study area. Does not include construction, reconstruction, repair, or restoration of paved or permanent roads or parking areas, other than the reconstruction, repair, or restoration of a road that is necessary to carry out authorized restoration services pursuant to a good neighbor agreement. Does not include construction, alteration, repair or replacement of public buildings or works. NPS's funding is discretionary. Noxious weeds and invasive species treatments: Treatment of noxious weeds and invasive species is often carried out across multiple ownerships in a coordinated effort. GNA can be an effective tool to partner with a cooperating entity that is carrying out weed treatments, whether using herbicide, mechanical, or biological controls, in a coordinated cross-boundary effort. Fuels Management: Mechanical treatments (e.g., thinning, piling, mastication, mowing), chemical and biological applications, and prescribed fire to protect communities at risk, improve wildfire resiliency, and provide a safe and effective wildfire response. Community Assistance: Projects across ownership boundaries with mutual benefit and the ability to leverage funds to complete work on the ground. Some treatments could include thinning around a community at risk, juniper removal to improve landscape resiliency. Forest Management: Conduct treatments to enhance the resilience of forests to wildfire, insect, disease, and drought through density management. Rangeland plant restoration: Whether impacts are from wildfire, drought, or noxious weeds and invasive species, it is often necessary to aid the re-establishment of rangeland vegetation. This could entail development of plant materials, seed collection, site preparation, and seed or seedling planting. Native plant restoration is also often a cross-boundary need, and where a cooperating entity is conducting these activities, GNA can be used to conduct these activities on National Park Service (NPS) managed lands. Wildlife movement, migration, and habitat connectivity: GNA can be used to facilitate cross-boundary cooperative habitat restoration and rangeland structural improvements to improve habitat connectivity and support unimpeded movement of wildlife populations across landscapes. Examples of cooperative habitat connectivity projects may include: cross-boundary work associated with fence removals or upgrades to reduce animal fatalities and movement barriers; invasive species control and reseeding or planting of native vegetation along migration corridors and stopover areas; and enhancement of water resource availability within important wildlife movement areas (i.e., development and protection of natural springs, removal of invasive riparian species to increase water availability, construction of guzzlers and other artificial water sources, wet meadow restoration, etc.). NEPA: GNA stipulates that the NPS decision cannot be delegated to a cooperating entity. However, a cooperating entity can be assisted

Ineligible Projects for Restoration: "Forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration services" does not include the construction, reconstruction, repair, or restoration of paved or permanent roads or parking areas, other than the reconstruction, repair, or restoration of a NPS managed road that is necessary to carry out authorized restoration services pursuant to a good neighbor agreement. It also does not include construction, alteration, repair or replacement of public buildings or works.

No specific restrictions apply, however, most projects are funded on a year-to-year basis and funds are normally expended during the current fiscal year. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Frequency of recipient payment will be determined for each awarded assistance agreement at time of award.

Coordination with recipients may be required depending on the program specifics.

Specific evaluation criteria will be included in the funding announcements posted on www.grants.gov, but may include: Appropriateness to the themes and mission of the park, contribution to visitor understanding, clarity of project objectives including final product or result, etc.

Proposals received in response announcements on grants.gov are reviewed on the basis of a competitive, merit-based review process, and are rated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the announcement. Awards may be made to the highest rated proposals based on the amount of funding available each year.

Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each specific project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the Program Manager listed as the point of contact. Generally 30 - 120 days.

None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the National Park Service will provide applicants with information on why their proposals were not selected for award, upon request.