Funding

National Forest Foundation 2024 Collaborative Capacity Program. Applications Due July 12, 2024. The National Forest Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2024 funding round of the Collaborative Capacity Program for Forests & Communities (CCP). Financial awards available through the CCP will provide resources, invest in skills and tools, and support activities that make collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and co-stewardship with Tribes for forest stewardship successful. Eligible applicants must describe how investments in collaboration will support a long-term strategy for achieving stewardship outcomes into the future and how these outcomes benefit National Forest System lands. There are two funding pathways — one for federally-recognized Tribal Applicants and one for All Applicants. Interested applicants should review the Request for Proposals and attend an upcoming informational webinar to best understand how to submit a strong proposal. These FAQs may also be helpful in clarifying any questions. Collaboration for forest stewardship involves different perspectives working together to find shared solutions to complex forest management challenges. We are at a pivotal inflection point for addressing climate change issues, like extreme wildfire and biodiversity loss, and finding adequate resources to address them. Successful collaboration is paramount for sustained and adaptive forest restoration, sustainable and accessible recreation, wildfire resilience projects, and co-stewardship with Tribes. More information is available here: https://www.nationalforests.org/assets/files/2024-CCP-RFP.pdf?mc_cid=d58d03e76a&mc_eid=ab1f223af2. 
 

Categories: forests, communities, collaborative capacity

Letters of Intent due July 17, 2024. The Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP) at Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) is pleased to announce a new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) funding opportunity designed to build a Climate Ready Nation under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)) and available only through coastal management programs. The objective of this initiative is to increase resilience through landscape-scale habitat restoration and conservation in coastal ecosystems nationwide and promote coastal resilience in underserved coastal communities as well as those most vulnerable to climate impacts.

These funds will be awarded through a competitive process to support coastal habitat restoration and conservation. The restoration and conservation of ecologically significant ecosystems such as wetlands, headlands, and natural shoreline will help reduce the impacts of coastal hazards, including flooding and climate change, to property, infrastructure and cultural resources, and at the same time provide economic and social benefits to coastal communities.

Funding for this initiative is expected to be at least $207 million over 5 years for Coastal Zone Management Programs.

Categories: coastal restoration, implementation, habitat restoration, land acquisition, conservation

Applications due: July 17, 2024. Applicants must first register before July 15, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. US CST to ensure a timely submission. Community Self-Determination Grants are intended to support community-based and community- driven sustainable solutions in all three of NDN Collective’s core strategies to Defend, Develop and Decolonize. Grants are intended to  support and invest in the long-term visions, sustainability, and power building of Indigenous Nations, communities and Indigenous-led organizations, fortifying the self-determination of Indigenous Peoples to create a just, equitable, and sustainable world for all people and the planet. Significant, flexible, multi-year funding will include the infusion of general operating support, power building, capital and holistic support for comprehensive initiatives and specific programs.

Categories: decolonization, resilience, sustainability, community, culture

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to incentivize and accelerate the replacement of existing non-ZE Class 6 and 7 heavy-duty vehicles with ZE vehicles. The EPA anticipates awarding up to $932 million in funds under this Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles (CHDV) Grants NOFO, subject to the availability of funds, the quantity and quality of applications received, support for communities overburdened by air pollution, applicability of different business models, and other applicable considerations described in this document. This funding to support ZE vehicles will benefit communities across the United States (U.S.), especially communities that are disproportionately burdened by air pollution and marginalized by underinvestment. These replacement vehicles will ensure cleaner air for the communities in which they operate. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these vehicle replacements will also help address the outsized role of the transportation sector in fueling the climate crisis.

Categories: Vehicles (375), Air Pollution (392)

Deadline: August 1, 2024.  Microbes and communities of microbes have remarkable genetic, physiological and biochemical diversity, allowing them to flourish in environments all over the planet and in a variety of substrates and hosts. The goal of this solicitation is to support research that addresses one or more of the three themes: 1) define the underlying mechanisms or rules that drive the formation, maintenance or evolution of synthetic microbial communities, 2) use synthetic microbial communities to address fundamental biological questions, including questions in molecular biology, cellular/organismal biology, ecology and evolution and/or 3) build synthetic communities with biotechnology, bioeconomy or environmental engineering applications, including but not limited to the production of novel biorenewable chemicals, biodegradation of recalcitrant or “forever chemicals,” enabling a circular bioeconomy, fostering sustainable agriculture and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Categories: Scientific research, microbiology, forever chemicals, molecular biology, climate mitigation

Deadline for Track B & C: August 21, 2024. The Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support programming provides financial assistance grants for projects that support underserved and small-acreage forest landowner participation in emerging private markets for climate mitigation and forest resilience. The Inflation Reduction Act provides the Forest Service $450 million for Forest Landowner Support which will be made available through a series of funding opportunities. Bookmark this webpage to stay up to date on current opportunities and deadlines or contact SM.FS.LandownerIRA@usda.gov to be added to an email distribution list.

Categories: forest landowners, IRA, inflation reduction act

Applications due: September 30, 2024. The Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) is pleased to be a recipient of grant funding from the USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program, under the Inflation Reduction Act (Funding Opportunity #: USDA-FS-2023-UCF-IRA-01). We will serve as a national pass-through partner of the Forest Service, providing funding for Federally Recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations, as defined below.

Through this opportunity, the Arbor Day Foundation aims to support investment in tree planting and maintenance, planning, and capacity building, led by the unique needs, knowledge, and ambitions of individual Tribal subawardees. Recipients will have access to a cohort of peers and experts within the Arbor Day Foundation and the Urban and Community Forestry Society (UCFS)’s networks and the opportunity to connect with mentors/coaches from around the nation. Subawardees will also be invited to attend the annual Partners in Community Forestry conference to further develop their urban forestry network. 

Categories: urban planning, tree planting, extreme heat mitigation

Under the authority provided by Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-251), as amended, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can provide states, local governments, other non-Federal entities, and eligible Native American Indian tribes assistance in the preparation of comprehensive plans for the development, utilization, and conservation of water and related land resources. Typical studies are only planning level of detail; they do not include detailed design for project construction. The program can encompass many types of studies dealing with water resources issues. Types of studies conducted in recent years under the program include the following: water supply/demand, water conservation, water quality, environmental/conservation, wetlands evaluation/restoration, dam safety/failure, flood damage reduction, coastal zone protection, and harbor planning.

There are two types of assistance available: (1) development of a Comprehensive Plans for planning for the development, utilization, and conservation of the water resources and (2) Technical Assistance related to the management of state water resources.

Categories: water, conservation, planning, water quality

Application Deadline: October 31, 2024. The Community Action Fund Grant supports efforts that include community organizing, amplification of community voices, and utilize a wide variety of tactics imperative to shifting the political and financial systems that are impacting our communities. The Grant is available on an ongoing basis as funds are available.Areas of emphasis may include: climate justice and racial equity efforts, challenging the extractive industry, accelerating the just energy transition in Indigenous communities, healing justice work within the movement, and training the next generation of community organizers.  Direct expenses may include funding for travel, supplies, equipment, consultants, contractual services and staff that support various forms of NVDA (non-violent direct action), i.e.;  marches, camps, boycotts, prayer vigils as a form of resistance, organizing or protest to affect change.  Action may also include community-based response to climate events such as flooding, fires, earthquakes.

Categories: climate justice, tribal sovereignty, community action

This technical assistance program is in conjunction with the EPA Community Change grants. To apply, visit: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/09501b3dad374a81a5ee857fc31648ce. The Community Change Grant Equitable Resilience technical assistance will provide free design and project development assistance, community engagement, and partnership development workshops that support climate resilience and environmental justice activities in disaster-prone areas. This program will help eligible entities develop applications for to be submitted for grants under the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR) Community Change Grant Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which is expected to be issued in the fall of 2023. Community Change Grants will invest approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds for environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to respond to environmental and climate justice challenges. Eligible projects for this technical assistance must be located in a disaster-prone area and benefit a disadvantaged community.

Deadline: November 21, 2024. Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program. EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.

Rolling Deadline. The Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program provides funding for rural projects through local utility organizations. USDA provides zero-interest loans to local utilities which they, in turn, pass through to local businesses (ultimate recipients) for projects that will create and retain employment in rural areas. The ultimate recipients repay the lending utility directly. The utility is responsible for repayment to USDA.

Categories: Economic Development, Rural Development, Grants and Loans

Deadline: Year round with periodic ranking cycles announced. The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values, protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, and protecting and restoring and enhancing wetlands on eligible land. ACEP has two components:Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities such as state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements.Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) help private and tribal landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands which have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses. 

Categories: IRA, farmland, conservation, wetlands

Deadline: December 31, 2024. View the RFA for more information. The AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program supports grants in six AFRI priority areas to advance knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. The six priority areas are: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Research-only, extension-only, and integrated research, education and/or extension projects are solicited in this Request for Applications (RFA). See Foundational and Applied Science RFA for specific details.

Categories: social justice, community health, environmentalism, veterinary, food justice, energy, agriculture, technology, food science, agricultural science, rural

Rolling Deadline. This program bolsters the availability of private credit by guaranteeing loans for rural businesses.

Categories: Rural areas, business development, credit, local economy

Submissions accepted on a rolling basis. The Clean Water Indian Set-Aside Grant Program (CWISA) provides funding to Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages for wastewater infrastructure. The CWISA program is administered in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS). The CWISA program provides funding for wastewater infrastructure to American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages. Funds may be used for planning, design, and construction of wastewater collection and treatment systems. The CWISA program is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in cooperation with the Indian Health Service (IHS) Sanitation Facilities Construction program. To be considered for CWISA program funding, tribes must identify their wastewater needs to the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System. EPA uses the IHS Sanitation Deficiency System priority lists to identify and select projects for CWISA program funding.

Categories: waste water infrastructure, monitoring, infrastructure

Rolling Deadline. The Climate Action Fund (CAF) was established in 2009 to award small grants to frontline community groups that are fighting to prevent fossil fuels from being extracted and/or the construction of large point sources of greenhouse gas emissions. CAF is a grassroots alternative to carbon offset programs. Instead of purchasing carbon credits, funds will be used to empower frontline communities to keep fossil fuels in the ground where they belong. Grants generally do not exceed $2,500. Learn more and apply here. To inquire regarding the possibility of funding for your organization and to request an online version of the application, please contact caf@ran.org.

Categories: Climate action, social justice, community involvement, activism

Rolling Deadline. This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial or business undertakings.

Categories: housing, infrastructure, facilities, rural

Deadline is ongoing. This program provides funding to 1994 Land Grant Institutions (Tribal Colleges) to make capital improvements to their educational facilities and to purchase equipment.

Categories: community facilities, development, educational facilities, infrastructure, renovation and improvements, cultural projects

Applications accepted continuously. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment.

Categories: Stewardship, Conservation, IRA

Rolling Deadline. Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages can apply annually to receive on-request technical assistance with energy planning; housing, building energy efficiency, and resilience; project development; village power; and policy and regulation. Assistance is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy and its national laboratories, along with other partnering organizations, at no cost.

Categories: sustainability, climate change, energy, emissions, infrastructure, development, planning, policy, technical assistance

Applications accepted continuously. This program provides grants to assist rural communities that have had a significant decline in quantity or quality of drinking water. Grant may fund waterline extensions from existing systems, construction of new water lines; repairs to existing systems, construction of new wells, reservoirs, transmission lines, treatment plants, and other water sources. Priority is given to areas with less than 10,000 people, low-income areas, and communities facing imminent decline and shortage of water.

Categories: Water, Natural Resources, Health, Emergency

Deadline is ongoing. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility. EQIP may also help producers meet Federal, State, Tribal, and local environmental regulations.

Categories: agriculture, production, conservation, climate adaptation, private forestland, non-industrial, natural resource management, IRA

Rolling deadline. Evidence for Action (E4A) prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. Our focus on racial equity means we are concerned both with the direct impacts of structural racism on the health and well-being of people and communities of color (e.g., Black, Latina/o/x, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other races and ethnicities), as well as the ways in which racism intersects with other forms of marginalization, such as having low income, being an immigrant, having a disability, or identifying as LGBTQ+ or a gender minority.

This funding is geared toward studies about “upstream” causes of health inequities, such as the systems, structures, laws, policies, norms, and practices that determine the distribution of resources and opportunities, which in turn influence individuals’ options and behaviors. Research should center on the needs and experiences of communities exhibiting the greatest health burdens and be motivated by real-world priorities. It should be able to inform a specific course of action and/or establish beneficial practices, not stop at characterizing or documenting the extent of a problem.

While we will consider research on various aspects of health equity, we prioritize studies of interventions that are designed to reduce race-based disparities (e.g., by confronting a root cause of disparities or targeting benefits to those experiencing the greatest burdens). RWJF is particularly interested in strategies focused on developing healthy and equitable communities; supporting the needs of children, families, and caregivers; and fostering alignment among health care, public health, and social service systems.

Applications accepted continuously. Meant to fund water and waste disposal systems in rural Alaskan Villages. Funds must be used for development and construction of water and wastewater systems to correct dire health and sanitation conditions in those villages. Many communities in remote rural Alaska, where villages are accessible by plane or boat only, are essentially inaccessible during the long, hard winters. They lag far behind the lower 48 States in having safe and dependable drinking water and suitable waste disposal systems available. Construction costs are extremely high. This is due in part to the severe weather conditions, which makes laying pipe difficult, if not impossible. These conditions also require the use of insulated pipe, or in areas of permafrost, above ground utilidors, often with heat traced insulated pipe. The vast distances from the transportation hub of Anchorage to a village increases costs substantially as the material must be delivered by barge or air.

Categories: Adaptation, Emergency Management, Water, Health, Natural Resources

Rolling Deadline. Alaska Conservation Foundation’s Indigenous Fund (previously called the Travel Fund) supports conservation organizations on the ground addressing critical conservation issues. The current focus of the Indigenous Voices Fund is protecting the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Bristol Bay, the Tongass National Forest, and efforts to prevent hardrock mining across Alaska. The Indigenous Fund enables key staff to travel to hearings, testify in front of decision-makers, and reach important audiences that require travel to/from Alaska, including rural Alaska, as well as Washington DC.

Categories: Environmental Justice, travel

Applications accepted year round. This program provides 1 percent low-interest loans to local intermediaries that re-lend to businesses to improve economic conditions and create jobs in rural communities.

Categories: rural communities, local economy, jobs, development

Rolling Deadline. In the event of a release (or threatened release) of hazardous substances, EPA may reimburse local governments for expenses related to the release and associated emergency response measures. The Local Governments Reimbursement Program provides a "safety net" of up to $25,000 per incident to local governments that do not have funds available to pay for response actions.

Categories: Emergency Management, Disaster, Adaptation, Health, Natural Resources

Rolling Deadline. The Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) Program supports the generation of extended time series of data to address important questions in evolutionary biology, ecology, and ecosystem science. Research areas include, but are not limited to, the effects of natural selection or other evolutionary processes on populations, communities, or ecosystems; the effects of interspecific interactions that vary over time and space; population or community dynamics for organisms that have extended life spans and long turnover times; feedbacks between ecological and evolutionary processes; pools of materials such as nutrients in soils that turn over at intermediate to longer time scales; and external forcing functions such as climatic cycles that operate over long return intervals.

Categories: Environmental Biology, Scientific Research, Ecosystem Science, Community Research, Feedbacks.

This program accepts applications on a continuous basis. The program works with qualified private-sector lenders to provide financing to qualified borrowers to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in eligible rural areas and towns. Construction, improvement and purchase of multi-family rental housing for low to moderate income families and individuals is the primary objective for this program. Funding may also be available for:Buying and improving landProviding necessary infrastructureFor a complete list see Code of Federal Regulations, 7CFR Part 3565.205

Categories: housing, rural communities, development, infrastructure