The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program

Type: 
Funding
Organization: 
Forest Service, Department of Agriculture
Description: 

Most Recent Deadline: 1/11/2021. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, Cooperative Forestry staff, requests applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). This is a competitive grant program whereby local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land from a willing seller. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forest land from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits such as sustainable forest management, environmental benefits including clean air, water, and wildlife habitat; benefits from forest-based educational programs; benefits from serving as models of effective forest stewardship; and recreational benefits secured with public access.

Category: 
forest conservation, community, sustainable forestry, management, education, stewardship, recreation, collaboration
Funding Amount: 
Individual grant applications may not exceed $600,000, which does not include technical assistance requests.
Matching Funds: 
Yes, all applicants must demonstrate a 50 percent match of the total project cost.

Geography:

Eligibility: 
A local governmental entity federally recognized Indian Tribe (including Alaska Native Corporations), or a qualified nonprofit organization that is qualified to acquire and manage land. Individuals are not eligible to receive funds through this program.
Contact Information: 
See link for region-specific contacts. For questions regarding the grant application or administrative regulations, contact Scott Stewart, Program Coordinator, 202-465-5038, scott.stewart@usda.gov and Nausheen Iqbal, 202-594-7554, nausheen.iqbal@usda.gov. Additional information about the Community Forest and Open Space Program may be obtained at https://www.fs.usda.gov/​managing-land/​private-land/​community-forest.