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Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2023 West

ID: USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-CWSF • Type: Posted
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Description

This announcement contains the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)/Instructions. To apply after reading the NOFO, visit the application portal at cwdg.forestrygrants.org.

The purpose of the Community Wildfire Defense Grant is to assist at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes with planning and mitigating against the risk created by wildfire.

The Act prioritizes at-risk communities in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low-income, and/or have been impacted by a severe disaster. More details on these three priorities can be found in the Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs).

The CWDG helps communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI) implement the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy):

  • Restore and Maintain Landscapes: Landscapes, regardless of jurisdictional boundaries, are resilient to fire, insect, disease, invasive species, and climate change disturbances, in accordance with management objectives.
  • Create Fire Adapted Communities: Human populations and infrastructure are as prepared as possible to receive, respond to, and recover from wildland fire.
  • Improve Wildfire Response: All jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions.

This program is authorized in Public Law 117-58, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

There are two primary project types for which the grant provides funding:

  • The development and revision of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP)
  • The implementation of projects described in a CWPP that is less than ten years old

Applicant Webinars for CWDG Round 2 have been scheduled as follows. The application process in Round 2 is the same for all applicants (versus Round 1 where there were different processes for different regions), and any applicant in any region, area, or Tribe may attend any webinar, they will all have the same content, however, the August 10 Webinar will be more focused on Tribal applications and Tribal application Q&A.

This information will also be on the Forest Service CWDG website, link below.

To attend a webinar, please register in advance by clicking on the link following each date:

August 4, 2pm-4pm Eastern

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DOtCNZHVRym3gFKdzYlLUg

August 9, 2pm-4pm Eastern

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Q-NLfp_HRR2zWoOQZgMprw

August 10, 2pm-4pm Eastern

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yxe-tURVSqqKl7EMJ5zOmQ

August 15, 2pm-4pm Eastern

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8XdtEXfHSYyk_XxdkOeGgA

Applicant Webinar recordings will be made available soon after the webinars for those unable to attend one of the live offerings, check back on the Forest Service CWDG website for recordings.

Background
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant is provided for in Title VIII, Section 40803 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The grant aims to assist at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes with planning for and mitigating against the risk created by wildfire. The grant helps communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI) implement the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy).

Grant Details
The grant provides funding for two primary project types: the development and revision of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP), and the implementation of projects described in a CWPP that is less than ten years old. Eligible applicants include units of local governments, Indian Tribes, non-profit organizations, state forestry agencies, and Alaska Native Corporations. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity. Projects should further the priorities in the most recent State Forest Action Plans as well as the relevant regional cohesive wildland fire management strategy document.

Eligibility Requirements
Entities eligible to apply for funding for at-risk communities under the CWDG include units of local governments representing communities located in an area with a risk of wildfires, Indian Tribes, non-profit organizations including homeowner associations that assist such communities, state forestry agencies, and Alaska Native Corporations. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity.

Period of Performance
Projects must be completed within five years.

Grant Value
There is no minimum Federal funding limit for projects under CWDG. The maximum amount of Federal funding awarded to any one community or Tribe via this competitive process is $250,000 for the creation or updating of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and $10 million for a project described within a Community Wildfire Protection Plan less than 10 years old. The Federal funding available through the CWDG competitive process could be up to $250 million for this second round.

Place of Performance
The grant is intended for projects conducted on private lands, local governments, homeowner associations, state government lands, and Tribal/Alaska native corporation lands.
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Overview

Agency
Forest Service (USFS) [USDA]
Category of Funding
Disaster Prevention and Relief
Natural Resources
Funding Instruments
Grant
Grant Program (CFDA)
10.720 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Community Wildfire Defense Grants
Grant Category
Discretionary
Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement
True
Source
Grants.gov
On 7/31/23 Forest Service posted grant opportunity USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-CWSF for Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2023 West with funding of $250.0 million. The grant will be issued under grant program 10.720 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Community Wildfire Defense Grants. It is expected that 500 total grants will be made.

Timing

Posted Date
July 31, 2023, 12:00 a.m. EDT
Closing Date
Nov. 4, 2023, 12:00 a.m. EDT Past Due
Closing Date Explanation
Due to the unknown impact the grants.gov scheduled maintenance from 10/28-10/31 would have, the deadline is being extended until 11/4.
Last Updated
Oct. 30, 2023, 9:34 a.m. EDT
Version
6
Archive Date
Dec. 4, 2023

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants
State governments
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Special district governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
County governments
City or township governments
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

Award Sizing

Ceiling
$10,000,000
Floor
Not Listed
Estimated Program Funding
$250,000,000
Estimated Number of Grants
500

Contacts

Contact
Brad Simpkins Grantor
Contact Email
sm.fs.usfs_cwdg@usda.gov   Profile
Email Description
USFS Cooperative Fire Branch-CWDG Program
Contact Phone
(603) 312-8326
Additional Information
CWDG Homepage
Additional Information Site
https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/fire/grants

Documents

Posted documents for USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-CWSF

Grant Awards

Grants awarded through USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-CWSF

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