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Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) West

ID: USDA-FS-2024-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 3 have been scheduled as follows. The application process in Round 3 is the same for all applicants. Any applicant in any region, area, or Tribe may attend any webinar, they will all have the same content, however, the December 4th 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:

Monday, December 2nd, 2pm-4pm Eastern

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6-i032QISWGJhNKj6g-UyA

Wednesday, December 4th, 12:30pm-2:30pm Eastern (Tribal focused)

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C6N_tnRGSwSgbZU0CFifrQ

Friday, December 6th, 2pm-4pm Eastern

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Jnadv39gSPKwBv9qYqeAGQ

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.

In addition to the webinars above, the Forest Service will be offering periodic "office hours" for applicants throughout the application period. Please visit the CWDG website below for dates and times.

Background
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) is a funding opportunity issued by the U.S. Forest Service under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58). The grant aims to assist at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes in planning and mitigating wildfire risks.

The program prioritizes communities identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, low-income status, or those impacted by severe disasters.

Grant Details
The CWDG supports two primary project types:
1) Development and revision of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs),
2) Implementation of projects described in a CWPP that is less than ten years old.

The grant aligns with the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy's goals: restoring resilient landscapes, creating fire-adapted communities, and improving wildfire response.

Eligible applicants include local governments, Indian Tribes, non-profit organizations, state forestry agencies, and Alaska Native Corporations. Projects must directly reduce wildfire risk on eligible lands such as private lands, local government properties, and Tribal lands. The maximum federal funding is $250,000 for CWPP development and $10 million for project implementation.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include units of local governments representing at-risk communities, Indian Tribes, non-profit organizations assisting such communities, state forestry agencies, and Alaska Native Corporations. For-profit entities are not eligible.

Projects must benefit at-risk communities or Tribes and meet specific criteria regarding wildfire risk reduction. Communities may request a waiver for matching funds if they are underserved or impacted by severe disasters.

Period of Performance
Projects funded under the CWDG must be completed within five years from the date of award.

Grant Value
The total federal funding available through the CWDG competitive process could be up to $200 million for this round. Individual grants can be up to $250,000 for CWPP development or up to $10 million for project implementation.

Place of Performance
Projects must be conducted within the Western States and Territories including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming; as well as territories like American Samoa and Guam.
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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 11/21/24 Forest Service posted grant opportunity USDA-FS-2024-CWDG-CWSF for Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) West with funding of $200.0 million. The grant will be issued under grant program 10.720 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Community Wildfire Defense Grants. It is expected that 100 total grants will be made.

Timing

Posted Date
Nov. 21, 2024, 12:00 a.m. EST
Closing Date
March 14, 2025, 12:00 a.m. EDT Past Due
Last Updated
Feb. 14, 2025, 4:20 p.m. EST
Version
3
Archive Date
March 30, 2025

Eligibility

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

Award Sizing

Ceiling
$10,000,000
Floor
Not Listed
Estimated Program Funding
$200,000,000
Estimated Number of Grants
100

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/cwdg

Documents

Posted documents for USDA-FS-2024-CWDG-CWSF

Grant Awards

Grants awarded through USDA-FS-2024-CWDG-CWSF

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