National Forest Foundation Grants
Deadlines: July 28 and September 8, 2006
National Forest Foundation provides grants to community organizations that improve forest health on, and near, national forests and grasslands. NFF's MAP and CAP grant programs both emphasize cooperative conservation and engaging the public in collaborative restoration.
The MAP program (deadline July 28, 2006) provides 1:1 matching grants to improve national forests and grasslands in a measurable, hands-on way. The program will award 80% of its funds in five geographic focus areas: Southern Appalachians, Oregon Coastal and Central Cascades, the Selway-Bitterroot, Central Colorado Rockies, and the Central Sierra. If your project is outside these focus areas, there is opportunity to apply for the 20% of grant funds reserved for non-focus areas.
The CAP program (deadline September 8, 2006) provides capacity-building grants up to $15,000 to new grassroots organizations that engage community members in forest management issues in and near national forests. The grants have no matching requirement and are focused on small or newly forming organizations that have otherwise limited resources.
The CAP grant includes technical assistance from NFF about how to fundraise, how to apply for 501-c-3 status, and other early needs of start-up groups. Applicants must show how their goals match with national forest or grassland stewardship issues and should have a letter of support from their local forest service office.
If your organization primarily works in urban areas, the best opportunity for grant support through NFF is if your programming will support "urban national forests" - the fourteen national forests that are closest to urban centers such as those near Los Angeles or Atlanta.
Urban national forests face unique challenges because of their popularity as recreation sites. Unmanaged recreation is one of the "four threats" to forests identified by Chief Dale Bosworth as a national problem. In addition, many urban national forests are working hard to develop programs that serve and educate ethnically and socially diverse audiences. Urban national forests are also overrun with invasive species, another major threat to forest health. NFF has previously funded conservation organizations that engage volunteers to remove invasive species from urban national forests and from adjacent lands.
For more information, visit the National Forest Foundation.
