USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support

This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is the first in an anticipated series of Landowner Support for Forest Resilience NOFOs. Landowner Support for Forest Resilience is currently funded by four Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions (Public Law No: 117-169. Subtitle D, Sec. 23002(a) (1 ), (2), (3), and (4)), which encompass cost share and payment incentives for forestry practices and support participation of underserved landowners and small-acreage landowners (owning less than 2,500 acres) in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. Landowner Support for Forest Resilience falls under the USDA Forest Service's existing Landscape Scale Restoration Program, as authorized under Section 13A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2109a). This program advances the Biden-Harris Administration's Justice40 Initiative. Established by Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, the Justice40 Initiative has made it a goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain federal investments, such as climate, clean energy, and other areas, flow to disadvantaged communities. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) solicits proposals for two IRA provisions: Subtitle D, Sec. 23002 (a)(2) and Subtitle D, Sec. 23002 (a)(3). These provisions provide the USDA Forest Service with funding to:

• Support the participation of underserved forest landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience.
• Support the participation of forest landowners who own less than 2,500 acres of forest land in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience.

Government

• County governments
• Special district governments
• State governments
• City or township governments
• Federally recognized Native American tribal governments

Education

• Independent school districts
• Public and state institutions of higher education
• Private institutions of higher education

Nonprofit

• Other Native American tribal organizations
• Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)
• Nonprofits non-higher education without 501(c)(3)

Business

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses
• Small businesses