Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
Agency: Forest Service
- 10.689 -- Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP)
Closed opportunityLast Updated: Aug 12, 2026
Important dates
- Closed: October 13, 2026
Award details
- Expected project funding: $4,950,000
- Expected awards: Not specified
Award min.
$1
Award max.
$600,000
- Funding opportunity number:USDA-FS-2026-CFP
- Cost sharing or matching requirement:Yes
- Funding instrument type:
- Grant
- Opportunity Category:Other
- Opportunity Category Explanation:To provide financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to acquire and establish community forests that provide community benefits.
- Category of Funding Activity:
- Natural resources
- Category Explanation:Not specified
History
- Posted date: August 12, 2026
- Archive date: November 12, 2026
- Version: 6
Summary
Jump to documentsThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State, Private & Tribal Forestry, is requesting applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). CFP is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to establish community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest land. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forestland from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs. Public access is required for all projects.
...Applications are not submitted electronically via Grants.gov. The full Notice of Funding Opportunity and supporting documents (including scoring guidance and FAQs) are available under the 'Related Documents' tab of this listing and can be downloaded.
To apply, interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit applications to the State Forester where the property is located. Tribal applicants must submit applications to equivalent Tribal government officials. All applications must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. All applicants must also send an e-mail to SM.FS.CFP@usda.gov to confirm that an application has been submitted.
State Foresters or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute of Tropical Forestry by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Projects must conform to laws and authorities in Section 7A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act ([16 U.S.C. 2103d] Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program) as amended.
Eligibility
Government
- City or township governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
Nonprofit
- Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)
Additional information on eligibility
Documents
| File name | Description | Last updated |
|---|---|---|
| CFP_FAQ_August_2026.docx | Frequently Asked Questions | Aug 14, 2026 03:40 PM UTC |
| scoring-guidance-FY26.docx | FY26 Scoring Guidance | Aug 14, 2026 03:45 PM UTC |
| Non-Federal_Lands_CFP_Community_Forest_Program-final_8.14.26.docx | FY26 Community Forest Program NOFO | Aug 14, 2026 07:15 PM UTC |
