The objective of this task statement is to solicit proposals to lead and execute a particular regional fire science exchange for a period of two years. The JFSP funds and provides oversight to a national collaborative of 15 regional wildland fire science exchanges: the Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN). The FSEN provides the most relevant, current wildland fire science information to federal, state, local, tribal, and private stakeholders within ecologically similar regions. The FSEN brings fire, fuel, natural resource, and land managers, practitioners, and scientists together to address regional wildland fire management needs and challenges. Please see the JFSP website (https://www.firescience.gov) for additional information about the FSEN.

This solicitation is seeking individual proposals (i.e., each proposal must be specific to one region) for the following six regions of the FSEN: California, Great Plains, Lake States, Southern, Southern Rockies and Tallgrass Prairie (see map below). Proposers should submit two year budgets for this announcement.  

Note: The JFSP Board has set capped funding levels for proposals responding to this NOFO based on various criteria. Proposals responding for each region are capped at the following levels for each year including indirect costs: California ($322K), Great Plains ($262K), Lake States ($192K), Southern ($322K), Southern Rockies ($192K) and Tallgrass Prairie ($192K). 

The funding cap stated above includes $2,000 (for each year) that must be used to support national and multi-regional conferences and workshops. These funds are intended to facilitate exchange in support of large in-person or virtual (national or regional) conferences, workshops, and symposia. Examples include sponsorships and paying for booths. Funds cannot be used to support travel to workshops. Exchange proposals planning to utilize these optional funds should identify the use of these funds in the budget spreadsheet and budget narrative as conference support and must include an activity in the program of work titled: Science exchange - national event support. If an exchange chooses to not support these workshops, the cap will be the amount above minus $2,000 per year. 

Proposals submitted in response to the current announcement must include information regarding (1) responsiveness to the task statement; (2) geographic region; (3) program effectiveness and proposed program of work; (4) end-user communities; (5) logic model (guidance for development of logic models is available here); (6) governance structure; (7) partnerships; and (8) budget. Proposed activities should be summarized in an activity/output table. See the proposal template and format associated with this announcement on the JFSP website for more information.

All proposals must be submitted by September 18, 2025, 5:00 p.m. MT, using the electronic submission process provided by the JFSP website (https://www.firescience.gov). Proposals cannot be submitted through Grants.gov. No exceptions are allowed to this closing date or time.

Government

• City or township governments
• Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
• County governments
• Public and Indian housing authorities

Education

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

Nonprofit

• Other Native American tribal organizations
• Nonprofits non-higher education with 501(c)(3)