Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS 2024 CWDG TRIBES
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) Tribes opportunity is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA Forest Service (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA FS 2024 CWDG TRIBES; CFDA 10.720). Its core purpose is to help at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes reduce wildfire risk through better planning and on-the-ground mitigation, especially in places where wildfire threatens people, homes, critical infrastructure, and community resources. The application instructions are contained in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and applications are submitted through the dedicated portal at cwdg.forestrygrants.org.
This program is designed to prioritize communities facing the greatest need under criteria established in the authorizing law. Priority consideration goes to at-risk communities that are located in areas identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, that are low-income, and/or that have been impacted by a severe disaster. The NOFOs provide the detailed definitions and documentation expectations for these priority categories, but the overall intent is to steer funding toward communities where wildfire exposure and social or economic vulnerability overlap, or where recent disasters have made risk reduction especially urgent.
The grant is closely aligned with the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and is meant to help communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) advance the strategy's three big goals. First, it supports efforts to restore and maintain landscapes so they are more resilient to wildfire and other stressors like insects, disease, invasive species, and climate-driven disturbances, even when the relevant land crosses jurisdictional boundaries. Second, it supports creating fire-adapted communities so residents, local institutions, and infrastructure are as prepared as possible to withstand wildfire impacts and to recover afterward. Third, it supports improving wildfire response by strengthening risk-based decision-making and coordination across jurisdictions so that response is safer, more effective, and more efficient.
Funding under this opportunity generally falls into two main project types. One is the development or revision of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which is the foundational planning document many communities use to identify local wildfire risks, set priorities, and coordinate across partners. The second is the implementation of projects that are already described in a CWPP, as long as the CWPP is less than ten years old. In practice, this means applicants can seek support either to create or update the plan itself, or to carry out the specific mitigation and preparedness actions the plan calls for.
The program is authorized by Public Law 117-58, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). For this specific funding opportunity listing, the maximum award amount (ceiling) is $10,000,000, and the Forest Service anticipates making about 100 awards. The original closing date for applications is February 28, 2025.
Eligibility is broad and includes federally recognized Tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations, along with many common local and public partners that often collaborate with Tribes and communities on wildfire resilience work. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions); and Tribal entities as noted above. The funding activity focus is listed under Disaster Prevention and Relief and Natural Resources, reflecting the program's emphasis on preventing catastrophic wildfire impacts and improving long-term landscape and community resilience.
To support applicants, the Forest Service scheduled applicant webinars for Round 3. While the application process is the same across regions and applicant types, one session is tailored toward Tribal applicants with additional Tribal-focused Q and A. The webinars are scheduled for Monday, December 2 (2:00 to 4:00 pm Eastern), Wednesday, December 4 (12:30 to 2:30 pm Eastern, Tribal focused), and Friday, December 6 (2:00 to 4:00 pm Eastern), each with its own registration link. Recordings are expected to be posted on the Forest Service CWDG website after the live sessions for those who cannot attend. The agency also plans to offer periodic applicant "office hours" during the application window, with dates and times posted on the CWDG website, to give applicants an additional way to ask questions and strengthen submissions before the deadline.Apply for USDA FS 2024 CWDG TRIBES
- The Forest Service in the disaster prevention and relief, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) Tribes" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.720.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-02-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) - Tribes (USDA Forest Service) FAQs
What is the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) 2024 (FY25) Tribes opportunity?
It is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA Forest Service to help at-risk communities and Indian Tribes reduce wildfire risk through improved planning and on-the-ground mitigation. The opportunity listing is titled "Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) Tribes" and references Funding Opportunity Number USDA FS 2024 CWDG TRIBES and CFDA 10.720.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The program is intended to help reduce wildfire risk, especially where wildfire threatens people, homes, critical infrastructure, and community resources. It supports both stronger wildfire planning and implementation of mitigation actions to reduce exposure and improve readiness.
Who runs and administers this grant program?
The program is run by the USDA Forest Service.
Where can applicants find the official application instructions?
The application instructions are contained in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for this program.
How and where do you apply?
Applications are submitted through the dedicated portal at cwdg.forestrygrants.org.
What types of communities or applicants does the program prioritize?
The program is designed to prioritize communities facing the greatest need under criteria established in the authorizing law. Priority consideration goes to at-risk communities that are in areas identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, that are low-income, and/or that have been impacted by a severe disaster. The NOFOs provide the detailed definitions and documentation expectations for these priority categories.
Does the opportunity focus on wildfire planning, on-the-ground projects, or both?
Both. Funding generally falls into two main project types: (1) development or revision of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and (2) implementation of projects already described in a CWPP, as long as the CWPP is less than ten years old.
What is a CWPP in the context of this grant?
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is described as a foundational planning document communities use to identify local wildfire risks, set priorities, and coordinate across partners.
Can a community apply for implementation funding without a CWPP?
This opportunity describes implementation funding as supporting projects that are already described in a CWPP, as long as the CWPP is less than ten years old. Based on the provided information, implementation awards are tied to actions identified in a qualifying CWPP.
How old can a CWPP be for implementation projects to qualify?
The CWPP must be less than ten years old for the implementation projects described in it to be supported under this opportunity.
What broader national strategy does this grant align with?
The program is closely aligned with the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.
What are the major goals the grant supports under the National Cohesive Strategy?
The opportunity highlights three major goals: (1) restoring and maintaining landscapes to be more resilient to wildfire and other stressors (including insects, disease, invasive species, and climate-driven disturbances), even when land crosses jurisdictional boundaries; (2) creating fire-adapted communities so residents, local institutions, and infrastructure are prepared to withstand wildfire impacts and recover afterward; and (3) improving wildfire response by strengthening risk-based decision-making and cross-jurisdiction coordination so response is safer, more effective, and more efficient.
Is the grant focused on work in the wildland-urban interface (WUI)?
Yes. The opportunity states that it is meant to help communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) advance the Cohesive Strategy goals.
What is the authorizing law for this grant program?
The program is authorized by Public Law 117-58, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
What is the maximum award amount under this specific funding opportunity listing?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) listed for this opportunity is $10,000,000.
How many awards does the Forest Service expect to make?
The Forest Service anticipates making about 100 awards.
What is the application deadline?
The original closing date for applications is February 28, 2025.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes federally recognized Tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations. It also includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions); and other eligible partners listed in the opportunity description.
Are nonprofits eligible, and do they need to be 501(c)(3) organizations?
Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible (excluding higher education institutions).
What is the CFDA number and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity references CFDA 10.720 and Funding Opportunity Number USDA FS 2024 CWDG TRIBES.
What is the program's activity focus area?
The funding activity focus is listed under Disaster Prevention and Relief and Natural Resources.
Are there applicant webinars for this funding round?
Yes. The Forest Service scheduled applicant webinars for Round 3, and while the application process is the same across regions and applicant types, one session is tailored toward Tribal applicants with additional Tribal-focused Q and A.
When are the scheduled webinars?
The webinars are scheduled for Monday, December 2 (2:00 to 4:00 pm Eastern), Wednesday, December 4 (12:30 to 2:30 pm Eastern, Tribal focused), and Friday, December 6 (2:00 to 4:00 pm Eastern).
Will webinar recordings be available?
Yes. Recordings are expected to be posted on the Forest Service CWDG website after the live sessions for those who cannot attend.
Will there be other ways to ask questions during the application window?
Yes. The agency plans to offer periodic applicant "office hours" during the application window, with dates and times posted on the CWDG website, so applicants can ask questions and strengthen submissions before the deadline.
Is there a session specifically focused on Tribal applicants?
Yes. The Wednesday, December 4 webinar (12:30 to 2:30 pm Eastern) is described as Tribal focused with additional Tribal-focused Q and A.
Does the application process change by region or applicant type?
The opportunity states that the application process is the same across regions and applicant types, even though one webinar session is tailored to Tribal applicants for Q and A.
Where should applicants look for details on definitions and documentation for priority categories?
The NOFOs provide the detailed definitions and documentation expectations for priority categories such as high or very high wildfire hazard potential areas, low-income status, and severe disaster impacts.
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| Funding Opportunity |
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| Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) West Apply for USDA FS 2024 CWDG CWSF Funding Number: USDA FS 2024 CWDG CWSF Agency: Forest Service Category: Disaster Prevention and Relief, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2024 (FY25) Northeast-Midwest Apply for USDA FS 2024 CWDG NEMW Funding Number: USDA FS 2024 CWDG NEMW Agency: Forest Service Category: Disaster Prevention and Relief, Natural Resources Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
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