Alaska Community Forestry Program
2024 Grant Opportunities
IRA Grants Round II

1. Introduction

The USDA Forest Service (USFS) and the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Fire Protection, Community Forestry Program (CFP), have Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grant monies available to local governments, state agencies, tribal organizations, non-profits, public universities, and other non-federal entities for projects in disadvantaged or distressed Alaska communities.

No match funding is required. A total of $445,000 is available in the following categories:

• Green Infrastructure Projects
• Streambank Stability/Restoration Projects
• Invasive Tree Control Projects
• Phytoremediation Projects
• Community Forestry Management Plans, Tree Inventories, Tree Canopy Assessments

2. Requirements

2.1 Disadvantaged Community Requirement

Under USFS or state guidelines, projects funded through this opportunity must take place in communities that qualify as "disadvantaged" or "distressed" according to the U.S. Government Council of Environmental Quality Climate & Economic Justice (CEJST) Screening Tool, the Denali Commission 2020 Distressed Communities Report, or the EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities map.

• Explore the map - Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool (geoplatform.gov)
• Denali Commission 2020 Distressed Communities Report

If your community is not listed as disadvantaged or distressed on the above websites, please check the AK Disadvantaged Communities website. This site combines the CEJST and Denali Commission sites with the more expansive Environmental Protection Agency Disadvantaged Communities map, and can also be used to identify eligible communities

• AK Disadvantaged Communities (arcgis.com)

Virtually all Alaska communities off the road system are classified as disadvantaged. All federally recognized Tribes, including Alaska Native villages, are designated as disadvantaged although they may not be within census tracts that are designated as such.

If you are unsure if a project in your community falls within a disadvantaged or distressed area, please contact our office.

2.2 Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible groups include all non-federal organizations, state agencies, local governments, cooperative weed management areas, soil and water conservation districts, registered non-profits, local communities, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, Alaska Native organizations, federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations and villages, and Tribal organizations as defined in 25 USC 5304 (l).
• Eligible applicants may apply for funding for projects conducted on non-federal public lands, including state lands, university lands, borough lands, local government and municipal lands, Tribal/Alaska Native Corporation lands, and land held in trust for Native American Tribes and individuals (includes Trust lands).
• Projects or activities on private property are permitted upon meeting specific requirements. If you are considering a project on private property, please contact CFP for details.
• Awardees will be responsible for submitting a mid-project report and final report.
• Awardees will be required to provide a Universal Entity Identifier (UEI) system number. Instructions on how to find your organization's UEI, or register for a new UEI can be found at sam.gov/content/duns-uei

3. Grant Application Materials

3.1 Instructions

• Green Infrastructure
• Streambank Restoration/Stability
• Invasive Tree Control
• Phytoremediation
• Community Forestry Management Plans, Tree Inventories, Canopy Assessments

3.2 Application

Applications must be received by September 27, 2024.

• IRA Grant Application Round II – All Programs (Word)
• IRA Grant Application Round II – All Programs (PDF)

3.3 Budget Forms

• Budget Form A

3.4 Request for Interest Template

Formal Requests for interest must be received by September 15, 2024.

• RFI Template Community Forest Management Plans, Tree Inventories, Canopy Assessments (Word)
• RFI Template Community Forest Management Plans, Tree Inventories, Canopy Assessments (PDF)

4. Contact