Urban and Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Funding: What you need to know
As your primary information source for urban and community forestry opportunities in North Carolina, the N.C. Forest Service (NCFS) Urban and Community Forestry Program would like to inform you that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program has announced the much-anticipated Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding that is now available to community-based organizations, tribes, municipal and state governments, nonprofit partners, universities and other eligible entities who are working to increase tree canopy cover in urban spaces. The funding is part of a historic $1.5 billion investment that will also support state and territory agencies through competitive subgrant programs and will ensure that funding flows as quickly and efficiently as possible to projects that support equitable access to trees and the benefits they provide. This investment will enable the USDA Forest Service to support projects that improve public health, increase access to nature and deliver real economic and ecological benefits to cities, towns and tribal communities across the entire country.
Can you apply for IRA funding through the USDA Forest Service today?
Yes, eligible entities can, using the Notice of Funding Opportunity. The open application period extends from April 12, 2023 to June 1, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
For information on how to apply for federal Urban and Community Forestry grants, visit the Forest Service website, or www.grants.gov using the opportunity number USDA-FS-2023-UCF-IRA-01.
When applying for IRA funding through the USDA Forest Service, keep in mind that the minimum request for funding is $100,000
Can you apply for IRA funding through the N.C. Forest Service today?
Not quite yet. Our NCFS Urban and Community Forestry Program is working to finalize state-level funding details and the application process for subgrants. As that information takes shape and becomes available, we will continue to share it with you. Interested and eligible stakeholders will have the opportunity to apply for IRA funding through our NCFS U&CF program at that time. Please note that minimum requests for funding will be less than $100,000, offering funds for smaller projects and communities, when applying for IRA funding through the N.C. Forest Service.
For questions regarding the federal application process through the USDA Forest Service, contact the following shared inbox: SM.FS.UCF_IRA@usda.gov. Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NOFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.
The USDA Forest Service is also holding a series of webinars to assist potential applicants in applying for grant funding. Two application assistance webinars will take place in late April. These information-sharing webinars will be advertised and posted on the USDA Forest Service website.
Eligible entities who are unable to meet the federal deadline, or whose application does not receive funding at the federal level, will still have an opportunity to apply for funding at the state level, through our NCFS U&CF Program when we are ready to begin receiving applications.