Call for Proposals: National Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program
A request for proposals for the National Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Grant Program is now open. The National LSR Program is accepting project proposals for consideration for the Federal Fiscal Year 2022.
Who Can Apply: State and territorial forestry agencies or an equivalent state agency, units of local government, Tribes, non-profit organizations (defined as a 501c3), and universities are eligible to submit applications. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply under this competition.
Submission Instructions: Only electronic project proposals will be accepted and considered. All project proposals must be sent electronically directly to the Nebraska Forest Service email, trees@unl.edu. Electronic project proposals must be sent as both a Microsoft Word document (i.e .doc or .docx) and Adobe Portable Document Format (i.e. .PDF).
Each organization must also include a statement of qualifications identifying experience implementing similar types of grants, a statement of financial stability, and a statement of performance of past grants.
Submission Deadline: Project Proposals must be submitted electronically to trees@unl.edu no later than 5:00 P.M. CDT, September 20th, 2021 to be accepted and receive consideration. Any project proposals received after 5:00 P.M. CDT on September 20th, 2021 will not be accepted or considered.
Download RFP Download Worksheet
Important Changes for FY 2022
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Based on mandates in the 2018 Farm Bill and procedural changes from the USDA, the Nebraska Forest Service will now review, score, and select up to five proposals from all eligible applications to enter into the regional competition for consideration for funding.
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Projects focus on nonindustrial private forest land or state forest land that is also rural. State and territorial forestry agencies or an equivalent state agency, units of local government, non-profit organizations (defined as a 501c3), universities, and Tribes are eligible to submit applications.
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Rural means any area other than an urbanized area such as a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants according to the latest census (2010)
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For-profit entities are not eligible to apply under this competition.
About the Program
LSR provides USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry (S&PF) competitive grants focused on promoting collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes and on furthering priorities identified in State Forest Action Plans. Proposals are now being accepted for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 grant cycle. All proposals must use the published 2020 Nebraska Forest Action Plan for reference.
Projects must focus on landscape-level outcomes, including a combination of land ownership, and prioritize funding towards one or more of the following objectives:
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Reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires;
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Improve fish and wildlife habitats, including those of threatened and endangered species;
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Maintain and improve water quality and watershed function;
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Mitigate invasive species, insect infestation, and disease;
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Improve important forest ecosystems;
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Measure ecological and economic benefits, including air quality, soil quality, and productivity.
Application Detail
State forestry agencies may submit up to five applications per state. Units of local government, Tribes, non-profit organizations (defined as 501c3), and universities are eligible to submit applications and may do so by contacting their state forestry agency. Please note, per program changes by the USDA, the state forestry agency must now review and determine which applications will be submitted. Tribes may alternatively choose to submit applications (up to two applications per state above and beyond the maximum of five allowed through the state forestry agency) through the USDA Forest Service Region where the proposed project is located by contacting the relevant USDA Forest Service tribal relations or LSR staff person for that region.
Project proposals may be submitted for any amount up to $300,000 each and each proposal is required to demonstrate a 1:1 match using only non-federal funds, unless a match waiver is acquired from the USDA Forest Service in advance of submitting the proposed project for consideration. Each state (including all applicant entities therein) is limited to no more than 15% of the total funds available for the West (likely to be at or near $600,000 as a maximum award to any one state).
Proposals must be based on a State Forest Action Plan or an equivalent restoration strategy.