Grants & incentives

​​​The goal of the Bark Beetle Mitigation Fund is to assist family forestland owners in prevention and help restore areas affected by bark beetles.

Qualifications & specifications

• Projects may include the thinning of stands to reduce susceptibility to beetle attacks
  
• Projects should be focused on prevention and increasing resiliency
  
• Areas adjacent to current bark beetle outbreaks or those deemed to be under imminent threat will receive the highest priority in selection
  
• 50% cost-share (cost reimbursement) will be provided to all landowners with qualified projects
  
• Project specifications and technical assistance are provided by a local ODF stewardship forester​
  

Limitations

• Funds are subject to local availability in areas of Eastern and Central Oregon
  
• Costs of pruning as well as profitable salvage operations are not eligible
  

How to apply? 

Application

The Bark Beetle Mitigation program is made possible with funding and other program support provided by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific NW Region, State & Private Cooperative Forestry.​​

​​The goal of the Community Forest Program is to establish community forests; this is achieved by acquiring land which protects it from conversion to non-forest uses. The Community Forest Program is a federal program that assists landowners in establishing community forests, and sustainably managing them for public benefit including recreation, income, wildlife habitat, stewardship demonstrations sites, and environmental education.

Qualifications & specifications

• Community Forests can be owned by local governments, Tribal governments and qualified nonprofit entities
  
• The program pays up to 50 percent of the project costs and requires a 50% non-federal match. The match can include cash, in-kind services or donations from a non-Federal source. Additional requirements and information are found in §230.6 of the Community Forest Open Space Conservation Program final rule​ 
  
• Public access is required for Community Forests
  
• The community must be involved in the establishment of the community forest and long-term management decisions
  
• Lands eligible for grants funded under the program must be private forest at least five acres in size and at least 75 percent forested, or suitable for sustaining forest cover
  
• Individual grant applications may not exceed $400,000
  
• Full fee title acquisition is required; conservation easements are not eligible
  

How to apply?

• Application instructio​ns​​

Additional criteria

Oregon Community Forests should have a strong landowner/public forestry/outdoor education component that expands and develops additional capacity to forestry education efforts within Oregon. Oregon prefers projects that exhibit the following:

• The Community Forest Plan’s long-term management for forestry purposes is set forth through a written and approved Forest Stewardship/Oregon Tree Farm System forest management plan
  
• The applicant is a family forestry-related nonprofit organization with local forestland owner and community engagement in their governance, and has demonstrated financial and organizational capacity to actively manage forestland
  
• The proposed property is certified, or will become certified, by the American Tree Farm System, Forest Stewardship Council, and/or Sustainable Forestry Initiative
  
• The eligible property currently demonstrates effective forest stewardship and sustainable forestry as opposed to being in a degraded condition needing forest restoration and rehabilitation
  
• The project supports implementation of the Oregon Conservation Strategy
  
• The project is located within an urban-rural interface area and is threatened with conversion to a non-forestry use
  

Non-industrial private landowners who are the subject of the Community Forest Program application are free to pursue additional funding for the development of a Forest Stewardship Plan. The following conditions apply:

• The private forestland owner wants to willingly participate in the Community Forest Program and commits to the Forest Stewardship Plan/Oregon Tree Farm plan (or a modification thereof that might remove public access and other provisions sought by the Community should the project not get Community Forest Program funding)
  
• There is clear understanding between the Community and private landowner regarding who bears the cost-share non-federal match for the completed plan depending on the outcome of any award for the Community Forest Program
  
• Only NEW plans are eligible for cost-share assistance; financial assistance is not available to update a current Forest Stewardship/Oregon Tree Farm Plans
  
• Additional information and application instructions for the Forest Stewardship Program
  

The Community Forestry Program is made possible with funding and other program support provided by the US Forest Service, Pacific NW Region, State & Private Cooperative Forestry.​

​​​​​​​​​​​​What is it?

Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to provide $1B over a 5 year period ($200M per year) to communities at risk of wildfire to 1) develop/revise their Com​munity Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP)​ and/or 2) implement mitigation activities identified within their CWPPs.​​

Who is eligible to apply?

Communities at risk of wildfire, including local governments, non-profit organizations, HOAs, Tribes and state f​orestry agencies.

How to apply?

The 2024 application period (Round 3) is now open for applications.​ Application deadline is Feb. 28, 2025, at 8:59 PM PST.​ We will post updates to this page when available. Applicants will need to submit an online grant proposal through forestrygrants.org. Contact Shauna Morris at shauna.morris@odf.oregon.gov to request a unique application link for each grant proposal. Check the USDA Forest Service - CWDG page for guidance as well as informational webinar dates.

Helpful tools for the application process:

• CWDG program fact sheet
  
• CWDG Notice of Funding Opportunity
  
• CWDG pre-award guide​
  
• CWDG FAQs​
  
• CWPP (Community Wildfire Protection Plans)
  

Qualifications & specifications

• Focus is placed on establishing riparian vegetation on agricultural land along streams
  
• Cost-sharing, land rental payments, and other incentives are available
  

How to apply?

• ​Information and applications are available from the Farm Service Agency
  
• Information is also available from the Natural Resource Conservation Service​

​The goal of the Conservation Stewardship Program is to help landowners and operators maintain existing stewardship and adopt additional conservation on privately owned, non-industrial working forests and agricultural lands.

​The goal of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program is to encourage landowners to implement management practices that conserve soil, water, and related natural resources on working lands.

Qualifications & specifications

• Practice payments offset the costs associated with the installation, cost of materials and/or income lost with adoption of conservation measures
  
• Payments to a person or entity are limited to $300,000 during any 6-year period
  
• Operators of non-industrial, private forest land must have an interest in the land and have control of it for the life of the contract
  
• Contracts can be up to 10 years in duration
  

How to apply?

Additional information and applications are available from your local Natural Resource Conservation Service​​ office. ​​

The national Firewise USA® recognition program provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors in a geographic area get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level. Any community that meets a set of voluntary criteria on an annual basis and retains an “In Good Standing Status" may identify itself as being a Firewise® Site.​

The Firewise USA® program is administered by NFPA® and is co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. While the NFPA® administers this program, individuals and communities participate on a voluntary basis. The NFPA® disclaims liability for any personal injury, property, or other damages of any nature whatsoever, whether special, indirect, consequential or compensatory, directly or indirectly resulting from participation in the Firewise USA® program. The NFPA® also makes no guaranty or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of program guidance.

How to apply?​

​​​Information and applications are available on the Firewise USA® website​.​​​​​​

​​​​​​The Forest Legacy Program is a national program that addresses privately-owned forestlands that face threats of conversion to non-forest use by development pressures. The goal of the Forest Legacy Program is to promote stewardship and sustainable management of private forest lands by maintain working forests that conserve important forest resource and conservation values.

Forest Legacy provides funds for eligible private forestlands for the purchase of development rights through either conservation easement or fee-title acquisition into public ownership.  

All properties entered into Oregon’s Forest Legacy Program – either through conservation easement, fee acquisition or donation – have their forest resources and conservation values protected and managed in accordance with a State Forester approved Forest Stewardship Plan.  

The program operates in designated forest legacy areas​ where important forests may be lost to non-forest uses. The Forest Legacy Program seeks projects that strengthen local communities through state, local and private partnerships in conservation. Landowner participation in the Forest Legacy Program is voluntary. ​

• Oregon’s Forest Legacy Program Application Instructions​​
• Project brief map recommendati​ons

Christina Helige​, 503-302-7544
Lori Bell​, 503-805-7207

The Forest Legacy Program is made possible with funding and other program support provided by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific NW Region, State & Private Cooperative Forestry.​

​​​The goal of the Forest Stewardship Program is to assist landowners in developing Stewardship and Tree Farm Plans.

Qualifications & specifications

• Up to 75 percent cost-share reimbursement for Stewardship Plans written by a professional natural resource consultant
  
• Cost-share does NOT cover a timber cruise or appraisal
  
• Cost-share must be pre-approved by ODF prior to creation of a Plan
  
• Plans must be developed according to the Oregon Forest Management Plan/Tools and Guidance
  
• Plans must be reviewed and approved by the local ODF stewardship forester
  
• Minimum Plan size is 10 acres
  
• Plans apply to rural land suitable for growing trees and existing rural forestland
  
• Plans are considered to have a ten-year life span unless updated before ten years has elapsed. Family forestland owners may apply for cost share for one new plan per forested property.
  
• Plan updates are appropriate for landowners with a five year old, or older, multi-resource plan that has not been revised. Family forestland owners may apply for cost share for one plan per forested property.
  

How to apply?​

• Check listings for a consultant forester
  
• Association of Consulting Foresters​​
  
• OSUs Forest Products Directory​​
• Cost-share application​ 
  
• Oregon Forest Management Plan Template and Guide
  
• US Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program​
  
• Signature Page
  

​​​These subaward programs aim to promote community and urban forest investment and tree equity for overburdened and underserved communities. 

How to apply?

​Information and applications are available on the Urban and Community Forestry Subaward Programs website​​.​

​Contact​

UC​F Subaward Program​

The Landscape Resiliency Program was established through Senate Bill 762, Section 18 (2021) to improve forest restoration and resiliency. This grant program will fund landscape-scale projects that reduce wildfire risk on public and private forestlands and rangelands, and in communities near homes and critical infrastructure through restoration of landscape resiliency and reduction of hazardous fuels.​

How to apply?

Information and applications are available on the Landscape Resiliency Program website​.​​​

​​​​​Background​​​

In 2021, Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 5006 Section 183 and approved funding to Oregon Department of Forestry for distribution as grants to expand tree seedling nursery capacity and supply. These grants will go to tree seedling nurseries for improvements to their facilities with the intension of increasing seedling production capacity across the state to increase ability to respond to future post-fire reforestation needs. The added capacity is not a guarantee that awarded nurseries will grow seedlings specifically for reforestation purposes, but an investment within the overall infrastructure to add capacity across the state for those years when seedlings demand exceeds capacity.

Program structure and eligibility

• Experience growing high quality commercial conifer species for reforestation purposes, including Douglas fir, Grand fir, Western red cedar, and/or Ponderosa pine
• Able to increase seedling capacity using funds
• Utilize funds for projects in the state of Oregon
• Demonstrated interest in assisting with reforestation needs in response to future natural and human-caused disasters

How to apply?

This grant solicitation ha​s closed​.

​​​​​​The Oregon State Weed Board guides state noxious weed control priorities and awards grants to landowners, public agencies, and others to control noxious weeds.

Qualifications & specifications

• Grants are considered and awarded in two grant cycles annually, with applications usually due in January and July

How to apply?

Refer to the Oregon State Weed Board Gran​t Program for specific details, including current application forms and deadlines.​

​Additional refere​​​nces

• Field Guide to Weeds of Oregon
  

​​​The Small Forestland Grant Program is offering two funding opportunities: the Small Forestland Grant, and Firewise USA community support. Both opportunities will require grant dollars to be spent reducing the risk of high severity wildfire through the reduction of hazardous fuel on small forestland owner properties. Both opportunities will prioritize high risk watersheds, but lower risk watersheds are not excluded from applying. See Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer's Overall Watershed Risk Layer. 

How to apply?​​

Information and applications are available on the Small Forestland Grant Program website​.​

Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program​ (SFISH) is a grant program to help SFOs implement projects that improve fish habitat and mitigate risks to natural resources arising from active or abandoned forest roads. The program provides up to 100 percent of the cost for projects and provides technical assistance to landowners.

How to apply?​

Information and applications are available on the Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program website​.​

​​​These federally funded grants help fire agencies meet their firefighting and emergency response needs. Links provide guidance on VFC grants along with instructions and forms to apply.

The 2024 Federal Volunteer Fire Capacity award results are now announced in the document "2024 VFC funding announcement" below. If you applied for slip on units, please refer to the "2024 VFA funding - Bipartisan Infrastructure - slip on units announcement" to view award results.

• Application period: March 18, 2024 - May 3, 2024
• Fire departments receive Notice of Award: June 30, 2024
  
• Purchasing period: Oct. 1, 2024 - Sept. 30, 2025
  
• Reimbursement request deadline: Oct. 15, 2025
  
• In-kind Match: July 1, 2024 - Sept. 30, 2025
  

• ​ ​2024 VFC funding announcement
• 2024 VFA funding - Bipartisan Infrastructure - slip on units announcement
• 2024 VFC grant manual
• NWCG fire shelter safety warning and regulations​
• ​Communities at Risk Report​

Questions? Email the VFC Coordinator.​​

​​The goal of the Wetlands Reserve Program is to restore, protect, and enhance wetland functions and values on private property.

Qualifications & specifications

• Participants have three enrollment options:
  
• A permanent easement for 100 percent of the easement value and up to 100 percent of restoration costs
• A 30-year easement for up to 75 percent of the easement value and up to 75 percent of restoration costs
• ​A restoration cost-share agreement of generally 10 years for up to 75 percent of restoration costs ($50,000 annual payment limitation)
• The applicant must have had ownership of the land for at least seven years prior to enrollment and agree to limit certain land uses for the length of the easement
  
• The project must meet WRP objectives, maximize wildlife benefits, and show a high likelihood of successful restoration of wetland functions and values
  

How to apply?

Information and applications are available from the Farm Service Agency or the Natural Resource Conservation Service​​​.​