Community Wildfire Defense Grant

• Non-profits
• Local governments
• Tribal governments
• Conservation districts
• State Agencies
• Colleges and Universities
• Collaborative Groups

This grant program supports the goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy:

• Establishing fire adapted communities
• Restoring resilient landscapes
• Fostering safe and effective response to wildland fire

There are two distinct categories of grants available.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan Proposals must meet the following intent: fund the revision or development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP). CWPPs must collaboratively help identify community risk and resilience to wildfire, formulate a plan to reduce risk, prioritize fuel reduction efforts, and address measures to reduce structural ignitability.

Community Wildfire Defense Implementation Proposals must meet the following intent: fund the implementation of projects described in an existing CWPP. Protect communities through outcome-driven, cross-boundary, innovative projects that align with priority areas identified in the Montana Statewide Wildfire Risk Assessment. Qualifying projects should fall into one or more categories:

• Reduce hazardous fuels on non-federal land,
• Fire adapted community prevention and education.

These funds are used for projects on non-federal lands and cannot be used to compensate federal labor or expenses.

The funding source is a USDA Forest Service grant of Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act dollars.The funds are passed-through by the DNRC.

Plan Proposals: Budget requests should be $250,000 or less. Requires a 10% match, calculated as a percentage of total grant funds requested.

Implementation Proposals: Budget requests must be $10 million or less. Requires a 25% match, calculated as a percentage of total grant funds requested.

A request for proposals is available in the first quarter of the calendar year via Submittable.

Selected applicants will work with DNRC Forest Stewardship Program to further develop their proposal which will complete in a regional competitive application process in the fall.