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, State, Private, and Tribal Forestry grant of Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act dollars. of 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.

Availability of future funding is to be determined.