ENERGY – Community Wood Grant Program

ENERGY – Community Wood Grant Program

  Funds shovel-ready projects to install a community wood energy system or to build or expand an innovative wood product facility. Eligible costs include: architecture and engineering design, inspections, legal work, and permitting costs, and engineering, design, transportation, and installation of equipment. These costs are considered capital costs when associated with a construction project. Grant funds cannot be used for property purchase, site work, or construction.

Details

• Funding Entity:   US Forest Service
• Funding Type:   Grant
• Funding Range:   Up to $1 million to pay for no more than 35% of total capital costs. If pre-approved under certain special conditions, awards of up to $1.5 million or for up to 50% of the total capital costs can be made. Special conditions include, but are not limited to, a project located in an area of high unemployment, adds critical forest products manufacturing infrastructure, advances forest management priorities, etc. Applicants seeking special consideration must obtain prior approval from a Forest Service Regional Coordinator before submitting a proposal.
• Match Required:   No required; however, leverage is required in an amount to complete the project based on the actual award

Notes

  USDA Forest Service Regional Wood Innovations Coordinators are available for any questions. Their contact information is provided at the following weblink: USDA Forest Service Regional Wood Innovations Coordinator Contacts. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with their designated Coordinator to determine whether a project will be competitive, and to help develop proposals that conform to requirements and respond to grant program goals and objectives. Applicants may have already completed extensive studies, feasibility assessments, life-cycle analyses, or other tasks associated directly with the project such that these costs can be included in the Budget table if they were incurred on or after October 1, 2025. Inclusion of pre-work costs directly related to the project will increase the total capital costs of the project, which thereby increases the amount of Forest Service funding allowed for the project. Read Section IV. Other Information closely before pursuing this grant.