Longleaf Enhancement Fund for Seed & Seedling Production

Purpose: Increase the quantity or quality of longleaf pine seed or seedlings to help accelerate the restoration of the longleaf ecosystem.

Geographic Scope: Southeastern United States (focus on established longleaf pine nurseries and seed producers)

Focus Areas:

• Seed and seedling production capacity expansion
• Equipment upgrades and improvements
• Production efficiency enhancements
• Building resilience against crop losses from pests, outmoded equipment, or extreme weather

Eligibility:

• Established longleaf pine nurseries
• Seed producers
• Seed orchards
• Processors
• Other existing producers seeking to address bottlenecks and limitations to expansion

Funding Goals:

• Address limitations in current production (capacity, equipment, production efficiency)
• Support range-wide acreage restoration goals of America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative
• Meet growing demand from landowners as longleaf incentive funding increases
• Build resilience in the system to mitigate crop loss due to extreme weather

Background:
Seed is in critically short supply. The Longleaf Enhancement Fund, administered by TLA, assists existing producers in addressing their bottlenecks and limitations to expansion of capacity or better realization of their potential capacity. An impartial Proposal Evaluation Team evaluates and ranks completed proposals and helps ensure confidentiality is maintained.

Application Process

Submission Method: Online submission required

Required Materials:

1. Project goals and details, including the intended enhancement
2. Project costs, funding request, and match contributions
3. Detailed budget spreadsheet (template provided)
4. Anticipated timeline
5. Current seed/seedling production with expected additive impacts

Application Format:

• Submit nomination materials through online form
• Detailed budget spreadsheet required (example provided)

Timeline:
Proposals Due: June 30, 2025

Review Process:
An impartial Proposal Evaluation Team will evaluate and rank the completed proposals and help ensure confidentiality is maintained.