Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service administers the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, a competitive Federal grant program authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill through an amendment to the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978. The Forest Service manages National Forest System lands and also provides technical and financial assistance for state, private, and tribal lands. The Community Forest Program supports the permanent conservation of private forestland by helping eligible entities acquire land in fee simple and establish or expand community forests. The program has conserved more than 40,000 acres of private forestland and contributed to the creation of more than 100 community forests. The current funding opportunity is USDA-FS-2026-CFP under Assistance Listing 10.689, with estimated total program funding of up to $4,950,000 and an estimated 6 to 10 awards. The program is intended to protect private forestland threatened by conversion to non-forest uses while providing lasting benefits to local communities. Supported community benefits include economic benefits from sustainable forest management, timber and non-timber forest products, recreation and tourism; environmental benefits such as clean air and water, flood mitigation, wildlife habitat, and cultural resources; forest-based educational opportunities; models of effective forest stewardship; and recreational opportunities such as hiking, hunting, and fishing. Public access is required. Eligible land must be private forestland, at least 75 percent forested, at least five acres in size, threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, offered for sale by a willing seller, and neither held in trust by the United States on behalf of an Indian Tribe nor Tribal allotment land. Up to $600,000 may be requested for eligible land acquisition and transactional costs. Allowable costs include the property purchase price, appraisals and appraisal reviews, land surveys, legal and closing costs, development of the Community Forest Plan, and title examination. Indirect costs, long-term land operations and management, construction of buildings or recreational facilities, research, existing liens or taxes, and application preparation costs other than specifically allowable project costs are not eligible. Cost sharing is mandatory. Applicants must demonstrate a 1:1 match of Federal funds to non-Federal funds toward total project cost, using eligible cash, in-kind services, or donations from non-Federal sources. Match contributions must be verifiable and comply with 2 CFR 200.306. Cost share is not required for requested technical assistance funds. Eligible applicants are federally recognized Indian or Native American or Alaska Native Tribal governments, local government entities such as county governments and municipalities or township governments, and qualified nonprofit conservation organizations that are able to acquire and manage land and meet the applicable Internal Revenue Code requirements identified in the notice. Individuals are not eligible. There is no stated limit on the number of applications an eligible applicant may submit. A project cannot simultaneously be submitted for funding consideration under both the Community Forest Program and Forest Legacy Program. Applicants must maintain active SAM.gov registration and provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier. Failure to meet applicant, land, public access, cost-share, allowable-cost, registration, or application completeness requirements can disqualify an application. A full application is required, with no pre-application or letter of intent. Required materials include an application narrative of no more than eight pages, including the project budget; two project maps, each fitting on an 8.5 by 11 inch page; and written documentation verifying applicant eligibility. A Federal land manager letter of concurrence is conditionally required when the property lies within the designated boundary of a Federal land management unit. The narrative must address the proposed property and its eligibility, acreage and location, current uses, forest and vegetative cover, zoning, community benefits, public access, landscape conservation connections, conversion threats, community forest objectives, benefiting community, community engagement, long-term management resources, project budget, due diligence, cost share, negotiations with landowners, acquisition timeline, and long-term management costs and funding. Applicants requesting technical assistance must consult with the State Forester or equivalent Tribal government official before submission and confirm willingness to provide that assistance. Applications are not submitted through Grants.gov. Local governments and qualified nonprofit organizations must submit to the State Forester in the state where the property is located, while Tribal applicants submit to the equivalent Tribal government official. Email submission is preferred, although hardcopy submission is permitted. Every applicant must also email SM.FS.CFP@usda.gov to confirm submission to the appropriate State Forester or Tribal official. The applicant deadline is October 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. State Foresters and equivalent Tribal officials conduct an initial review and forward qualifying applications to the Forest Service by October 27, 2026. The Forest Service expects application processing and applicant notification to take approximately two to four months from the application deadline, with awards anticipated in early 2027. The initial grant period is two years, with reasonable extensions possible when necessary because of unforeseen circumstances in the land acquisition process. Applications advancing through eligibility and responsiveness review are evaluated by a national Forest Service review panel using a maximum score of 40 points. Up to 20 points are available for the type and extent of community benefits, up to 10 points for community engagement, up to 5 points for strategic contribution and connection to landscape conservation initiatives, and up to 5 points for the threat of conversion to non-forest use. The ranked project list is submitted to the appropriate Forest Service senior executive for approval, and a pre-award risk review considers financial stability, performance history, audit information, and capacity to implement the project. Selected applicants are notified by email and must complete the required Federal award process before beginning authorized performance. General program and application questions may be directed to SM.FS.CFP@usda.gov. The opportunity is identified as an annual grant announcement, so the program is treated as recurring; based on the October 2026 deadline, the next cycle is anticipated around October 2027 unless the Forest Service publishes a different schedule.

Demonstrate exceptional project-specific economic, environmental, educational, and recreational benefits using data, evidence, quantifiable metrics, and/or local knowledge. Show meaningful and broad community engagement in planning and long-term management. Explain strategic connections to broader landscape conservation initiatives and document the threat of conversion to non-forest use. Clearly establish required public access and all land eligibility requirements. Ensure SAM.gov registration is active, the application is complete, costs are allowable, and the required 1:1 non-Federal cost share is documented.