Repurposing Closed Wood Products Facilities for Bioenergy Development Grant Program

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, a national nonprofit public charity focused on sustaining working forests and strengthening forest-reliant communities, has issued a Request for Proposals to evaluate the feasibility of repurposing closed wood products manufacturing facilities for bioenergy development. This initiative is rooted in the growing need to address economic decline in rural regions following the closure of numerous pulp and paper mills and similar facilities, which have historically supported local economies and forest product markets. By leveraging existing industrial infrastructure, workforce capacity, and grid connections, the Endowment seeks to explore whether these sites can be transformed into viable renewable energy assets. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to generate high-quality technical, economic, and community feasibility data to inform future investment decisions. The Endowment aims to determine whether repurposing idle facilities into biopower generation or biofuel production sites can serve as a scalable and replicable model for renewable energy production and rural economic revitalization. Selected projects will conduct detailed pre-development assessments equivalent to a Front-End Loading Level 2 analysis, which is a recognized industry standard for early-stage project feasibility. Funding will support a wide range of analytical activities, including site-level due diligence, engineering and technical feasibility studies, economic and financial modeling, infrastructure assessments, risk identification and mitigation strategies, and evaluation of community and workforce impacts. The program allows funding to be structured either as a grant or as a Program-Related Investment, which may be repayable if the project advances to construction financing or forgiven if it does not proceed. Up to 500000 dollars is available in total, with the expectation of funding either one project at the full amount or two projects at approximately half that level. Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based private companies and other organizations with demonstrated expertise in energy project development, wood products manufacturing, data center development, or comparable infrastructure sectors. Applicants must demonstrate control of or authorized access to the site being evaluated and provide evidence that the proposed project has a realistic pathway to implementation. Strong preference is given to applicants with proven technical capability, established partnerships, and alignment with local economic development priorities. The application process requires submission through the Endowment’s online grants portal. Proposals must include a project description, documentation of site control, a detailed methodology outlining the proposed feasibility analysis, identification of key partners and consultants, and supporting documentation such as engineering studies, financial analyses, and community engagement materials. Applicants may also provide access to a secure data repository containing relevant site and project information. Proposals will be evaluated based on several criteria, including site control and access, team qualifications and experience, financial readiness and likelihood of project advancement, and alignment with community and regional development goals. The Endowment may request additional information, conduct interviews, or perform due diligence as part of the review process. Awardees will be required to share project data and participate in periodic reviews, while the Endowment retains the right to publish aggregated findings. The timeline for this opportunity includes an RFP release on June 15, 2026, a deadline for submitting questions on July 17, 2026, responses to questions posted on July 24, 2026, and a final proposal deadline of August 6, 2026. Selected projects are expected to begin contracting and initiation in September 2026. This opportunity does not require matching funds and is not explicitly recurring, indicating a one-time funding cycle focused on assessing the feasibility of bioenergy redevelopment at former industrial sites.

Emphasize clear site control documentation, demonstrate strong technical and financial feasibility, align proposal with community economic goals, and provide robust supporting data and partnerships