U.S. Wildland Fire Service BLM-National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Primary Announcement

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Joint Fire Science Program Primary Announcement is administered by the Bureau of Land Management within the U.S. Department of the Interior through the National Interagency Fire Center. The program is a federally funded initiative designed to support applied research that improves the understanding, management, and outcomes of wildland fire across the United States. It operates as a cooperative agreement mechanism and is part of a broader federal effort to advance science-based decision making in fire and land management. The program aligns with national priorities related to wildfire risk reduction, ecosystem resilience, and public health impacts associated with fire. This funding opportunity focuses on two primary research areas. The first area seeks to understand the drivers of changing wildfire regimes and their consequences for wildfire risk factors. This includes advancing predictive models, datasets, and analytical tools that can forecast fire behavior and ecological impacts. Projects are expected to examine how fire regimes are evolving and to identify tipping points and feedback mechanisms that could accelerate change. Collaboration with fire and land managers is required to ensure that research outputs are practical and can inform monitoring protocols and adaptive management strategies. The second research area addresses smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire. The program aims to improve understanding of emissions from fire and their implications for air quality and public health. Research proposals must evaluate methodologies for tracking and predicting emissions, as well as examine how prescribed fire influences subsequent wildfire characteristics. Additionally, studies should connect findings to real-world outcomes, including mitigation strategies that reduce adverse health impacts. The goal is to balance ecological benefits of fire use with minimizing harm to communities. Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, with an estimated total program funding of four million dollars and individual awards ranging from three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand dollars. Approximately ten awards are expected. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers barriers for eligible nonprofit organizations. Funds are intended to support research activities including data collection, modeling, collaboration with practitioners, and development of monitoring protocols. The program does not specify indirect cost limitations in the provided summary, but applicants are expected to follow federal grant cost principles. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with a 501(c)(3) status recognized by the Internal Revenue Service, excluding institutions of higher education. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to conduct rigorous scientific research and collaborate with fire and land management professionals. Proposals must address all required research components within one of the two topic areas to be considered responsive. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches and practical applicability of results. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Joint Fire Science Program website rather than through Grants.gov. The submission deadline is September 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM Mountain Time, and no exceptions are allowed. Applicants are required to follow specific proposal requirements outlined in the JFSP database, which serves as the authoritative source for detailed instructions and criteria. While the summary does not list all required components, typical submissions include research narratives, methodologies, collaboration plans, and supporting documentation. The evaluation process is expected to prioritize scientific rigor, relevance to program objectives, and the extent to which proposals address all required research needs within the selected topic area. Collaboration with practitioners and applicability of results to real-world fire management are key considerations. The program appears to operate on a recurring basis, as it is a standing federal research initiative, although specific future cycles are not explicitly detailed in the provided information. Applicants are encouraged to consult the JFSP database for updates, guidance, and submission requirements.

Ensure all three required research components are fully addressed and demonstrate collaboration with fire and land managers