Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS 2025 COHESIVE STRATEGY
The 2025 Forest Service Eastern Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, focused on reducing wildfire risk and improving resilience across the Midwestern and Northeastern United States. The opportunity sits within the Forest Service approach to "shared stewardship," meaning it is meant to fund cross-boundary, multi-partner projects that manage wildfire risk at the landscape scale rather than in isolated, single-jurisdiction efforts. The overall intent is to make targeted investments that help communities, land managers, and partner agencies co-manage wildfire risk and produce measurable outcomes at the most appropriate geographic scale.
Program funding is designed to advance the first two goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (often referred to as the National Cohesive Strategy). The first goal, "Restore and Maintain Landscapes," emphasizes making landscapes more resilient to fire-related disturbances across all jurisdictions, consistent with local and regional management objectives. In practice, this typically points to work that improves forest and ecosystem conditions, reduces hazardous fuels, and supports long-term resilience so that when fire occurs it is less likely to be catastrophic and more likely to align with ecological and management goals. The second goal, "Create Fire Adapted Communities," centers on improving the ability of people, homes, and critical infrastructure to withstand wildfire without loss of life and property. This generally aligns with prevention and mitigation efforts such as community wildfire planning, risk reduction in the wildland-urban interface, outreach and education, and steps that increase preparedness and reduce structural vulnerability.
This is a discretionary grant opportunity (not a formula or entitlement program) and is classified under funding activity categories related to Disaster Prevention and Relief and Natural Resources. The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 10.698. The funding instrument type is a grant, and the Forest Service is the administering agency.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of governmental and community partners that would typically be involved in wildfire mitigation or landscape resilience work. Eligible applicants include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status; nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education); and other eligible entities as allowed under the opportunity. This range of eligible applicants reflects the program's cross-jurisdictional emphasis and the expectation that strong applications will often involve partnerships among agencies, local governments, nonprofits, tribes, and other stakeholders.
Key funding parameters included in the notice indicate an award ceiling of $300,000 per award, with an estimated 25 awards expected. The opportunity was created on 2024-11-15, and the original application closing date is 2025-01-15. The funding opportunity number is USDA FS 2025 COHESIVE STRATEGY, and the official title is "2025 Forest Service Eastern Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy NOFO."
The description also references Forest Fire Compacts, which commonly refers to cooperative, multi-state or multi-jurisdictional frameworks that support coordinated wildfire management and mutual aid. While the notice summary does not spell out specific eligible project types, the emphasis on shared stewardship, cohesive strategy goals, and cross-boundary outcomes signals that competitive proposals will likely be expected to demonstrate clear risk-reduction benefits, alignment with cohesive strategy priorities, and practical coordination among relevant partners in the Eastern Region states.Apply for USDA FS 2025 COHESIVE STRATEGY
- The Forest Service in the disaster prevention and relief, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2025 Forest Service Eastern Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy NOFO" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.698.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-15.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-01-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the 2025 Forest Service Eastern Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy NOFO?
It is a competitive (discretionary) grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service. The program focuses on reducing wildfire risk and improving resilience across the Midwestern and Northeastern United States through cross-boundary, multi-partner projects.
Which agency administers this grant?
The administering agency is the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.
What is the funding opportunity number and official title?
The funding opportunity number is USDA FS 2025 COHESIVE STRATEGY. The official title is 2025 Forest Service Eastern Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy NOFO.
Is this a competitive program or an entitlement/formula program?
This is a discretionary, competitive grant program. It is not a formula or entitlement program.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 10.698.
What geographic area does this opportunity cover?
The notice is focused on the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, referenced as the Forest Service Eastern Region in the opportunity summary.
What is the overall purpose of this funding opportunity?
The overall intent is to make targeted investments that help communities, land managers, and partner agencies co-manage wildfire risk and produce measurable outcomes at the most appropriate geographic scale, emphasizing landscape-scale (not single-jurisdiction) risk reduction and resilience.
What does “shared stewardship” mean in this NOFO?
Within the context provided, “shared stewardship” refers to funding cross-boundary, multi-partner projects that manage wildfire risk at a landscape scale rather than isolated efforts within a single jurisdiction.
Which National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy goals does this program advance?
Funding is designed to advance the first two goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy: (1) Restore and Maintain Landscapes and (2) Create Fire Adapted Communities.
What does “Restore and Maintain Landscapes” mean for potential projects?
Based on the summary, this goal emphasizes improving landscape resilience to fire-related disturbances across jurisdictions. It generally points to work that improves forest and ecosystem conditions, reduces hazardous fuels, and supports long-term resilience so that wildfire is less likely to be catastrophic and more aligned with ecological and management goals.
What does “Create Fire Adapted Communities” mean for potential projects?
Based on the summary, this goal focuses on improving the ability of people, homes, and critical infrastructure to withstand wildfire without loss of life and property. It generally aligns with prevention and mitigation efforts such as community wildfire planning, risk reduction in the wildland-urban interface, outreach and education, and steps that increase preparedness and reduce structural vulnerability.
What funding activity categories are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is classified under funding activity categories related to Disaster Prevention and Relief and Natural Resources.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad set of partners typically involved in wildfire mitigation or landscape resilience work. Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status
- Nonprofit organizations without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education)
- Other eligible entities as allowed under the opportunity
Does the program expect partnerships or can a single organization apply?
The summary emphasizes “shared stewardship” and “cross-boundary, multi-partner projects,” which signals that strong applications will often involve partnerships among agencies, local governments, nonprofits, tribes, and other stakeholders. The summary does not state that partnerships are mandatory, but it highlights partnership and coordination as central expectations.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $300,000 per award.
How many awards are expected?
An estimated 25 awards are expected.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2024-11-15.
What is the application closing date?
The original application closing date is 2025-01-15.
What kinds of projects are likely to be competitive under this NOFO?
While the summary does not spell out specific eligible project types, it indicates that competitive proposals will likely be expected to demonstrate:
- Clear wildfire risk-reduction and/or resilience benefits
- Alignment with the Cohesive Strategy goals (Restore and Maintain Landscapes; Create Fire Adapted Communities)
- Cross-boundary outcomes at an appropriate landscape scale
- Practical coordination among relevant partners across the Eastern Region states
What does “cross-boundary” mean in the context of this grant?
In the context provided, “cross-boundary” refers to projects that span or coordinate across different jurisdictions, ownerships, or management boundaries (for example, multiple agencies or partners working together), rather than efforts limited to one entity’s boundaries.
What are Forest Fire Compacts, and why are they referenced?
The summary references Forest Fire Compacts as cooperative, multi-state or multi-jurisdictional frameworks that support coordinated wildfire management and mutual aid. The summary does not provide additional detail on how compacts affect eligibility or project selection, but the reference aligns with the program emphasis on coordination across jurisdictions.
What does “landscape scale” mean here?
Based on the summary, “landscape scale” means planning and implementing wildfire risk management in a way that fits the most appropriate geographic scale for measurable outcomes, rather than treating wildfire risk only within a single jurisdiction or isolated project area.
What is meant by “measurable outcomes” in the program description?
The summary indicates the program is intended to produce measurable outcomes at an appropriate geographic scale. While it does not define specific metrics, it suggests proposals should be able to show tangible results tied to co-managing wildfire risk and improving resilience.
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