Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP), administered by the USDA Forest Service, is a competitive grant program designed to establish community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest land. Eligible applicants include Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations. To qualify, projects must acquire land that is at least 5 acres in size and at least 75 percent forested, ensuring the land is protected from conversion to non-forest uses. All projects must provide public access and deliver community benefits across economic, environmental, recreational, and educational dimensions. Individual awards are capped at 600,000 dollars and require a mandatory 1:1 non-federal cost share. Applications are not submitted via Grants.gov; instead, local government and non-profit applicants must submit their materials to the State Forester where the property is located, while Tribal applicants submit to equivalent Tribal officials. All applications must be received by October 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with a confirmation email sent to SM.FS.CFP@usda.gov. Submissions must include an application narrative limited to 8 pages, two project maps, and eligibility documentation. Awards are determined via a technical scoring system out of 40 points, prioritizing community benefits, engagement, strategic landscape contribution, and the level of threat to the land. Post-award requirements include the submission of a GIS shapefile and a Final Community Forest Plan within 120 days of land acquisition, alongside annual financial reporting via SF-425.
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Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, State, Private & Tribal Forestry, is requesting applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). CFP is a competitive grant program that provides financial assistance to Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations to establish community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest land. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forestland from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs. Public access is required for all projects.
Applications are not submitted electronically via Grants.gov. The full Notice of Funding Opportunity and supporting documents (including scoring guidance and FAQs) are available under the 'Related Documents' tab of this listing and can be downloaded.
To apply, interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit applications to the State Forester where the property is located. Tribal applicants must submit applications to equivalent Tribal government officials. All applications must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. All applicants must also send an e-mail to SM.FS.CFP@usda.gov to confirm that an application has been submitted.
State Foresters or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute of Tropical Forestry by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.
Projects must conform to laws and authorities in Section 7A of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act ([16 U.S.C. 2103d] Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program) as amended.
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