Community Forest Conservation Round 4

The Community Forest Conservation Round 4 (CFCR4) grant program, administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), provides funding for municipalities to acquire private land or conservation easements to establish or extend community forests. Eligible project sites must be at least 10 acres in size, at least 75% forested, and must allow 100% public access. This is a performance-based payments grant with no match requirement, offering a maximum total grant limit of 3,500,000 dollars, including a 100,000 dollar cap for site cleanup. Funding is awarded based on a ranked scoring system of 100 points, where applicants must score at least 65% to be eligible. Key evaluation factors include project cost-effectiveness, support for disadvantaged communities, and the quality of non-land acquisition cost research. The program requires strict adherence to several legal and regulatory mandates, including the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), the Iran Divestment Act, and Executive Order 16 regarding business operations in Russia. Applicants must provide certifications regarding sexual harassment prevention and gender-based violence in the workplace. Technical requirements for land acquisition include obtaining appraisal surveys, title insurance, and Phase I environmental assessment reports, as well as installing DEC-approved on-site signage. Payments are structured as interim performance-based advances and a final payment, with pre-closing documents due within 18 months of approval and post-closing requirements due within 120 days of the second interim payment. Applications must be submitted via the SFS Vendor Portal by December 16, 2026.