Forest Service investing $20 million in climate mitigation

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service has launched a funding program to help Native American entities access emerging climate markets. The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides $20 million to support underserved and small-acreage forest Tribal landowner forest resilience and climate mitigation projects.

The NOFO is the second in an anticipated series of Forest Landowner Support programming that provides competitive grants for technical and financial assistance. Applicants may solicit up to $2 million. The funding support opened Feb. 14, 2024, and will close Aug. 21, 2024.

The program will help Native American governments and organizations address the climate crisis, strengthen local economies, support Indigenous Knowledge and reduce barriers restricting land management. Applicants will use the funds to develop forest management and reforestation plans, establish demonstration sites and protect biodiversity.

The funds are USDA’s latest investment in advancing co-stewardship of national forests and grasslands. In Fiscal Year 2023, the USDA allocated $68 million across 120 co-stewardship agreements, tripling the amount spent in Fiscal Year 2022. The USDA also adjusted policies to emphasize the importance of Indigenous Knowledge and increase Tribal access to USDA programs.

The USDA Forest Service will use money from the Inflation Reduction Act to fund the competitive grants. In addition to the NOFO, the agency has already provided $2 million to the National Indian Carbon Coalition and made a $13 million agreement with the Denali Commission. All funding will help Tribal entities participate in private markets for climate mitigation, forest resilience, water quality, carbon sequestration and more.