1,000+ Opportunities
Find the right grant
Search federal, foundation, and corporate grants with AI — or browse by agency, topic, and state.
Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP) is sponsored by USDA Forest Service. This competitive grant program 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 is to protect forestland from conversion and provide community benefits including public recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based educational programs.
Get a weekly digest of new grants like this
A free weekly digest of new foundation and federal funding opportunities as they're added to Granted. Unsubscribe anytime.
Or search similar grants →Extracted from the official opportunity page/RFP to help you evaluate fit faster.
How the Community Forest Program Works | US Forest Service How the Community Forest Program Works The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program) of the Forest Service offers a unique opportunity for communities to acquire and conserve forests that provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products.
Community forests expand recreation opportunities. Photo by Janet Valle. Full fee title acquisition is required.
Conservation easements are not eligible. Community Forests can be owned by local governments, tribal governments, and qualified nonprofit entities. The program pays up to 50% of the project costs and requires a 50% non-federal match.
Public access is required for Community Forest Program projects. Lands acquired through the program are actively managed in accordance with a community forest plan to provide community benefits. Community forests provide educational opportunities.
Photo by Margee Haines. FY25 Request for Applications available on Grants. gov (Opportunity Number: USDA-FS-2025-CFP) Community Forest Program Road Map (DOCX, 13.
4 MB) Map Recommendations and Examples (PDF, 8 MB) State Foresters Contact Information Funding and Accomplishments FY23 Funded Projects (PDF, 143 KB) FY22 Funded Projects (PDF, 52. 7 KB) FY21 Funded Projects (PDF, 167 KB) FY20 Funded Projects (PDF, 186 KB) Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (.
pdf, 551KB) Program Guidelines and Performance Forest Service Budget and Performance Community Forest Program Accomplishment Map Community Forest Program Progress as of April 20, 2023 Email questions or comments to SM. FS. CFP@usda.
gov
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Indian Tribes, local governments, and qualified conservation non-profit organizations. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
Applications for Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP) are due October 13, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (CFP) is funded by USDA Forest Service. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
USDA-FS-2026-CFP puts $4.95 million behind fee-simple forest acquisition, caps requests at $600,000, and requires a 50 percent non-federal match. But the deadline that will actually disqualify you is October 13 — the date your application must be in your State Forester's hands, two weeks before the Forest Service ever sees it.
Read articleThe RUS Powering Affordable Reliable Technology (PART) Energy Program takes Letters of Interest until October 9, 2026. Up to 40% of each loan can be forgiven, awards run $1M to $100M, and USDA describes eligible generation as hydro, geothermal, and biomass — even though Section 317 of the RE Act names solar and wind.
Read articleUSDA announced 194 Value-Added Producer Grant awards totaling $26.5 million on September 18, 2026 — beef took $11.6 million of it. The FY26 caps were cut to $50,000 and $200,000, a new rule disqualifies applications with grant-writer fees above 15 percent, and the average award landed above the dollar threshold that earns priority points. Here is how the scoring actually works.
Read article