Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
Forest Service
Award ceiling
—Award floor
—Posted
Jul 22, 2026Closes
Dec 8, 2026Location eligibility
No specific state restriction found in this listing — check the full opportunity for details.Categories: Community Development, Environment, Natural Resources, Recreation and Tourism
Eligible applicants: City or township governments, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), County governments
Description
Federally recognized Indian Tribes, local government entities, and nonprofit organizations that are qualified to acquire and manage land may apply for up to $1,000,000 for the fee simple acquisition of private forest land in portions of the Lake Superior Basin of Michigan and Wisconsin. Projects submitted for funding consideration must be forested properties at least five acres in size that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses and that provide community benefits including economic, environmental, educational, and recreational benefits. An additional focus of this opportunity is to protect, enhance and increase resilience of habitats necessary for sustaining native aquatic and terrestrial species important to the Lake Superior ecosystem. Competitive proposals will be those that demonstrate exceptional public benefits, meaningful community engagement, and strategic contributions to terrestrial habitat connectivity within the defined Terrestrial Habitat Connectivity Pilot Area.For additional information and requirements, please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity document linked in both the "Related Documents" tab and the "Instructions" link located in the "Package" tab.