National Forest Foundation Matching Awards Program

Posted by on December 03, 2012

National Forest Foundation Accepting Applications for 2013 Matching Awards Program
Deadline: January 9, 2013 and July 17, 2013

The National Forest Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service, works to engage America in community-based and national programs that promote the health and public enjoyment of the National Forest System.

The NFF Matching Awards Program provides matching funds for direct on-the-ground and citizen-based monitoring projects benefiting America’s national forests and grasslands.

NFF is interested in action-oriented projects that enhance the viability of natural resources while benefiting and directly engaging surrounding communities. MAP funds can be used to support conservation and restoration projects in the areas of wildlife habitat improvement, recreation, watershed health and restoration, and community-based forestry. In addition to focusing on one or more of these four areas of stewardship, the foundation requires projects to show a strong commitment to civic engagement and community involvement through the direct involvement of the public in on-the-ground conservation, restoration, and monitoring projects.

NFF will consider applications from non-federal partners, community-based organizations, Native American tribes, and 501(c)(3) nonprofits implementing action-oriented on-the-ground conservation and citizen-based monitoring projects on or around national forests or grasslands.

Past award amounts have ranged from $500 to over $100,000, with a mean of $30,000 and a median of $25,000. All MAP awards require at least a 1:1 cash match of non-federal funds. Projects must be completed within one year. MAP funding is available to support specific conservation and restoration projects and does not provide general programmatic support.

MAP projects are selected for funding through a two-stage process. Applicants must first complete the online pre-screening questionnaire. Those that successfully complete the questionnaire will be invited to submit a proposal . For the 2013 program, the proposal deadline is January 9, 2013, for round one, and July 17, 2013, for round two.

Visit NFF’s Web site for complete program guidelines, the pre-screening questionnaire, and an FAQ.

http://www.nationalforests.org/conserve/grantprograms/ontheground/map