Request for Applications: The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, 14971-14974 [2023-04888]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 47 (Friday, March 10, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14971-14974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04888]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Request for Applications: The Community Forest and Open Space 
Conservation Program

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Request for applications.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, 
State and Private Forestry, Cooperative Forestry staff, requests 
applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation 
Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). This is a competitive grant 
program whereby local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations, 
and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for grants to establish 
community forests through the fee simple acquisition of private forest 
land from a willing seller.

DATES: Interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit 
applications to the State Forester. Tribal applicants must submit 
applications to the appropriate Tribal government officials. All 
applications, either hardcopy or electronic, must be received by State 
Foresters or Tribal governments by March 31, 2023, State Foresters or 
Tribal government officials must forward applications to the 
appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute 
of Tropical Forestry by April 14, 2023.

ADDRESSES: All local government and qualified nonprofit organization 
applications must be submitted to the State Forester of the State where 
the property is located. All Tribal applications must be submitted to 
the equivalent Tribal government official. Applicants are encouraged to 
contact and work with the Forest Service Region or International 
Institute of Tropical Forestry, and State Forester or equivalent Tribal 
government official when developing their proposal.
    Applicants must consult with the State Forester and equivalent 
Tribal government official prior to requesting technical assistance for 
a project. The State Forester's member roster may be found on https://www.stateforesters.org/who-we-are/our-membership/. All applicants must 
also send an email to [email protected] to confirm an application has 
been submitted for funding consideration.
    State Foresters and Tribal government officials shall submit 
applications, either electronic or hardcopy, to the appropriate Forest 
Service Region/Institute contact noted below. Applicants are encouraged 
to contact and work with a Forest Service Region/Institute during the 
application process and before submission. Forest Service staff can 
assist with navigating program requirements, determining eligibility, 
providing guidance on allowable costs and match, and other questions.

Northern and Intermountain Regions

Regions 1 and 4

(ID, MT, ND, NV, UT)
Kris Tempel, USDA Forest Service, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 
59901, 406-210-1412 (mobile), [email protected]

Rocky Mountain Region

Region 2

(CO, KS, NE, SD, WY)
Todd Gardiner, USDA Forest Service, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Bldg. 17, 
Lakewood, CO 80401, 970-210-9103 (mobile), [email protected]

Southwestern Region

Region 3

(AZ, NM)
Laura Moser, USDA Forest Service, 333 Broadway SE, Albuquerque, NM 
87102, 928-607-6040 (mobile), [email protected]

Pacific Southwest Region

Region 5

(CA)
Dana Walsh, USDA Forest Service, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592, 
530-450-5555 (mobile), [email protected]
(Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia and other 
Pacific Islands)
Katie Friday, USDA Forest Service, 60 Nowelo St., Hilo, HI 96720, 808-
785-5197 (mobile), [email protected]

Pacific Northwest, and Alaska Regions

Regions 6 and 10

(AK, OR, WA)
Candice Polisky, USDA Forest Service, 1220 SW Third Ave., Portland, OR 
97204, 971-710-2346 (mobile), [email protected]

Southern Region

Region 8

(AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA)
Susan Granbery, USDA Forest Service, 1720 Peachtree Rd. NW, Suite 700,

[[Page 14972]]

Atlanta, GA 30309, 770-883-8925 (mobile), [email protected]

International Institute of Tropical Forestry

(PR, VI)
Magaly Figueroa, USDA Forest Service, Jardin Botanico Sur, 1201 Calle 
Ceiba, San Juan, PR 00926-1119, 787-309-9565 (mobile), 
[email protected]

Eastern Region

Region 9

(CT, DC, DE, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, 
RI, VT, WI, WV)
Neal Bungard, USDA Forest Service, 271 Mast Road, Durham, NH 03824, 
603-833-3287 (mobile), [email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding the grant 
application or administrative regulations, contact Scott Stewart, 
Program Coordinator, 202-465-5038, [email protected] or Margee 
Haines 202-384-7192, [email protected]. Additional information 
about the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program may be 
obtained at https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest.
    Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact and work with the 
appropriate Forest Service Region/Institute contact during the 
application process before submission. Please contact the appropriate 
Forest Service Region/Institute if you would like review and feedback 
on your application and maps before submitting the final application. 
The final application is due to State Foresters or equivalent official 
or Tribal Governments by March 31, 2023. The Forest Service will host 
an informational webinar about the program and how to apply. For more 
information, please see the national web page at the link above.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. 
and 8 p.m., 24 hours a day, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the program is to establish 
community forests by protecting forest land from conversion to non-
forest uses and provide community benefits such as sustainable forest 
management, environmental benefits including clean air, water, and 
wildlife habitat; benefits from forest-based educational programs; 
benefits from serving as models of effective forest stewardship; and 
recreational benefits secured with public access.
    Eligible lands for grants funded under this program are private 
forest that is at least five acres in size, suitable to sustain natural 
vegetation, and at least 75 percent forested. The lands must also be 
threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, must not be held in trust 
by the United States on behalf of any Indian Tribe, must not be Tribal 
allotment lands, must be offered for sale by a willing seller, and if 
acquired by an eligible entity, must provide defined community benefits 
under CFP and allow public access.
    CFDA number 10.689: To address the goals of section 7A of the 
Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103d) as 
amended, the Forest Service is requesting proposals for community 
forest projects that protect forest land that has been identified as a 
national, regional, or local priority for protection and to assist 
communities in acquiring forestland that will provide public 
recreation, environmental and economic benefits, and forest-based 
educational programs.
    Detailed information regarding what to include in the application, 
definitions of terms, eligibility, and necessary prerequisites for 
consideration can be found in the final program rule, published April 
2, 2021 (86 FR 17302), which is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest/program.

Grant Application Requirements

1. Eligibility Information

    a. Eligible Applicants. A local governmental entity, Federally 
Recognized Indian Tribe (including Alaska Native Corporations), or a 
qualified nonprofit organization that is qualified to acquire and 
manage land. Individuals are not eligible to receive funds through this 
program.
    b. Cost Sharing (Matching Requirement). All applicants must 
demonstrate a 50 percent match of the total project cost. The match can 
include cash, in-kind services, or donations, which shall be from a 
non-Federal source. For additional information, please see 36 CFR 
230.6.
    c. DUNS Number. All applicants shall include a Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number in their application. For this 
requirement, the applicant is the entity that meets the eligibility 
criteria and has the legal authority to apply for and receive the 
grant. For assistance in obtaining a DUNS number at no cost, call the 
DUNS number request line 1-866-705-5711 or register on-line at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
    d. System for Award Management. All prospective awardees shall be 
registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to award, 
during performance, and through final payment of any grant resulting 
from this solicitation. Further information can be found at: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. For assistance, contact Federal Service Desk 866-606-
8220.

2. Award Information

    Individual grant applications may not exceed $600,000 in requested 
federal funding, which does not include technical assistance requests. 
Grant applications must also include at least 50 percent non-federal 
cost share.
    No legal liability on the part of the Government shall be incurred 
until funds are obligated by the grant officer for this program to the 
applicant in writing. The initial grant period shall be for two years, 
and acquisition of lands should occur within that timeframe. Lands 
acquired prior to the grant award are not eligible for CFP funding. The 
grant may be reasonably extended by the Forest Service when necessary 
to accommodate unforeseen circumstances in the land acquisition 
process. Written annual financial performance reports and semi-annual 
project performance reports shall be required and submitted to the 
appropriate grant officer.
    Technical assistance funds, totaling not more than 10 percent of 
all funds, may be allocated to State Foresters or equivalent officials 
of Indian Tribes. Technical assistance, if provided, will be awarded at 
the time of the grant. Applicants shall work with State Foresters or 
equivalent officials of Indian Tribes to determine technical assistance 
needs and include the technical assistance request in the project 
budget.
    As funding allows, applications submitted through this request may 
be funded in future years, subject to the availability of funds and the 
continued feasibility and viability of the project. If an application 
is successful, it may be shared as a replicable model with future 
interested applicants.

3. Application Information

    Application submission. All local governments and qualified 
nonprofit organizations' applications must be submitted to the State 
Forester or equivalent official where the property is located by March 
31, 2023. All Tribal applications must be submitted to the equivalent 
Tribal officials by March 31, 2023. Applications may be submitted

[[Page 14973]]

either electronically or in hardcopy to the appropriate official. The 
State Forester's contact information may be found at: https://www.stateforesters.org/who-we-are/our-membership/.
    All applicants must also send an email to [email protected] for 
confirmation that an application has been submitted to the State 
Forester or equivalent Tribal official for funding consideration.
    All State Foresters and Tribal government officials must forward 
all applications to the Forest Service by April 14, 2023.

4. Application Requirements

    The following section outlines grant application requirements:
    i. The application must be no more than eight pages long, plus no 
more than two maps (eight and half inches by eleven inches in size).
    ii. Documentation verifying that the applicant is an eligible 
entity and that the land proposed for acquisition is eligible (see 
Sec.  230.2 of the final rule).
    1. Eligible Entities include local governmental entities, federally 
recognized Indian Tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations.
    2. Eligible lands are private forest lands that are threatened by 
conversion to non-forest use; not held in trust by the United States; 
provide defined community benefits; and are at least five acres in 
size, suitable to sustain natural vegetation, and at least 75 percent 
forested.
    iii. Contact information for the project lead (name, title, phone 
number, email).
    iv. Applications must include the following, regarding the property 
proposed for acquisition:
    1. A description of the property, including acreage and county 
location;
    2. A description of current land uses, including improvements;
    3. A description of forest type and vegetative cover;
    4. A map of sufficient scale to show the location of the property 
in relation to roads and other improvements as well as parks, refuges, 
green/open space, urban natural areas, or other protected lands in the 
vicinity;
    5. A description of applicable zoning and other land use 
regulations affecting the property;
    6. A description of the type and the extent of community benefits 
that the property will provide, including to underserved communities 
(see Project Selection Criteria);
    7. A description of relationship of the property within and its 
contributions to landscape conservation initiatives, as well as any 
environmental justice initiatives, if applicable; and
    8. A description of any threats of conversion to non-forest uses, 
including any encumbrances on the property that prevent conversion to 
non-forest uses.
    v. Information regarding the proposed establishment of a community 
forest, including:
    1. A description of the benefiting community, including:
    a. Demographics, such as race or socioeconomic status
    b. Availability of and access to green spaces, and other 
vulnerabilities including health, economic, environmental and climate 
impacts faced by the community
    c. A description of how the project benefits the community and the 
associated benefits.
    2. A description of community involvement, including 
underrepresented communities, to-date in the planning of the community 
forest acquisition, including determining access and use of the forest, 
and the participation of different community groups anticipated in 
long-term management.
    3. An identification of persons and organizations that support the 
project, a description of how they represent the greater population of 
the community benefiting from the establishment and management of the 
community forest, their specific role in establishing and managing the 
community forest; and
    vi. Information regarding the proposed land acquisition, including:
    1. A proposed project budget not exceeding $600,000 and technical 
assistance needs as coordinated with the State Forester or equivalent 
Tribal government official (section Sec.  230.6 of the final program 
rule);
    2. The status of due diligence, including signed option or purchase 
and sale agreement, title search, minerals determination, and 
appraisal;
    3. Description and status of cost share (secure, pending, 
commitment letter, etc.) (section Sec.  230.6 of the final rule);
    4. The status of negotiations with participating landowner(s) 
including purchase options, contracts, and other terms and conditions 
of sale;
    5. The proposed timeline for completing the acquisition and 
establishing the community forest; and;
    6. Long term management costs and funding source(s).
    vii. Applications must comply with the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards also referred to as the Omni Circular (2 CFR part 200).
    In order to assist applicants, a Community Forest Road Map can be 
found on the CFP website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest/program. The application guidance is 
located at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/application-guidance-revised.pdf and the scoring guidance is at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ScoringGuidance-revised.pdf.

5. Forest Service's Project Selection Criteria

    a. Using the criteria described below, to the extent practicable, 
the Forest Service will give priority to applications that maximize the 
delivery of community benefits, as defined in the final rule (see 
section Sec.  230.2 of the final rule); and
    b. The Forest Service will evaluate all applications received by 
the State Foresters or equivalent Tribal government officials and award 
grants based on the following criteria:
    i. Type and extent of community benefits provided, including to 
underserved communities. Community benefits are defined in the final 
program rule as:
    1. Economic benefits, such as timber and non-timber products 
resulting from sustainable forest management, recreation and tourism;
    2. Environmental benefits, including clean air and water, 
stormwater management, wildlife habitat, and cultural resources.
    3. Benefits from forest-based experiential learning, including K-12 
conservation education programs; vocational education programs in 
disciplines such as forestry and environmental science; Traditional 
Ecological Knowledge; and environmental education through individual 
study or voluntary participation in programs offered by organizations 
such as 4-H, Boy or Girl Scouts, Master Gardeners, etc.;
    4. Benefits from serving as replicable models of effective forest 
stewardship for private landowners; and
    5. Recreational benefits such as hiking, hunting, and fishing 
secured through public access.
    ii. Extent and nature of community engagement, including 
participation by underserved communities, in the establishment and 
long-term management of the community forest;
    iii. Amount of other funds leveraged;
    iv. Costs to the Federal Government,
    v. Extent to which the community forest contributes to any 
landscape conservation initiatives, as well as any applicable 
environmental justice initiatives;
    vi. Extent of due diligence completed on the project, including 
cost share

[[Page 14974]]

committed and status of appraisal and other due diligence costs;
    vii. Likelihood that, unprotected, the property would be converted 
to non-forest uses; and
    viii. Letters of support can accompany the application.

6. Grant Requirements

    a. Once an application is selected, funding will be obligated to 
the grant recipient through a grant adhering to the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards also referred to as the Omni Circular (2 CFR part 
200).
    b. Forest Service must approve any amendments to a proposal or 
request to reallocate funding within a grant proposal. If negotiations 
on a selected project fail, the applicant cannot substitute an 
alternative site.
    c. The grant recipient must comply with the requirements in section 
Sec.  230.8 in the final rule before funds will be released.
    d. After the project has closed, as a requirement of the grant, 
grant recipients will be required to provide the Forest Service with a 
Geographic Information System (GIS) shapefile: a digital, vector-based 
storage format for storing geometric location and associated attribute 
information, of CFP project tracts and cost share tracts, if 
applicable.
    e. Any funds not expended within the grant period must be de-
obligated and revert to the Forest Service.
    f. All media, press, signage, and other documents discussing the 
creation of the community forest must reference the partnership and 
financial assistance by the Forest Service through the CFP.

    Dated: March 6, 2023.
Jaelith Hall-Rivera,
Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.
[FR Doc. 2023-04888 Filed 3-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P