Call summary :

About the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program

The Community Wildfire Defense Program, or CWDG, is intended to help at-risk local communities and Tribes; plan for and reduce the risk of wildfire.

This program, which was authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, prioritizes at-risk communities in an area identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, are low-income, or have been impacted by a severe disaster that affects the risk of wildfire. More details on these three priorities can be found in the Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) below.

The program provides funding to communities for two primary purposes:
- Develop and revise Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP).
- Implement projects described in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan that is less than ten years old.

The Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program also helps communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI) implement the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy.
- Restore and Maintain Landscapes: Landscapes across all jurisdictions are resilient to fire-related disturbances, in accordance with management objectives.
- Create Fire Adapted Communities: Human populations and infrastructure can better withstand a wildfire without loss of life and property.
- Improve Wildfire Response: All jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions.

How to Apply for the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program
- The second round of the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program is now accepting applications!
- To apply, follow the instructions in the Notices of Funding Opportunity or search for the grant opportunity number specific for your notice at grants.gov.
- Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. eastern time on October 31, 2023.

Eligibility:

Who Can Apply? Entities eligible to apply for at-risk communities for funding under the CWDG include:
- Units of local governments representing communities located in an area with a risk of wildfires,
- Indian Tribes (please apply through either the Indian Tribes/Alaska Native Corporations specific notice or the applicable regional notice),
- Non-profit organizations including homeowner associations that assist such communities,
- State forestry agencies (including U.S. territories and interests), and
- Alaska Native Corporations (please apply through either the Indian Tribes/Alaska Native Corporations specific notice or the applicable regional notice).

There are two categories of projects that can be applied for and will be evaluated separately:
- For Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Development or Revision: One of the fundamental building blocks in creating a fire adapted community is the development, adoption and continuous use of a well-prepared CWPP. In some cases, a community may choose to utilize a FEMA-approved hazard mitigation plan or Tribal hazard mitigation plan with a wildfire component that meets the same objectives of a CWPP.
- For project implementation: The project must be described in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan that is not more than 10-years old.

Priority will be given to projects that:
- Are located in an area identified as having a high or very high wildfire hazard potential;
- Benefit a low-income community; or
- Are located in a community impacted by a severe disaster within the previous 10 years which increased wildfire risk and/or hazard.

The maximum amount of Federal funding awarded to any one community or Tribe via this competitive process is:
- $250,000 for the creation or updating of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
- $10 million for a project described within a Community Wildfire Protection Plan less than 10 years old.
- For planning purposes, the total Federal funding available through the CWDG competitive process could be up to $250 million for this second round.

Required matching funds:
- 10% non-Federal match for proposals to develop or update a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
- 25% non-federal match for proposals to implement projects described within a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
- Match waiver request available for communities meeting the definition of underserved, nationally recognized Tribes, and Pacific Islands.