Request for Applications: The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
| Published date | 14 August 2020 |
| Record Number | 2020-17838 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Forest Service |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 158 (Friday, August 14, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 158 (Friday, August 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49625-49627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17838]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Request for Applications: The Community Forest and Open Space
Conservation Program
AGENCY: Forest Service, 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). The Community Forest Program
is a competitive grant program whereby local governments, qualified
nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Indian tribes are
eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests that
provide community benefits through fee simple acquisition of private
forest land.
DATES: Interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit
applications to the State Forester. Tribal applicants must submit
applications to the appropriate Tribal government official. All
applications, either hardcopy or electronic, must be received by State
Foresters or Tribal governments by January 11th, 2021. State Foresters
or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the
appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute
of Tropical Forestry by February 8th, 2021.
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.
Northern and Intermountain Regions
Regions 1 and 4
(ID, MT, ND, NV, UT)
Janet Valle, USDA Forest Service, 324 25th St., Ogden, UT 84401, 801-
625-5258 (phone), 801-710-3795 (mobile), [email protected]
Rocky Mountain Region
Region 2
(CO, KS, NE, SD, WY)
Claire Harper, USDA Forest Service, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Bldg. 17,
Lakewood, CO 80401, 303-895-6157 (mobile), [email protected]
Southwestern Region
Region 3
(AZ, NM)
Alicia San Gil, USDA Forest Service, 333 Broadway SE, Albuquerque, NM
87102, 505-842-3289 (phone), 505-235-9233 (mobile),
[email protected]
Pacific Southwest Region
Region 5
(CA)
Amanda G. McAdams, USDA Forest Service, 221 W. 8th Street, Alturas, CA
96101, 530-233-8743 (phone), 530-802-6935 (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-
854-2620 (phone), 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, 503-808-2355 (phone), 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,
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, 787-764-7718 (phone), 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,
603-868-7719 (phone), 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] and Nausheen
Iqbal, 202-594-7554, [email protected]. Additional information
about the Community Forest and Open Space Program may be obtained at
https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land/community-forest.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00
a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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
[[Page 49626]]
found in the final program rule, published October 20, 2011 (76 FR
65121), 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. Eligible land. Lands must be 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.
c. 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 Sec. 230.6
of the final rule.
d. 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 http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
e. System for Award Management. All prospective awardees shall be
registered in the System for Award Management 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 1-866-606-8220.
2. Award Information
Funds have not yet been appropriated for CFP in FY 2021. Individual
grant applications may not exceed $600,000, which does not include
technical assistance requests. The Federal Government's obligation
under this program is contingent upon the availability of appropriated
funds.
No legal liability on the part of the Government shall be incurred
until funds are committed 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 and equivalent officials
of the Indian tribe. Technical assistance, if provided, will be awarded
at the time of the grant. Applicants shall work with State Foresters
and equivalent officials of the Indian Tribe 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.
3. Application Information
Application submission. All local governments and qualified
nonprofit organizations' applications must be submitted to the State
Forester where the property is located by January 11th, 2021. All
Tribal applications must be submitted to the equivalent Tribal
officials by January 11th, 2021. Applications may be submitted either
electronically or hardcopy to the appropriate official. The State
Foresters' 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] to
confirm 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
applications to the Forest Service by February 8th, 2021.
4. Application Requirements
The following section outlines grant application requirements:
a. The application can be no more than eight pages long, plus no
more than two maps (eight and half inches by eleven inches in size),
the grant forms specified in (b), and the draft community forest plan
specified in (e).
b. The following grant forms and supporting materials must be
included in the application:
(1) An Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424);
(2) Budget information (Standard Form SF 424c--Construction
Programs); and
(3) Assurances of compliance with all applicable Federal laws,
regulations, and policies (Standard Form 424d-- Construction Programs).
c. 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).
d. 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,
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 of community being served and the
extent of community benefits, including to underserved communities (see
selection criteria);
(7) A description of relationship of the property within and its
contributions to a landscape conservation initiative, 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.
e. Information regarding the proposed establishment of a community
forest, including:
(1) A description of the benefiting community, including
demographics, availability of and access to green spaces and other
inequalities faced by the community;
(2) A description of the associated benefits provided by the
proposed land acquisition;
(3) A description of community involvement, including marginalized
communities, to-date in the planning of the community forest
acquisition, and of community participation anticipated in long-term
management;
(4) An identification of persons and organizations that support the
project
[[Page 49627]]
and their specific role in establishing and managing the community
forest; and
(5) A draft community forest plan. The eligible entity is
encouraged to work with the State Forester or equivalent Tribal
government official for technical assistance when developing or
updating the Community Forest Plan. In addition, the eligible entity is
encouraged to work with technical specialists, such as professional
foresters, recreation specialists, wildlife biologists, or outdoor
education specialists, when developing the Community Forest Plan.
f. 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).
g. 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).
h. Applications must also include the forms required to process a
Federal grant. Section 6 Grant Requirements references the grant forms
that must be included in the application and the specific
administrative requirements that apply to the type of Federal grant
used for this program. Grant forms are all available on the Grants.gov
website at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html.
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. A sample application is located
at https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/library/sample_cfp_template.pdf and
the scoring guidance is at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_wysiwyg/cfp-panel-review-guidance.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:
(1) Type and extent of community benefits provided, including to
underserved communities. Community benefits are defined in the final
program rule as:
(i) Economic benefits, such as timber and non-timber products
resulting from sustainable forest management, recreation and tourism;
(ii) Environmental benefits, including clean air and water,
stormwater management, and wildlife habitat;
(iii) Benefits from forest-based experiential learning, including
K-12 conservation education programs; vocational education programs in
disciplines such as forestry and environmental biology; 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.;
(iv) Benefits from serving as replicable models of effective forest
stewardship for private landowners; and
(v) Recreational benefits such as hiking, hunting, and fishing
secured through public access.
(2) Extent and nature of community engagement, including
participation by marginalized communities, in the establishment and
long-term management of the community forest;
(3) Amount of cost share leveraged;
(4) Extent to which the community forest contributes to a landscape
conservation initiative, as well as any applicable environmental
justice initiatives;
(5) Extent of due diligence completed on the project, including
cost share committed and status of appraisal;
(6) Likelihood that, unprotected, the property would be converted
to non-forest uses; and
(7) Costs to the Federal Government.
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.
Additional information may be found in section Sec. 230.9 of the
final rule.
Rick Cooksey,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.
[FR Doc. 2020-17838 Filed 8-13-20; 8:45 am]
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