Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2025
The Wood Utilization Assistance opportunity (USDA Forest Service, Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity) is a discretionary grant program designed to rapidly grow wood products and wood energy markets across the United States. The basic idea is to turn a major forest management challenge into an economic opportunity: large volumes of hazardous fuels and other low-value wood residues need to be removed from National Forest System lands and other forestlands to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health, and the Forest Service wants proposals that create or strengthen markets that can use that material in practical, scalable ways. This funding is tied to several federal authorities, including the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), Rural Revitalization Technologies authorities, and the Inflation Reduction Act, all of which emphasize forest restoration, rural economic development, and climate- and resilience-oriented investments.
Program priorities center on three connected outcomes. First, projects should help reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health on National Forest System lands as well as other public and private forestlands, which directly supports restoration and wildfire risk reduction goals. Second, proposals should lower the costs of forest management across land ownership types by improving utilization pathways for removed material, making restoration work more financially feasible over time. Third, the Forest Service is looking for projects that deliver tangible community benefits by improving local and regional economic conditions (jobs, business activity, local manufacturing) while also supporting environmental goals like reduced waste and more sustainable building and energy solutions.
The solicitation is focused on later-stage, implementation-ready work rather than early brainstorming or concept development. Competitive projects are expected to be far enough along that grant funds will help them clear final hurdles and move into construction, financing, or deployment. Examples of the kinds of activities the Forest Service says it will support include completing the technical and administrative requirements that often block projects from reaching the finish line, such as engineering designs, detailed cost analyses, and permitting. This includes late-stage commercial construction projects where wood is a primary building material (for example, mass timber or other wood-based structural systems), and late-stage wood energy projects that need final development work to secure financing. The notice is explicit that early-phase project development is unlikely to be competitive.
Beyond late-stage preconstruction and permitting, the program also encourages proposals that build durable market infrastructure. That includes expanding manufacturing capacity and other wood products infrastructure (such as processing, handling, and supply chain capability) and strengthening markets for wood products that align with forest ecosystem restoration needs. Another eligible direction is demonstration and measurement: projects can showcase real-world, quantifiable environmental and economic benefits of using wood as a sustainable building material in an actual commercial building, and then model the projected national benefits if similar approaches were replicated more broadly based on construction market trends. In addition, the program supports capacity-building at the state level through the creation of statewide wood utilization teams and statewide wood energy teams, but only in states that do not currently have (and have not previously had) such a team. Finally, the Forest Service is interested in coordinated, replicable energy approaches, such as developing a cluster of wood energy projects within a defined geography or within a specific sector like prisons, hospitals, universities, manufacturing, or industrial facilities, as well as efforts aimed at overcoming market barriers that are limiting wood energy expansion in the commercial sector.
Eligibility is broad and includes for-profit entities, state and local governments, Indian Tribes, school districts, community and nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and special purpose districts (for example public utility districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports). The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.674 and is administered by the USDA Forest Service. The award ceiling is $300,000 per award. The original closing date listed is 2024-12-11. Applicants are directed to official Forest Service application materials (including Form FS-1500-050) and program instructions, and a pre-recorded webcast is available that walks through how to apply and what the agency is looking for.
In practical terms, the strongest proposals will usually be those that can clearly connect forest restoration needs and feedstock supply (hazardous fuels reduction and utilization of residues) to concrete market outcomes (wood product manufacturing, mass timber or wood-based construction, or commercially viable wood energy), while also demonstrating readiness to execute. A clear plan for measurable benefits, a realistic pathway to financing or deployment, and a strong explanation of how the project reduces treatment costs and supports local communities are central themes embedded throughout the opportunity description.Apply for USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2025
- The Forest Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Wood Utilization Assistance" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.674.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-10-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-12-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Wood Utilization Assistance (USDA Forest Service) - FAQs
What is the Wood Utilization Assistance opportunity?
The Wood Utilization Assistance opportunity (USDA Forest Service, Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity) is a discretionary grant program intended to rapidly grow wood products and wood energy markets across the United States. It focuses on creating or strengthening practical markets that can use hazardous fuels and other low-value wood residues removed from forestlands, helping turn a forest management challenge into an economic opportunity.
What problem is this grant designed to address?
The program is aimed at the large volumes of hazardous fuels and other low-value wood residues that need to be removed from National Forest System lands and other forestlands to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health. The Forest Service is seeking proposals that expand utilization pathways so that removed material can be used in scalable, real-world applications.
Which federal agency administers this funding?
This opportunity is administered by the USDA Forest Service.
Is this a competitive or formula grant?
It is described as a discretionary grant program, meaning awards are competitively selected rather than distributed by formula.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.674.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is $300,000 per award.
What is the application deadline?
The original closing date listed is 2024-12-11.
What are the main program priorities?
Program priorities center on three connected outcomes:
- Reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health on National Forest System lands and other public and private forestlands, supporting restoration and wildfire risk reduction.
- Lower the costs of forest management across ownership types by improving utilization pathways for removed material, making restoration work more financially feasible over time.
- Deliver tangible community benefits by improving local and regional economic conditions (jobs, business activity, local manufacturing) while supporting environmental goals like reduced waste and more sustainable building and energy solutions.
What types of projects are considered most competitive?
The solicitation emphasizes later-stage, implementation-ready projects rather than early brainstorming or concept development. Competitive proposals are expected to be far enough along that grant funds help clear final hurdles and move into construction, financing, or deployment. Strong proposals typically connect forest restoration needs and feedstock supply to concrete market outcomes and demonstrate readiness to execute, measurable benefits, and a realistic pathway to financing or deployment.
Are early-stage concept or planning projects eligible?
The notice is explicit that early-phase project development is unlikely to be competitive. The focus is on later-stage work that helps projects reach construction, financing, or deployment.
What kinds of late-stage activities does the Forest Service support?
Examples include completing technical and administrative requirements that commonly block projects from reaching the finish line, such as:
- Engineering designs
- Detailed cost analyses
- Permitting and other late-stage preconstruction needs
Does the program support wood-based commercial construction projects?
Yes. The Forest Service indicates it will support late-stage commercial construction projects where wood is a primary building material, including mass timber or other wood-based structural systems, especially where funding helps resolve final development steps needed to proceed.
Does the program support wood energy projects?
Yes. The program includes support for late-stage wood energy projects that need final development work to secure financing and move toward deployment.
What does the program mean by building "durable market infrastructure"?
The opportunity encourages proposals that strengthen long-term market capacity, including expanding manufacturing capacity and other wood products infrastructure such as processing, handling, and supply chain capability. It also supports strengthening markets for wood products aligned with forest ecosystem restoration needs.
Are demonstration and measurement projects allowed?
Yes. The program supports projects that demonstrate real-world, quantifiable environmental and economic benefits of using wood as a sustainable building material in an actual commercial building. It also allows modeling of projected national benefits if similar approaches were replicated more broadly based on construction market trends.
Can states apply to create a statewide wood utilization team or statewide wood energy team?
Yes, but only in states that do not currently have (and have not previously had) a statewide wood utilization team or a statewide wood energy team.
What kinds of coordinated wood energy approaches does the Forest Service want to see?
The Forest Service expresses interest in coordinated, replicable approaches, such as developing a cluster of wood energy projects within a defined geography or within a particular sector. Examples of sectors mentioned include prisons, hospitals, universities, manufacturing, and industrial facilities. The program also encourages efforts aimed at overcoming market barriers that limit wood energy expansion in the commercial sector.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- For-profit entities
- State and local governments
- Indian Tribes
- School districts
- Community and nonprofit organizations
- Institutions of higher education
- Special purpose districts (for example: public utility districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports)
Do projects have to be on National Forest System lands?
No. While a priority is improving forest health and reducing hazardous fuels on National Forest System lands, the program also emphasizes work across other public and private forestlands.
What kinds of benefits should applicants be prepared to describe?
The opportunity highlights measurable benefits and practical outcomes, including:
- Hazardous fuels reduction and improved forest health
- Lowered forest management and treatment costs through better utilization pathways
- Community and economic benefits such as jobs, business activity, and local manufacturing
- Environmental benefits such as reduced waste and more sustainable building and energy solutions
How should applicants connect forest restoration to market outcomes?
The opportunity suggests that strong proposals clearly link restoration needs and feedstock supply (hazardous fuels reduction and utilization of residues) to concrete, scalable market outcomes such as wood product manufacturing, mass timber or wood-based construction, or commercially viable wood energy.
What indicates that a project is "implementation-ready" under this program?
Implementation-ready projects are those where grant funds help remove final barriers to moving forward, such as completing engineering/design work, cost analysis, permitting, or other late-stage requirements needed to proceed into construction, financing, or deployment.
What authorities or laws are associated with this funding?
This funding is tied to several federal authorities, including the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill), Rural Revitalization Technologies authorities, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which emphasize forest restoration, rural economic development, and climate- and resilience-oriented investments.
Where do applicants find the official application materials?
Applicants are directed to the official Forest Service application materials and program instructions, including Form FS-1500-050. A pre-recorded webcast is also available that walks through how to apply and what the agency is looking for.
Is there any applicant guidance available beyond the written instructions?
Yes. A pre-recorded webcast is available that explains how to apply and what the Forest Service is looking for.
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