Forestry - UCF IRA Trees for Indigenous Nations [2024]
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Funding for the Inflation Reduction Act, Urban and Community Forestry Grants is derived from a federal award of the United States Forest Service, Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Forestry and Trust Lands Division.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Trees for Indigenous Nations
Goals: Managing and enhancing community forests by providing accessible funding opportunities, technical assistance, and resources for tribal communities.
Expected Outcomes: The expected accomplishments of this project include increased access to healthy green spaces for tribal communities, increased tree canopy and ecosystems benefits, climate adaptation, and improved air and water quality. The project also aims to increase opportunities for tribal communities and to develop a sustainable community forestry foundation for the long-term.
Types of allowable projects through these funds:
- Tree plantings: urban restoration efforts, biodiversity, community and ecosystem health, habitat management in and around urban areas, trees in rural community landscapes, interpretive, cultural, educational plantings, and shelterbelts.
- Sustainability: climate change, pollution, and erosion mitigation, restoring culturally important tree species, accessible and energy-wise water systems for tree establishment, maintenance, removals, and replacements, and wood utilization.
- Outreach, education, planning, public awareness, build and share ecological knowledge, and strengthen partnerships. Examples include public workshops, educational events, and culturally based community engagement.
- Capacity building: professional development, local workforce training, supporting positions to ensure sustainability and long-term management for community forestry work.
- Program development, i.e., advancement of integrating cultural knowledge and practices in community forestry. Build culturally educational, interpretive tree programs.
- Establishing and supporting tree orchards and food forest sovereignty programs
- Tree nurseries, sustainable nursery programs, procurement/propagation of culturally significant trees
Application
Please submit a project concept for review and evaluation. This request for proposals is a preliminary process to review eligibility, scope, and capacity to make a successful project. Selected applications will move forward to full project development working in collaboration with DNRC staff.
Approximate Timeline Benchmarks
September 2024 - Project concept portal opens via Submittable
November 2024 - Project concepts are DUE
December 2024 - Notification of selected projects
December - January - DNRC works with applicants to build out proposals
February - March 2025 - Subaward Agreements developed for successful projects
Who Can Apply
Any federally recognized tribal entity in the state of Montana, tribal-based organizations, local and tribal governments, non-profit organizations, public and state-controlled institutions of education, tribal colleges, community-based organizations, or others serving tribal communities.
Available Funding
Individual subawards will range from $50,000 to a maximum of $150,000 total, over 3 years, depending on the scope of work, unique needs, and capabilities of the applicant organization. No match is required for these funds, but additional tracking and reporting requirements may be required.
$1,000,000 in total funding is available.
Methodology and Review of Project Concept Submissions
Project concepts will be accepted through the Submittable platform. Submittals will be evaluated based on the following elements:
- Organizational Overview; Capacity
- Project Description, Management
- Budget Components
Project review will be conducted using afair and objective assessment of ability to move forward into the next process of development and the potential positive impact of the project on the community. If selected, projects will undergo assisted development with DNRC to further build out the proposal.
Reporting Requirements
Biannual reporting will be required from subawardees. This will help measure and track progress, ensure goals are met, and avoid payment delays.
Project Budget Information
Project grant funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis with necessary documentation. Recipients may submit multiple requests for reimbursement throughout the period of performance, as often as once per month.
Reimbursable Expenses May Include:
Personnel Expenses - Cost of hiring seasonal employees or special staff to carry out the project.
Operating Expenditures - Cost of purchasing appropriate supplies and materials to complete the project. Examples: trees, planting supplies, irrigation, equipment rental, media (public service announcements), printing, or educational elements related to urban forestry (workshops, speaker costs, educational publications, facility fees).
Contracted Professional Services - Costs related to hiring a consultant or contractor (arboriculture, forestry, landscape design, or planning) or other professional for the project.
Indirect Costs - An organization’s Indirect Rate for administration and expenses not directly allocable to the grant – such as electricity and insurance.
Unallowable Expenses:
Capital assets - Purchases of large equipment (value of $5,000+) and some types of hardscaping.
Other examples include food (exceptions may apply), entertainment, gifts, promotional items, and alcohol. Please review the DNRC Subaward Manual, p.7, for more guidance.
For additional information contact:
Alexis Armstrong, Forestry Assistance Program Support Technician.
Montana DNRC, 2705 Spurgin Road Missoula, Montana 59804-3199.
Telephone: 406-542-4207.
Email: alexis.armstrong@mt.gov.
To aid in your application preparation, DNRC has developed a WORKSHEET of the questions for you to preview. You can use this Microsoft Word file as a place to develop your responses. When ready to submit your application, copy and paste the answers into the Submittable form.