Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS WPIA 2024
The 2024 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (WPIA) Program is a USDA Forest Service discretionary grant opportunity funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and aligned with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58, Section 40804(b)(3)). The program makes a total of $23.3 million available to strengthen wood products infrastructure by helping facilities buy and process the wood and woody biomass that comes out of ecosystem restoration work. The larger purpose is twofold: make it cheaper and more feasible to carry out restoration projects that remove excess vegetation on federal and Tribal lands, and direct investment and economic activity into the nearby communities that are tied to these landscapes.
The program is specifically focused on “restoration byproducts” generated in places facing elevated risk of unnaturally severe wildfire, or insect and disease impacts. In practical terms, that includes trees and biomass produced through timber sales, forest thinning, hazardous fuels reduction treatments, and other restoration management activities. By improving the ability of local and regional facilities to handle this material, the Forest Service is trying to reduce a common bottleneck in restoration work: when there is no cost-effective market or processing capacity nearby, the removed material can become expensive to transport or dispose of, which raises the overall cost of restoration and can limit the scale of projects.
Funding priority is aimed at facilities and projects that expand real processing capacity. This includes proposals to establish a new sawmill or wood-processing facility, reopen a previously closed facility, retrofit or modernize equipment, expand throughput, or otherwise improve operations so the facility can reliably utilize restoration byproducts. While sawmills are explicitly mentioned, the program is broadly framed around “other wood-processing facilities” that can turn restoration material into usable products, provided the facility’s role clearly supports increased utilization of restoration outputs from nearby federal or Tribal lands.
Eligibility and competitiveness are closely tied to geography and supply sourcing. To qualify, the applicant’s facility must be in close proximity to federal or Tribal lands, and the facility must procure a high percentage of its raw material from federal or Tribal sources, described as approximately 50 percent or greater. Applications are expected to explain, in concrete terms, how the requested financial assistance will increase the facility’s ability to use restoration byproducts coming from those nearby federal or Tribal projects and how that improved utilization will help reduce the costs of restoration activities overall. In other words, the proposal needs to connect the dots between infrastructure investment, greater processing of restoration material, and lower per-acre or per-project restoration costs through better logistics and stronger local markets.
The opportunity is issued by the USDA Forest Service under Funding Opportunity Number USDA FS WPIA 2024, categorized as a natural resources funding activity (CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.725). Awards are made as grants, with an award ceiling listed at $1,000,000 per award. The posting indicates an original closing date of 2023-12-01 and a creation date of 2023-10-18, which matters for anyone looking up the original notice or tracking similar future rounds of WPIA funding.
A wide range of applicant types are eligible, reflecting the program’s emphasis on both private-sector capacity and community benefit. Eligible applicants include for-profit entities, state and local governments, Indian Tribes, school districts, communities, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and special purpose districts such as public utilities districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports. The common thread across these applicants is not organizational form but whether the proposed facility investment will measurably increase the ability to purchase and process restoration byproducts from nearby federal or Tribal lands in high-risk areas, thereby supporting forest health, wildfire risk reduction, and local economic resilience.Apply for USDA FS WPIA 2024
- The Forest Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2024 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.725.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-10-18.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-12-01. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 2024 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (WPIA) Program
What is the 2024 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (WPIA) Program?
The 2024 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance (WPIA) Program is a USDA Forest Service discretionary grant opportunity that provides financial support to strengthen wood products infrastructure. The intent is to help facilities buy and process wood and woody biomass generated through ecosystem restoration activities, especially in areas at elevated risk of unnaturally severe wildfire or insect and disease impacts.
Which federal law funds or authorizes this program?
The program is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and is aligned with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58, Section 40804(b)(3)).
How much total funding is available under this opportunity?
The program makes a total of $23.3 million available.
What is the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling is listed as $1,000,000 per award.
What agency is offering the WPIA grant?
The opportunity is issued by the USDA Forest Service.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA FS WPIA 2024.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for WPIA?
The program is categorized under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.725.
What type of financial assistance is provided (grant, contract, etc.)?
Awards are made as grants.
What is the main purpose of the WPIA program?
The program has a two-part purpose: (1) make it cheaper and more feasible to carry out restoration projects that remove excess vegetation on federal and Tribal lands, and (2) direct investment and economic activity into nearby communities connected to those landscapes. A key strategy is improving local and regional capacity to utilize restoration byproducts so that restoration work is not slowed or made more expensive by limited processing options.
What are "restoration byproducts" in the context of this program?
"Restoration byproducts" refers to trees and woody biomass generated from forest and land management activities intended to restore ecosystem health and reduce risk. The description includes material produced through timber sales, forest thinning, hazardous fuels reduction treatments, and other restoration management activities.
What kinds of risks or conditions are targeted by this funding?
The program is specifically focused on restoration byproducts generated in places facing elevated risk of unnaturally severe wildfire, or insect and disease impacts.
Why does the Forest Service focus on processing capacity for restoration byproducts?
A common bottleneck in restoration work is the lack of cost-effective markets or nearby processing capacity. When removed material cannot be utilized locally or regionally, it can become expensive to transport or dispose of, raising restoration costs and limiting the scale of restoration projects. By supporting facilities that can process this material, the program aims to reduce those constraints.
What kinds of projects are prioritized for funding?
Funding priority is aimed at facilities and projects that expand real processing capacity. Examples given include establishing a new sawmill or wood-processing facility, reopening a previously closed facility, retrofitting or modernizing equipment, expanding throughput, or otherwise improving operations so the facility can reliably utilize restoration byproducts.
Are sawmills the only type of facility that can be supported?
No. While sawmills are explicitly mentioned, the program is broadly framed around other wood-processing facilities that can turn restoration material into usable products, as long as the facility clearly supports increased utilization of restoration outputs from nearby federal or Tribal lands.
What geographic requirements affect eligibility or competitiveness?
Eligibility and competitiveness are closely tied to geography and sourcing. To qualify, the applicant's facility must be in close proximity to federal or Tribal lands.
Are there requirements about where a facility gets its raw material?
Yes. To qualify, the facility must procure a high percentage of its raw material from federal or Tribal sources, described as approximately 50 percent or greater.
What do applications need to explain about how the funding will be used?
Applications are expected to explain in concrete terms how the requested financial assistance will increase the facility's ability to use restoration byproducts from nearby federal or Tribal projects, and how that increased utilization will help reduce the costs of restoration activities overall.
What does it mean to "connect the dots" in a WPIA proposal?
Based on the opportunity description, a competitive proposal should clearly link the infrastructure investment to greater processing of restoration material, and then link that increased processing capacity to lower per-acre or per-project restoration costs (for example, by improving logistics, reducing disposal needs, and strengthening local markets for restoration byproducts).
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity lists a wide range of eligible applicants, including for-profit entities, state and local governments, Indian Tribes, school districts, communities, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and special purpose districts such as public utilities districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports.
Do applicants have to be a specific type of organization to be competitive?
The emphasis described is not on organizational form, but on whether the proposed facility investment will measurably increase the ability to purchase and process restoration byproducts from nearby federal or Tribal lands in high-risk areas, while supporting forest health, wildfire risk reduction, and local economic resilience.
What are examples of facility investments that might fit this program?
Examples mentioned include establishing a new facility, reopening a closed facility, retrofitting or modernizing equipment, expanding throughput, and making operational improvements that allow the facility to reliably utilize restoration byproducts.
How does this program relate to federal and Tribal land restoration work?
The program is designed to support infrastructure that can utilize the wood and biomass removed during restoration projects on federal and Tribal lands. By strengthening processing capacity near these landscapes, the program aims to make restoration projects more feasible and cost-effective.
What is the original posting timeline information for this opportunity?
The posting indicates a creation date of 2023-10-18 and an original closing date of 2023-12-01. This timing may be useful for anyone looking up the original notice or tracking similar future rounds of WPIA funding.
What category of funding activity is this grant?
The opportunity is categorized as a natural resources funding activity.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Natural Resources
Next opportunity: National Park Service 21st Century Conservation Service Corps & Civilian Climate Corps Program - National Youth Cooperative Agreements
Previous opportunity: F24AS00011- FY24 Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grants
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for USDA FS WPIA 2024
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA FS WPIA 2024) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| 2024 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program Apply for USDA FS COMMUNITY WOOD 2024 Funding Number: USDA FS COMMUNITY WOOD 2024 Agency: Forest Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Wood Utilization Assistance Apply for USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2024 Funding Number: USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2024 Agency: Forest Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Threatened and Endangered Species Program Apply for L24AS00041 Funding Number: L24AS00041 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Cultural and Paleontology Resource Management Apply for L24AS00040 Funding Number: L24AS00040 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program, National Ground-Water Monitoring Network Apply for G24AS00405 Funding Number: G24AS00405 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Plant Conservation and Restoration Management Apply for L24AS00042 Funding Number: L24AS00042 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Aquatic Resource Management Apply for L24AS00038 Funding Number: L24AS00038 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Invasive and Noxious Plant Management Program Apply for L24AS00095 Funding Number: L24AS00095 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Recreation and Visitor Services Program Apply for L24AS00094 Funding Number: L24AS00094 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Alaska Rangeland Resource Management Apply for L24AS00086 Funding Number: L24AS00086 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Alaska Invasive and Noxious Plant Management Program Apply for L24AS00084 Funding Number: L24AS00084 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Cultural and Paleontology Resource Management Apply for L24AS00075 Funding Number: L24AS00075 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $32,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Idaho (ID) Threatened and Endangered Species Program Apply for L24AS00096 Funding Number: L24AS00096 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Alaska Plant Conservation and Restoration Management Apply for L24AS00083 Funding Number: L24AS00083 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Alaska Recreation and Visitor Services Program Apply for L24AS00076 Funding Number: L24AS00076 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $375,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Recreation and Visitor Services Program Apply for L24AS00049 Funding Number: L24AS00049 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY24 IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington (ORWA) Rangeland Resource Management Apply for L24AS00048 Funding Number: L24AS00048 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| FY24 Bureau of Land Management Wild Horse and Burro Resource Management - Off Range Apply for L24AS00087 Funding Number: L24AS00087 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $7,500,000 |
| F24AS00061 - FY 2024 Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) Program Apply for F24AS00061 Funding Number: F24AS00061 Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| IIJA/IRA Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fuels Management and Community Fire Assistance Program Apply for L24AS00135 Funding Number: L24AS00135 Agency: Bureau of Land Management Category: Natural Resources Funding Amount: $800,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "USDA FS WPIA 2024", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.