Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2022 West | USDA FS 2022 CWDG CWSF

Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) 2022 West - FAQs

What is the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) 2022 West?

The Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) 2022 West is a discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (CFDA 10.720). It is designed to help at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes reduce wildfire risk through both planning and on-the-ground mitigation.

What is the main purpose of this grant?

The grant focuses on strengthening communities in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where homes, critical infrastructure, and community assets meet or intermingle with fire-prone vegetation. The overall aim is to help communities become better prepared by using locally driven plans and projects that reduce the likelihood of catastrophic loss and support safer, more effective wildfire management.

What kinds of communities does the program focus on?

The program emphasizes at-risk communities located in the WUI, especially those facing the greatest need under the authorizing law.

How does the program define or prioritize "greatest need" communities?

The authorizing law gives priority to at-risk communities that (1) are in areas identified as having high or very high wildfire hazard potential, (2) are low-income, and/or (3) have been impacted by a severe disaster. Applicants are expected to consult the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for how these factors are defined and what documentation is required.

Where do applicants find the detailed eligibility and documentation requirements for priority factors?

Applicants should refer to the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which explains how applicants can demonstrate eligibility and how priority factors influence selection.

What are the program goals this grant supports?

The CWDG is structured around the three goals of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy: (1) restoring and maintaining landscapes to be more resilient to fire-related disturbances and aligned with land management objectives across jurisdictions, (2) creating fire-adapted communities where people, homes, and infrastructure can better withstand wildfire with reduced property damage and no loss of life, and (3) improving wildfire response through coordinated, risk-based decision-making and implementation across all jurisdictions to support safer and more efficient response operations.

What project types can be funded under this opportunity?

Funding is available for two main project types: (1) development or revision of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs), and (2) implementation projects that are described in an existing CWPP, as long as that CWPP is less than ten years old.

What is a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) in the context of this program?

A CWPP is a locally developed plan that identifies wildfire risks, sets priorities, and outlines strategies for reducing hazards and improving preparedness.

Can this grant fund on-the-ground mitigation work?

Yes. The implementation track supports tangible mitigation actions, but they must be projects already described in an existing CWPP that is less than ten years old.

Can this grant pay for creating or updating a CWPP?

Yes. One funding track supports the development or revision of CWPPs, supporting the planning work needed to create or update a CWPP.

Is there a recency requirement for the CWPP used for implementation projects?

Yes. For implementation projects, the project must be described in an existing CWPP that is less than ten years old.

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

For the 2022 West opportunity, the funding instrument is a grant.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is up to $10,000,000 per award.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity indicates an expected total of about 200 awards.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), in both cases other than institutions of higher education.

Are Indian Tribes included in eligible applicants?

Yes. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and the program is designed to help at-risk local communities and Indian Tribes reduce wildfire risk.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible even if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?

Yes. The eligible applicant list includes nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education).

What are the funding activity areas associated with this grant?

The program falls under the funding activity areas of disaster prevention and relief and natural resources.

What law authorizes this grant program?

This grant is authorized by Public Law 117-58, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number referenced for this program is 10.720.

What is the official opportunity name and number?

The official opportunity listing is identified as "Community Wildfire Defense Grant 2022 West" with the opportunity number USDA FS 2022 CWDG CWSF.

When was this opportunity created and what were the application dates?

The opportunity was created on July 27, 2022, with an original closing date of October 7, 2022.

How does this program help shift communities from reactive to prepared?

It supports locally driven plans (CWPP development or revision) and implementation of prioritized mitigation projects from a recent CWPP, with the intent of reducing the likelihood of catastrophic loss and enabling safer, more effective wildfire management.

What role does coordination across jurisdictions play in this grant?

One of the program goals is improving wildfire response by encouraging coordinated, risk-based decision-making and implementation across all jurisdictions, which supports safer and more efficient response operations.