Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS TMU 2010
Apply for USDA FS TMU 2010
- The Forest Service in the business and commerce energy environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.674 Wood Utilization Assistance.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 9, 2009 and posted on Sep 17, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Nov 20, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 35 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments City or township governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Small businesses Special district governments For profit organizations other than small businesses.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization (WBU) Grants are a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, specifically the State and Private Forestry Technology Marketing Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory. The program is designed to increase the practical, profitable use of woody biomass that is generated when forests are treated to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health. In many restoration and fuel reduction projects, the material that gets removed is small-diameter trees, low-value stems, and other woody residues that can be expensive to handle and difficult to sell. This grant program targets that bottleneck by helping communities and businesses create or expand markets that can absorb this material, turning what is often treated as waste into marketable forest products and/or energy products. In effect, the program aims to make restoration work more effective and sustainable by improving the economics of removing excess fuels from both public and private forestlands.
At a high level, the intent is market development and utilization: supporting projects that build demand, improve supply chains, and increase the capacity to process, transport, and convert hazardous-fuels biomass into usable outputs. The grant is rooted in the idea that hazardous fuel reduction and forest restoration become easier to implement at scale when there are viable end uses for the material removed. By funding utilization-focused projects, the Forest Service is trying to reduce disposal costs (such as piling and burning), encourage local forest-based economic activity, and support solutions that can be replicated in other regions facing similar forest health and wildfire risk challenges.
The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number USDA FS TMU 2010 and is associated with CFDA 10.674 (Wood Utilization Assistance). The program spans multiple activity areas, including business and commerce, energy, environment, and natural resources, reflecting its dual focus on ecological outcomes (fuel reduction, forest health) and economic outcomes (new or expanded biomass markets). The Forest Service anticipated making about 35 awards under this solicitation, with an estimated total funding amount of $10,000,000.
Individual awards are expected to range from $50,000 to $350,000 (award floor and ceiling), and the program includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement. That means applicants should be prepared to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or allowable in-kind support, depending on the program rules) to help cover project costs, which is often used to ensure local commitment and to stretch federal dollars further across multiple projects.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that could realistically build biomass utilization capacity or help commercialize products. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status); small businesses; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses. This wide eligibility reflects the reality that woody biomass utilization projects often involve partnerships among public agencies, communities, universities, nonprofits, and private industry.
Key timeline details for this specific posting include a posted date of September 17, 2009, with an original and current closing date of November 20, 2009, and an archive date of March 1, 2010. While those dates indicate the particular solicitation cycle referenced is historical, the summary captures the structure and purpose of the program as described in the announcement.
For additional details, applicants were directed to an external website link in the notice. The listed contact for assistance with accessing the full announcement was Susan LeVan Green, Program Manager, reachable by phone at 608-231-9518, with a note indicating that program managers could also be contacted via a work email address.
Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization (WBU) Grants - FAQs
What are the Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization (WBU) Grants?
The Hazardous Fuels Woody Biomass Utilization (WBU) Grants are a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service. The program is managed by the State and Private Forestry Technology Marketing Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory.
What is the main purpose of the WBU grant program?
The program is designed to increase the practical, profitable use of woody biomass generated when forests are treated to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health. It focuses on building or expanding markets and supply chains so that removed material can be turned into marketable forest products and/or energy products rather than treated as waste.
What problem is this program trying to solve?
Many restoration and fuel reduction projects remove small-diameter trees, low-value stems, and other woody residues that are expensive to handle and difficult to sell. This creates a bottleneck that can make restoration work more costly. The WBU program targets that bottleneck by supporting utilization-focused projects that can absorb and convert this material into usable outputs.
How does woody biomass utilization support forest restoration and hazardous fuels reduction?
By creating viable end uses for the material removed during hazardous fuels reduction and restoration, the program aims to improve the economics of these treatments. When there are markets for the material, projects can reduce disposal needs (such as piling and burning) and make fuel reduction work more sustainable and scalable across public and private forestlands.
What types of activities or projects does the program support?
At a high level, the program supports market development and utilization projects, including efforts to build demand, improve supply chains, and increase capacity to process, transport, and convert hazardous-fuels biomass into usable outputs (forest products and/or energy products).
Which agency and unit administer this grant opportunity?
The grant opportunity is from the USDA Forest Service, specifically the State and Private Forestry Technology Marketing Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number USDA FS TMU 2010 and is associated with CFDA 10.674 (Wood Utilization Assistance).
What funding areas does this program relate to?
The program spans multiple activity areas, including business and commerce, energy, environment, and natural resources. This reflects the dual intent of supporting ecological outcomes (fuel reduction and forest health) and economic outcomes (biomass market development and local forest-based economic activity).
How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding?
The Forest Service anticipated making about 35 awards under this solicitation, with an estimated total funding amount of $10,000,000.
What is the expected award size (minimum and maximum)?
Individual awards were expected to range from $50,000 to $350,000 (award floor and ceiling).
Is there a cost share or matching requirement?
Yes. The program includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement. Applicants should be prepared to contribute non-federal resources to help cover project costs (which may include cash and/or allowable in-kind support, depending on the program rules).
Why does the program require cost sharing or matching?
The cost share/match is intended to demonstrate local commitment and help stretch federal funding across multiple projects.
Who is eligible to apply for the WBU grants?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status); small businesses; and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.
Why is eligibility so broad for this program?
Woody biomass utilization projects often require partnerships and coordination among public agencies, communities, universities, nonprofits, and private industry. The wide eligibility reflects the range of organizations that may be positioned to build utilization capacity or help commercialize products.
Does this opportunity apply to projects on public lands, private lands, or both?
The program aims to improve the economics of removing excess fuels from both public and private forestlands by supporting utilization-focused projects that can make use of the resulting biomass.
What were the key dates for this specific posting?
The posted date was September 17, 2009. The original closing date and current closing date were both November 20, 2009. The archive date was March 1, 2010.
Is this specific solicitation cycle still open?
No. The dates listed (closing date in 2009 and archive date in 2010) indicate that the specific solicitation cycle referenced in the notice is historical.
Where were applicants directed to find additional details?
For additional details, applicants were directed to an external website link included in the notice.
Who was listed as the contact for assistance with accessing the full announcement?
The listed contact was Susan LeVan Green, Program Manager, reachable by phone at 608-231-9518. The notice also indicated that program managers could be contacted via a work email address.
What kinds of outcomes is the Forest Service trying to achieve with this program?
The program aims to reduce disposal costs (such as piling and burning), encourage local forest-based economic activity, and support utilization solutions that can be replicated in other regions facing similar forest health and wildfire risk challenges.
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