Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS WERC 2013 SWET
Apply for USDA FS WERC 2013 SWET
- The Forest Service in the agriculture energy natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USDA FS WERC 2013 SWET" 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 Jul 3, 2013 and posted on Jul 9, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 5, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- State, local and Tribal governments, non profit organizations, public utilities districts
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Opportunity Summary:
The USDA FS WERC 2013 SWET grant opportunity was a discretionary funding program run by the U.S. Forest Service through the Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) to advance the broader USDA, multiagency Wood to Energy Initiative. Its main purpose was to fund collaborative, statewide wood energy teams that could move wood-based energy from the planning stage toward real-world installation of commercially viable wood energy systems. Rather than supporting one-off studies with no pathway to implementation, the opportunity emphasized coordinated, statewide efforts that could build momentum, share expertise, and generate a pipeline of projects that were realistically financeable and technically feasible.
A central theme of the program was partnership-building across the public and private sectors. The Forest Service invited “public-private statewide teams” to apply, with the expectation that teams would help form geographic clusters (for example, a region within a state where multiple facilities could adopt wood heat or combined heat and power) or business-sector clusters (such as schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, manufacturing, or other institutions with steady thermal loads). The underlying idea was that clustered development can lower transaction costs, create repeatable project models, strengthen local supply chains for wood fuel, and make it easier for communities and investors to see wood energy as a proven, bankable option rather than an isolated experiment.
The types of activities eligible for support were practical development and pre-development tasks that remove barriers to project adoption. The announcement specifically highlighted workshops and technical assistance that deliver technical, financial, and environmental information to prospective project hosts and stakeholders. It also pointed to preliminary engineering assessments, which typically include early-stage screening of technologies and system sizing, fuel supply and logistics considerations, site suitability, and order-of-magnitude cost estimates. Community outreach was also called out as an eligible activity, reflecting the reality that local acceptance, clear communication about air quality and sustainability, and informed decision-making are often decisive factors in whether wood energy projects move forward in public institutions and private industry.
Funding was provided through cooperative agreements, meaning the agency anticipated an active relationship with awardees rather than a simple pass-through grant. The total estimated funding available was $1,000,000, with an expectation of about three awards. Individual awards ranged from a floor of $10,000 up to a ceiling of $250,000. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, so applicants needed to bring non-federal resources to the table, which aligns with the program’s emphasis on committed partnerships and tangible follow-through.
Eligibility extended to state, local, and Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and public utility districts, with the broader category listed as “Others” and clarified in the eligibility text. The funding activity categories spanned agriculture, energy, and natural resources, and the opportunity was tied to CFDA 10.674 (Wood Utilization Assistance), which is consistent with the goal of promoting productive, value-added uses of wood resources, including energy applications that can support forest management and local forest-based economies.
Key dates and administrative details were clearly defined. The opportunity was posted on July 9, 2013 (created July 3, 2013), and required completed electronic applications to be submitted to WERC by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 5, 2013. The program later archived on October 11, 2013. Applicants were directed to the WERC website for the full announcement materials, specifically the link for “2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams.” For access issues or assistance, the listed contact was Edward Cesa, Deputy Director at WERC, reachable by phone at 304-285-1530.
In plain terms, this grant opportunity was designed to help states organize and accelerate real wood energy project development by funding the coordination, technical groundwork, and stakeholder engagement needed to turn wood energy interest into implementable projects, with an emphasis on building repeatable clusters rather than isolated demonstrations.
USDA Forest Service WERC 2013 SWET Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the USDA FS WERC 2013 SWET grant opportunity?
The USDA Forest Service (FS) Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) 2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams (SWET) opportunity was a discretionary funding program intended to advance the USDA multiagency Wood to Energy Initiative by supporting statewide, collaborative efforts to develop wood-based energy projects.
What was the main purpose of this funding program?
The program focused on moving wood-based energy from planning toward real-world installation of commercially viable wood energy systems. It emphasized practical project development and pre-development work that could lead to implementable, financeable, and technically feasible projects.
What kinds of applicants was the Forest Service looking for?
The announcement invited public-private statewide teams. The program expected applicants to build partnerships across public and private sectors and to coordinate statewide efforts rather than pursue isolated, one-off activities with no pathway to implementation.
What is meant by a “Statewide Wood Energy Team” in this opportunity?
A Statewide Wood Energy Team refers to a collaborative, statewide group organized to accelerate wood energy project development. The idea was to coordinate expertise, reduce duplication, share lessons learned, and build a pipeline of wood energy projects that could realistically move forward.
Did the program prefer clusters of projects instead of single projects?
Yes. A central concept was clustered development, either as geographic clusters (multiple potential host facilities in a region within a state) or business-sector clusters (for example, schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, manufacturing, or other institutions with steady thermal loads).
Why did the opportunity emphasize geographic or business-sector clusters?
The program rationale was that clusters can lower transaction costs, create repeatable project models, strengthen wood fuel supply chains, and help communities and investors view wood energy as a proven and bankable option rather than an isolated experiment.
What types of activities were eligible for support?
Eligible activities were practical development and pre-development tasks intended to remove barriers to adoption. The announcement specifically highlighted workshops, technical assistance, preliminary engineering assessments, and community outreach.
What kinds of workshops or technical assistance were encouraged?
The program highlighted workshops and technical assistance that deliver technical, financial, and environmental information to prospective project hosts and stakeholders, helping them make informed decisions about wood energy options.
What is a preliminary engineering assessment in the context of this grant?
Preliminary engineering assessments were described as early-stage evaluations that typically include screening of technologies and system sizing, fuel supply and logistics considerations, site suitability, and order-of-magnitude cost estimates.
Was community outreach an eligible activity?
Yes. Community outreach was explicitly called out as eligible, reflecting the importance of local acceptance, clear communication about air quality and sustainability, and informed decision-making for both public institutions and private industry.
Was this grant intended to fund stand-alone studies?
The opportunity emphasized moving toward implementation and discouraged one-off studies that lacked a pathway to real projects. The focus was on coordinated efforts that could produce implementable results.
How was funding awarded (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
Funding was provided through cooperative agreements, meaning the agency expected an active relationship with awardees rather than a simple pass-through arrangement.
How much total funding was estimated to be available?
The total estimated funding available for the opportunity was $1,000,000.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity indicated an expectation of about three awards.
What was the minimum and maximum award size?
Individual awards ranged from a minimum (floor) of $10,000 to a maximum (ceiling) of $250,000.
Was a cost share or match required?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, so applicants needed to bring non-federal resources to support the work.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility included state, local, and Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, and public utility districts. The opportunity also listed a broader category as “Others,” clarified within the eligibility text.
What subject areas or funding activity categories did this opportunity cover?
The funding activity categories included agriculture, energy, and natural resources.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was tied to CFDA 10.674, Wood Utilization Assistance.
When was the opportunity posted and when was it created?
The opportunity was posted on July 9, 2013, and was created on July 3, 2013.
What was the application deadline and time zone?
Completed electronic applications were required to be submitted to WERC by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 5, 2013.
Where were applications submitted?
Applications were submitted electronically to WERC, as specified in the opportunity details.
Where could applicants find the full announcement materials?
Applicants were directed to the WERC website for the full announcement materials, specifically the link labeled “2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams.”
When was the program archived?
The opportunity was archived on October 11, 2013.
Who was the listed contact for questions or access issues?
The listed contact was Edward Cesa, Deputy Director at WERC.
What phone number was provided for the program contact?
The phone number provided for Edward Cesa at WERC was 304-285-1530.
How does this opportunity relate to the broader Wood to Energy Initiative?
The SWET opportunity was designed to advance the broader USDA, multiagency Wood to Energy Initiative by supporting statewide teams that could turn wood energy interest into implementable projects.
What kinds of project hosts were implied as potential targets for wood energy adoption?
The announcement referenced potential clusters among institutions with steady thermal loads, including schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, manufacturing, and other similar facilities.
What was the overall practical intent of the program in plain terms?
In plain terms, it was designed to help states organize and accelerate real wood energy project development by funding coordination, technical groundwork, and stakeholder engagement, with an emphasis on repeatable clusters rather than isolated demonstrations.
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