Forest Conservation

Wildlife Conservation Board · State of California

At a glance

Forest Conservation is an open California state grant opportunity from the Wildlife Conservation Board (State of California). Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Total estimated funding is $10M. Applicant types listed as eligible include nonprofit, public agency and tribal government. It is listed on the California Grants Portal. Cost sharing is not required.

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Opened: Nov 18, 2024
Close date: Ongoing
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: Not specified
Est. total funding: $10,000,000
Expected awards: Not specified
Matching funds: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant

Program details (as published on the California Grants Portal)

Type: Grant
Funding source: State — $10 million of funding specific to the Sierra and Cascade mountain range watersheds. However, WCB will consider general funding sources to support forest restoration projects in watersheds outside the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges.
Matching funds: Not Required — Cost share is not required but may be beneficial, in particular to complete a larger project. Applications with higher proportions of secured cost share contribution towards total project cost will score more points through the “Cost Share” application evaluation criterion.
Funding method: Advances & Reimbursement(s)
Estimated number of awards: Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
Estimated award amounts: Dependant on number of submissions received, application process, etc.
Award period: 2-4 year grant terms
Expected award announcement: Continuous
Letter of intent: Required
Geography: Statewide
How to submit: Online: https://wcb.us-1.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp
Latest change note: Applications can now be submitted on WCB's project portal. An application link has been updated.

Who can apply

Applicant categories as listed on the California Grants Portal. GrantsJunction maps them to detailed applicant types for search and matching.

Nonprofit
Public Agency
Tribal Government

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Purpose and description as published on the California Grants Portal.

Purpose

The Forest Conservation Program supports planning, acquisition, and restoration projects throughout California’s forests, consistent with the Board's Strategic Plan.

Description

The Program was created on November 7, 2006 with the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84). That Act charged the Board to develop a grant program and “…promote the ecological integrity and economic stability of California’s diverse native forests for all their public benefits through forest conservation, preservation, and restoration of productive managed forest lands, forest reserve areas, redwood forests and other forest types, including the conservation of water resources and natural habitat for native fish and wildlife and plants found on these lands” (PRC section 75055a). Additional funding for the Forest Conservation Program was provided by the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access For All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) which authorized the Board to advance “…protection, restoration, and improvement of upper watershed lands in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains, including forest lands, meadows, wetlands, chaparral, and riparian habitat, in order to protect and improve water supply and water quality, improve forest health, reduce wildfire danger, mitigate the effects of wildfires on water quality and supply, increase flood protection, or to protect or restore riparian or aquatic resources” (PRC section 80132d). Project examples include, but are not limited to: • Meadow restoration • Forest thinning (hazard fuel reduction) • Post-fire restoration • Aspen stand enhancement

How to apply

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Read the program guidelinesThe agency's solicitation or guidelines set eligibility details, scoring criteria and required documents. Open ↗
Confirm eligibility and fitCheck your organization type and location (see Geography above).
Submit the letter of intentThis program asks for a letter of intent before the full application; check the guidelines for its due date.
Find out how to submitOnline: https://wcb.us-1.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp Open ↗
Request letters of support and partner commitmentsPartners need time to write and sign letters; ask early.
Finish a full draft of the application and budgetFollow the guidelines' format exactly; state programs often require specific forms and attachments.
Ask the program contact any questions earlyJen Stanfield · Jennifer.Stanfield@wildlife.ca.gov Open ↗
Internal review and sign-offLeave time for leadership or board approval and a final proofread.
Submit while funds remainSubmit a few days early and keep your submission confirmation.

Past applications & awards

Historical data · not a prediction

Reported by the agency for this listing

Fiscal year 2025–2627 applications · 5 awards
Fiscal year 2024–2511 applications · 3 awards

Counts as published on the California Grants Portal. Award counts can read zero until decisions are announced.

Awards published: 3
Total awarded: $6,741,000
Median award: $1,705,000 calculated
Smallest – largest: $1,050,000 – $3,986,000

Recipients by type: Nonprofit (3)

Areas served: Santa Cruz County (1), Amador County (1), Sierra County (1)

Largest awards to organizations

Upper Mokelumne Watershed AuthorityMokelumne Forest Health Enhancement$3,986,000 · FY 2024–25
South Yuba River Citizens LeagueSalmon and Packer Creeks Aspen Restoration$1,705,000 · FY 2024–25
Save the Redwoods LeagueDeadman III Forest Resilience$1,050,000 · FY 2024–25

Source: California Grants Portal grant award data. Awards to individuals are counted but not named. Past awards show who was funded; they do not predict future decisions.

Program contact (as published)

Jen Stanfield
Jennifer.Stanfield@wildlife.ca.gov
1-916-539-4868

Quick answers

Who is eligible to apply for “Forest Conservation”?

The official listing names these applicant types as eligible: Nonprofit, Public Agency and Tribal Government. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full guidelines.

How much funding is available through “Forest Conservation”?

Per the notice, total estimated program funding is $10,000,000.

How do I apply for “Forest Conservation”?

Applications go directly to Wildlife Conservation Board, not through GrantsJunction. Submission: online at https://wcb.us-1.smartsimple.com/s_Login.jsp. Read the program guidelines on the agency's site first; state programs set their own forms and registration requirements.

Other open California state opportunities, matched on agency, categories and wording.

OpenState of California