Closes in 3 daysOpportunity USDA-FS-UCF-01-2026

2026 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program

Forest Service · Department of Agriculture

At a glance

2026 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program is an open federal grant opportunity from the Forest Service (Department of Agriculture). Applications are due October 12, 2026. Individual awards are listed as $200K – $750K, with about 5 awards expected and $1M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts and 4 more. Cost sharing or matching is required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 10.675 (Urban and Community Forestry Program).

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

Key facts

Aug 12, 2026Posted
Oct 12, 2026Application deadlinenext date

Posted: Aug 12, 2026
Close date: Oct 12, 2026
Award floor: $200,000
Award ceiling: $750,000
Est. total funding: $1,000,000
Expected awards: 5
Cost sharing: Required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary

Who can apply

State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public colleges & universities
Federally recognized tribal governments
Public & Indian housing authorities
501(c)(3) nonprofits

Also named in the notice's eligibility text

Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status

Matched from the wording above by GrantsJunction — confirm in the full announcement.

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

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The intent of the National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share grant program is to advance solutions to the economic, health, and environmental challenges faced by communities. This year’s program focuses on advancing community tree resource utilization, which can reduce waste and create value by turning wood generated from pruning, removals, storm events, and pest or disease outbreaks into useful products. These products may include lumber, slabs, furniture, flooring, biochar, or other materials that strengthen local economies, reduce disposal costs, and improve community resilience.

The program seeks practical, creative, and replicable projects that help communities establish or expand wood‑utilization efforts. Competitive proposals will demonstrate how the project supports existing community forestry plans, applies industry‑recognized safety and tree‑care standards, and delivers clear economic, environmental, or workforce benefits. Projects should outline anticipated wood products, partnerships with professional or industry organizations, and opportunities for job creation, training, or certification.

This program is intended for communities and their partners seeking to improve the management and use of their urban and community forests. Eligible applicants include state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and other community‑based partners.

Projects must conform to laws and authorities in Section 9 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act ([16 U.S.C. 2105] Urban and Community Forestry Assistance) as amended.

Additional information from the agency ↗

Full announcement & documents

The full announcement has the complete rules — page limits, required attachments, evaluation criteria and any letter-of-intent dates. Files download directly from Grants.gov.

How to apply

0 of 8 done · progress saved in this browser

Read the full announcement (NOFO)Eligibility, evaluation criteria, page limits and required attachments are in the full notice on Grants.gov. Open ↗
Confirm eligibility and fitCheck your organization type above, and plan for the required cost sharing/match.
Register (or renew) in SAM.gov and get a UEIFree. New registrations can take several weeks; registrations must be renewed every year. Open ↗
Set up Grants.gov accessCreate a Grants.gov account and make sure someone has the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role. Open ↗
Open the application packageUse opportunity number USDA-FS-UCF-01-2026 on Grants.gov (Grants.gov Workspace). Open ↗
Prepare narrative, budget and attachmentsFollow the notice's format exactly — page limits and required forms are common reasons applications are rejected.
Ask the agency contact any questions earlyNancy N Stremple Urban Forestry Program Splst · nancy.stremple@usda.gov Open ↗
Submit before October 12, 2026Submit a few days early and keep your Grants.gov confirmation and validation emails.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

10.675Urban and Community Forestry ProgramProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 10.675

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$9.76M

FY25

$1.49M

FY26

$7.3M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 10.675. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Nancy N Stremple Urban Forestry Program Splst
nancy.stremple@usda.gov
202-205-7829

Quick answers

When is the deadline for “2026 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program”?

According to the official notice, applications are due October 12, 2026. Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.

Who is eligible to apply for “2026 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program”?

The official notice names these applicant types as eligible: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public colleges & universities, Federally recognized tribal governments, Public & Indian housing authorities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.

How much funding is available through “2026 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $200k – $750k, total estimated program funding is $1,000,000 and the agency expects to make about 5 awards.

How do I apply for “2026 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity USDA-FS-UCF-01-2026), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

Closes in 4 daysALN 10.689