CAL FIRE Grants Program

CAL FIRE's Wood Products and Bioenergy team seeks to maintain and enhance the forest-sector workforce and businesses of California to promote healthy resilient forests throughout the state by supporting a diverse set of business development and workforce development projects. Eligible business development projects include facilities, operations, and professional services that support the restoration of healthy, resilient forests by offering improvements to the wood products industry. Eligible workforce development projects include universities, colleges, government and community organizations, and businesses that aim to increase workforce capacity in the fields of logging, fuels treatment, transportation, manufacturing, or other support services that bolster the development of a resilient forest sector workforce. Research and development projects related to both business and workforce development will also be considered.

STATUS: Continuous. Now accepting applications. 

California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP) program encourages private and public investment in, and improved management of, California forest lands and resources. This focus of CFIP is to ensure adequate high quality timber supplies, related employment and other economic benefits, and the protection, maintenance, and enhancement of a productive and stable forest resource system for the benefit of present and future generations. Cost-share assistance is provided to private and public ownerships containing 20 to 5,000 acres of forest land. Cost-shared activities include management planning, site preparation, tree purchase and planting, timber stand improvement, fish and wildlife habitat improvement, and land conservation practices.

STATUS: Continuous. Now accepting applications.

CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Program funds active restoration and reforestation activities aimed at providing for more resilient and sustained forests to ensure future existence of forests in California while also mitigating climate change, protecting communities from fire risk, strengthening rural economies and improving California’s water & air. Through grants to regionally-based partners and collaboratives, CAL FIRE seeks to significantly increase fuels management, fire reintroduction, treatment of degraded areas, and conservation of forests.

STATUS: Closed. Please check back for future funding opportunities.

Through the Forest Health Research Program, CAL FIRE funds scientific studies that provide critical information and tools to forest landowners, resource agencies, fire management organizations and policy makers on a variety of priority topics related to forest health and wildfire in California ecosystems.  Funding is offered for four types of projects: general research, research occurring on Demonstration State Forests, graduate student research, and science synthesis/tool development.   The Research Program is supported by California Climate Investments (CCI).

STATUS: Request for Proposals opening September 2022.

The purpose of the Forest Legacy Program is to protect environmentally important forest land threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. Protection of California’s forests through this program ensures they continue to provide such benefits as sustainable timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, watershed protection and open space. Intact forests also contribute significantly to the storage and sequestration of carbon.

STATUS: Closed. Please check back for future funding opportunities.

The Rural Fire Capacity Grant Program is a federally-funded grant program that allows California to provide local and rural fire departments with minor firefighting, training, communications and safety equipment for their volunteer firefighters.

STATUS: Closed. Please check back for future funding opportunities.

Through the California Climate Investments (CCI) Urban & Community Forestry Grant Program, CAL FIRE works to optimize the benefits of trees and related vegetation through multiple-objective projects as specified in the California Urban Forestry Act of 1978 (Public Resources Code 4799.06-4799.12). These projects further the goals of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), result in a net greenhouse gas benefit, and provide environmental services and cost-effective solutions to the needs of urban communities and local agencies. Co-benefits of the projects include increased water supply, clean air and water, reduced energy use, flood and storm water management, recreation, urban revitalization, improved public health, and producing useful products such as bio-fuel, clean energy, and high quality wood. 

STATUS: Closed. Please check back for future funding opportunities.

CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grants Program provides funding for fire prevention projects and activities in and near fire threatened communities that focus on increasing the protection of people, structures, and communities. 

Project Types and Activities – Qualifying projects and activities include those related to hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention planning, and wildfire prevention education with an emphasis on improving public health and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

STATUS: Closed. Please check back for future funding opportunities.

The purpose of the block grant is to allow prospective grantees the ability to provide a program of financial and technical forestry assistance to nonindustrial forest landowners, where the grantee serves as the supervising entity, receives the grant from CAL FIRE and then provides outreach and/or technical/financial assistance to landowners so they can conduct forest restoration or management activities on their property. In 2020, CAL FIRE awarded $2.2M to two grantees in an initial pilot program.

STATUS: Closed. Please check back for future funding opportunities.

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