Applications Open for Matching Awards Program (MAP) Round 2 – United States

Deadline: 9 June 2020

The National Forest Foundation (NFF) is currently soliciting proposals for its Matching Awards Program (MAP) to provide funds for direct on-the-ground projects benefitting America’s National Forests and Grasslands.

By pairing federal funds provided through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Forest Service with non-federal dollars raised by award recipients, MAP measurably multiplies the resources available to implement stewardship projects that benefit the National Forest System.

Program Areas

• Outdoor Experiences Program Area
  • The NFF supports results-oriented, on-the-ground, projects that improve the quality, condition, and care of Outdoor Experiences on National Forests by:
    • Improving or maintaining recreation resource connectivity including, and similar to: trail maintenance, bridge and crossing construction or repair, and installation of trail drainage structures; and/or
    • Engaging youth, volunteers, or diverse, underserved or under-engaged populations in hands-on stewardship activities; and/or
    • Employing youth and/or veterans crews to implement on-the-ground conservation, stewardship and/or restoration work.
  • Projects should generate tangible conservation outcomes or enhance high quality recreational experiences for the users of the National Forest System. Funds cannot support improvements of hardened facilities including, and similar to: campgrounds, parking lots, restrooms, visitor centers, and major signage.
• Forest Health Program Area
  • The NFF supports results-oriented, on-the-ground, citizen-involved projects that maintain and/or restore ecosystem resiliency on National Forests by:
    • Promoting ecosystem structure, function and diversity; and/or
    • Promoting forest health through the removal or control of non-native invasive species, and/or reintroduction of native plants and trees.
  • Projects should be consistent with or supportive of identified large-scale conservation initiatives. The NFF will only consider monitoring projects focused on determining the long-term effectiveness of previous NFF-funded on-the-ground work.
• Integrated Projects
  • The NFF encourages projects that cohesively integrate Outdoor Experiences and Forest Health program areas. Ideal projects will have a strong connection to each of the individual program areas, and effectively integrate both in a clear, direct manner.
  • Examples of integrated projects include, but are not limited to the following:
    • Engaging community volunteers to complete riparian plantings as part of a watershed-scale restoration project;
    • Utilizing youth crews from underserved communities to complete habitat stewardship work and forest stand treatments.
  • The most compelling projects will strongly integrate the Outdoor Experiences and Forest Health program areas, and will receive a weighted advantage in evaluation. A project will not be eligible for full weighted advantage if it does not cohesively integrate the two program areas, or only does so nominally.

Project Timing

The proposed project period should be no more than 12 months long and start at least 2 months after the application deadline for the round.

Eligibility Criteria

• 501(c)(3) nonprofits, universities, and Native American tribes are eligible to receive MAP grants. If an organization does not meet this eligibility requirement, it must utilize an eligible fiscal sponsor.
• The NFF encourages applicants to use funding from other sources (including project match) for any portion of a project focused on education, interpretation, inventory, or monitoring.

Application Process

• To proceed in the application process, complete the MAP Eligibility questionnaire through the given website.
• The MAP Request for Proposals (RFP) can be accessed upon successful completion of the eligibility questionnaire.

For more information,  visit https://www.nationalforests.org/grant-programs/map