CAL FIRE Forest Health Research Program (FY 2023-24)

Portal ID:
51648
Status:
Closed
Opportunity Type:
  • Grant
Last Updated:
 | 

Details

Purpose:

The intent of CAL FIRE's Forest Health Research Program is to fund scientific research that expands our knowledge in topics related to forest health and wildland fire.  The outcomes of these projects will support agencies, organizations, landowners, and policy makers, while furthering the goals of the California Forest and Wildfire Resilience Action Plan and California Climate Investments.

Description:

The application will consist of a concept proposal followed by review and selection. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal followed by a second review and selection period.

Concept proposals are due by 3 p.m. (PST), January 31, 2024.

Full invited proposals are due by 3 p.m. (PDT), April 17, 2024.

The Forest Health Research Program (hereafter “Research Program”) was established as part of CAL FIRE’s plan for implementing the California Forest Carbon Plan. It is one of several CAL FIRE programs funded through the California Climate Investments (CCI) program, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The mission of the Research Program is:

1)To identify and prioritize research topics in forest health and fire science critical to the State of California 2)To fund sound scientific studies that support forest landowners, resource agencies, and fire management organizations within the state. 3)To ensure scientific information generated from the program is made available to support decision making and policy 4)To further the goals of the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, California Forest Carbon Plan, the California Natural and Working Lands Implementation Plan, CCI, and AB 32 Global Warming Solutions Act.

The program, procedures and requirements apply only to “stand-alone research” projects, where research-related activities are the only activities proposed. Research activities are no longer eligible as a component of larger management-oriented Forest Health projects.

The following topics have been identified as priorities for study for the Research Program for FY 2023-24. Topics are numbered for reference, but not ranked in terms of priority.  Research proposed under this solicitation must address one or more of these priority topics. Research projects should be focused on and relevant to California ecosystems and their management.

1)Disturbance, recovery, and strategies for various types of landowners to increase forest resilience in an altered future climate. 2)Implementation, effectiveness, impacts, and tradeoffs of current and alternative management strategies to reduce unwanted wildfire impacts, increase carbon storage, sustain and promote biodiversity, improve water and air quality, and provide regional economic benefits. 3)Contemporary range of variation and trends in fire regimes, forest conditions and distributions in California ecosystems (particularly those less well studied) in relation to historical or pre-European settlement conditions or processes. 4)Forest products and utilization of forest residues related to fuel reduction and forest health treatments. 5)Human dimensions, socio-economic considerations, and environmental justice issues related to forest health and wildfire management. 6)Improved prediction of wildland fire spread, behavior, severity, patch size, and potential impacts, particularly under extreme weather conditions and/or within the wildland-urban interface. In addition, the following special topics have been identified as priorities for the Research Program for FY 2023-24: 7)Development, implementation, or systematic review of ecological monitoring efforts related to vegetation treatments.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • Individual
  • Nonprofit
  • Public Agency
  • Tribal Government

CAL FIRE will grant funds from the Research Program to public and other nonprofit universities and affiliated academic institutions, local agencies (e.g. counties and special districts), state agencies, federal agencies, Native American tribes; private forest landowners; and non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations (e.g. fire safe councils, and land trusts).

Eligible Geographies:

Projects must be focused on and relevant to California forests and other ecosystems and their management. A significant portion of the geographic area proposed for study must be contained within California and may include adjacent lands contiguous and representative of California sites. Any sites external to California and discontinuous to study areas within the state require justification. Study areas may not be located outside the United States

Important Dates

The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight.
The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant.
May-June 2024
The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized.
2-4 Years

Funding Details

The total projected dollar amount of the grant.
$4,500,000
A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display.
Dependent
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent.
No
Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source.
No
The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number.
  • State
The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly).
  • Advances & Reimbursement(s)

Funding Method Notes:

Research Program funding will be allocated to five projects types, with maximum amount per award as follows (subject to change):

*Wildfire and Forest Research (General): $750,000*

*Demonstration State Forest Research: $750,000*

*Science Synthesis and Tool Development: $750,000*

*Special Topics Research: $250,000*

*Graduate Student: $100,000*

If additional funds become available, additional projects may be selected for award.

How to Apply

State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying.

Resources

For questions about this grant, contact:
1-916-327-3939, FHResearch@fire.ca.gov