New FY2026 Tribal landscape restoration grant
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service has opened the FY2026 Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program for Tribes and Tribal Lands, funding opportunity USDA-FS-2026-LSR-TRIBAL, Assistance Listing 10.742. This is a competitive applicant financial-assistance grant, separate from the non-Tribal Landscape Scale Restoration opportunity. The grant supports science-based forest landscape restoration, community wildfire-risk reduction, watershed and fish or wildlife habitat improvements, forest health, and invasive species mitigation.
Individual funding and deadline
The funder anticipates three to five awards, each generally $100,000 to $300,000; final awards may be lower than requested. The Tribal competition has $1,260,000 in total available funding, distinct from the individual $300,000 maximum. Final applications must reach SM.FS.LSR@usda.gov by Tuesday, January 26, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, with a copy to the appropriate Forest Service regional contact. An optional narrative/budget prereview is available by December 11, 2026; this is not a mandatory eligibility deadline.
Applicant and geographic eligibility
Eligible lead applicants are federally recognized Tribal governments, Alaska Native Corporations and Villages, and Tribal organizations qualifying under 25 U.S.C. 5304(l) when applying at a federally recognized Tribe’s request with that Tribe’s support letter. Proposed on-the-ground work must be on eligible rural nonindustrial private forestland, Tribal trust lands, Tribal forest fee land, or eligible rural state/local government forestland. Work on federal lands and urban lands in Census places over 50,000 residents is not eligible. A Tribal applicant should verify the location using the official LSR project planning eligibility tool.
Required match and cost limits
A 1:1 non-Federal cost share is mandatory: for example, a $200,000 federal request requires $200,000 in eligible non-Federal contributions. Cash or allowable verified in-kind resources may count if they are not simultaneously pledged to another federal award. BIA 638 funds may count as specified in the NOFO. Prohibited uses include construction of buildings and roads, land acquisition or conservation easements, direct reimbursements to private landowners, basic research, and small business startup support. Restoration work on eligible private forestland may still be performed by an authorized grantee. Equipment costing $10,000 or above requires a specific Forest Service justification/certification and prior approval; subawards/contracts require prior approval. Applicants may request an established negotiated indirect rate or, if applicable, the 15% modified-total-direct-cost de minimis rate.
Application requirements
Applicant organizations must obtain and maintain active SAM.gov registration and submit the required unique entity identifier. Required materials include a five-page maximum project narrative and a detailed budget table showing federal funds and match. The narrative must identify the eligible project area, science-based restoration strategy, collaboration across land boundaries, measurable on-the-ground deliverables, sustainability, and project timeline of up to three years. Follow additional conditional requirements for equipment and unmanned-aircraft systems. Email the final application to the national Forest Service inbox and copy the appropriate regional contact; do not assume the web listing alone submits an application.
Official listing: USDA Forest Service LSR Tribal grant. Controlling 22-page NOFO: Full program instructions. Questions: SM.FS.LSR@usda.gov.