FY2026 Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program for Non-Federal Lands
The USDA Forest Service is accepting applications under USDA-FS-2026-LSR (Assistance Listing 10.742) for competitive grants supporting collaborative science-based restoration on eligible rural non-federal forestland. Projects can reduce wildfire risk, restore habitat and watersheds, address invasive species and forest pests, and improve long-term forest resilience. This is applicant financial assistance, not government procurement.
Funding and deadlines
The Forest Service estimates up to $11,340,000 total across this competition and 20-40 awards. This program-wide pool is not an individual award. Ordinary individual awards range from $100,000 to $300,000 for single-state projects, and can reach $600,000 for multistate projects. The minimum is $50,000 for qualifying specified island jurisdictions. The agency may award less than requested. Applicants normally must provide 1:1 non-federal matching funds; a published match exception applies to specified island jurisdictions and freely associated states for grants of $500,000 or less.
State Forester sponsorship: December 17, 2026. Except for federally recognized Tribes, applicants must send a draft project narrative and budget to the relevant State Forester for sponsorship consideration by Thursday, December 17, 2026. Final Grants.gov deadline: Tuesday, January 26, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include state forestry or equivalent agencies, units of local government, Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Native Hawaiian Organizations, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher learning. For-profit entities are ineligible. A separate USDA-FS-2026-LSR-TRIBAL competition exists; eligible Tribal applicants may apply to either or both programs but cannot receive duplicate funding for the same work.
Activities must occur on eligible rural non-industrial private forestland, Tribal forestland, or rural state or local government forestland; rural generally excludes Census places with more than 50,000 residents. Federal land and ineligible urban land are excluded. Projects must advance a State Forest Action Plan or equivalent science-based strategy and demonstrate measurable outcomes.
Allowable expenses and restrictions
Examples include wildfire fuels treatments, forest and riparian restoration, invasive pest treatments, wildlife habitat improvement, eligible reforestation and technical assistance to private forest owners. The NOFO excludes construction of buildings, roads and major land improvements, land acquisition and conservation easements, direct grants or reimbursements to individual landowners, basic research, and small-business start-up funding. Equipment purchases meeting the federal equipment threshold require additional justification and approval. Match costs must also be allowable.
How to apply
Maintain active SAM.gov registration and valid UEI; create and submit a Grants.gov Workspace application. Required materials include SF-424, SF-424A, a narrative of at most five pages, a detailed budget with federal and non-federal match, and State Forester sponsorship documentation unless the applicant is a federally recognized Tribe. Equipment justification and special UAS requirements apply when relevant. Final applications cannot be emailed or mailed.
Controlling official source: USDA Forest Service FY2026 Non-Federal Lands NOFO, October 2026 (23 pages). Read the full NOFO and application instructions before applying. Official-source research verified October 28, 2026.