Annual fall application window described by DOF; 2026 portal-specific opening and closing details not independently established. Hold pending verification of actual current-cycle acceptance and application form.
Virginia — Forest Sustainability Fund for Local Government (Annual October 1–November 15 Window; Formula-Based Awards)
FundingIndividual locality award maximum not separately published; formula-based distribution after November 15 calculated from eligible foregone forestland use-value tax revenue and available Fund resources. No current-cycle total appropriation independently confirmed.
DeadlineDOF states the program's usual annual October 1–November 15 application window; November 15, 2026 is the calendar-date target, but the current-cycle portal closing time/time zone and live acceptance status were not independently verified.
Last verified2026-11-04
Required next actionConfirm 2026 current-cycle portal status and any locality-specific notice with Virginia DOF; gather locality contact details, W-9, adopted forest-use-tax ordinance and calculations of foregone revenue; apply through DOF System Access Portal for Forestry Grants by the agency-confirmed November 15 annual cutoff. Program page: https://www.dof.virginia.gov/forest-management-health/community-assistance-with-forestland-conservation-and-management/forest-sustainability-fund-for-local-government/
Broad Eligibility
Virginia county or city governments with forest use value assessment. Required documents include the locality W-9, adopted forest use taxation ordinance, and amount of foregone revenue. Fund revenues used for public education, outdoor recreation, or forest conservation.
Atlas Analysis
2026-11-04: Reviewed authoritative Virginia DOF Forest Sustainability Fund page and DOF grants portal overview. Confirmed government-applicant financial allocation to offset forest use-value property tax losses; verified annual Oct 1–Nov 15 customary application period, applicant eligibility, required W-9/ordinance/foregone-revenue data, distribution after application close, and legally specified public education/outdoor recreation/forest conservation spending uses. Current 2026 portal authorization, exact deadline time and annual pool not independently confirmed; do not claim fully verified or approved. WordPress query confirmed no published or unpublished title match. Nonprocurement applicant aid; leave Pending Review.
Virginia Forest Sustainability Fund for Local Government — Fall 2026 Application Window
Funder: Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). The Forest Sustainability Fund provides applicant-facing state financial assistance to qualifying local governments to offset some property-tax revenue they forgo because eligible forestland receives use-value assessment. This is an annual formula-based local-government allocation opportunity, rather than a vendor procurement contract.
Eligible applicants: Virginia county and city governments that maintain a forest use-value assessment program. Localities must document a valid ordinance establishing forest-use taxation and the amount of foregone tax revenue attributable to such taxation. Nonprofits, private landowners, and school districts are not direct applicants to this fund.
Available funding: DOF does not publish a fixed maximum individual locality award for this cycle on the program page. Individual distributions are calculated after the application period using reported foregone revenues and the available fund allocation. No overall 2026 funding appropriation was independently confirmed from the official current guidance; historical figures should not be presented as 2026 awards.
Application timing: DOF states that its annual applications are generally accepted October 1 through November 15. The page describes a recurring annual application period but does not separately verify the current grant-portal opening, an exact closing hour, or a time zone for 2026. Applicants should confirm portal availability and the current-cycle instructions directly with DOF.
Permitted uses: Virginia’s established program directs fund distributions to public education, outdoor recreation, or forest conservation. Funds offset the fiscal effect of forest-use value taxation rather than paying competitive service contractors for government purchases.
Documents and submission: Prepare basic locality contact information, a W-9, the adopted forest-use taxation ordinance, and calculations of foregone tax revenue. DOF sends annual application notices to eligible localities and accepts applications via its System Access Portal for Forestry Grants. Use the official Forest Sustainability Fund program guidance for eligibility and instructions.
Source verificationOfficial government source · www.dof.virginia.govAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-04. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
