Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2023
The Wood Utilization Assistance opportunity (also referred to as the USDA Forest Service Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity) is a discretionary grant program designed to grow and speed up wood products and wood energy markets across the United States. The core idea is to turn hazardous fuels and other low-value wood residues generated from forest management work on National Forest System lands and other forestlands into useful, saleable products and energy. By expanding end markets for this material, the program aims to make forest restoration and fuel-reduction work more practical and affordable, while also supporting local jobs and community benefits tied to a stronger forest-products economy.
This funding is framed around major federal authorities and policy goals, including the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Rural Revitalization Technologies authorities, and the Inflation Reduction Act. In practical terms, the Forest Service is trying to address a nationwide problem: enormous volumes of small-diameter trees and woody debris removed to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health often have limited market value, and disposal can be expensive. By investing in the infrastructure, project readiness, and market development needed to use that material, the program supports three main priorities: reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest health, lowering the cost of forest management across all land types, and strengthening the economic and environmental well-being of communities.
The types of projects the agency is looking for are generally later-stage and market-facing, meaning proposals should be close enough to implementation to realistically move the needle on wood utilization in the near term. Competitive applications can include work such as completing engineering designs, cost analyses, and permitting for commercial construction projects that use wood as a primary building material, or for wood energy projects that need to finish development steps in order to secure financing. The notice is clear that early-stage concepts and preliminary development ideas are not expected to be competitive, so applicants are typically expected to show a strong level of readiness, clear pathways to construction or deployment, and credible market outcomes.
Beyond readiness activities, the program also supports efforts to expand manufacturing capacity and related infrastructure for wood products that align with forest ecosystem restoration, such as processing facilities, supply-chain improvements, and market development for restoration byproducts. Another eligible direction is demonstration and data-driven storytelling: building an actual commercial structure that uses wood and then quantifying the environmental and economic benefits, along with credible projections of what those benefits could look like if similar approaches were replicated more broadly in the national commercial construction market. The opportunity also includes support for organizing and coordination at the state level, specifically to establish statewide wood utilization teams and statewide wood energy teams, but only in states that do not already have, and have not previously had, such teams. In addition, the Forest Service is interested in proposals that build clusters of wood energy projects in a particular region or within a specific sector (for example, prisons, hospitals, universities, or industrial settings), as well as projects that directly tackle market barriers that currently limit commercial adoption of wood energy.
Eligibility is broad and includes for-profit businesses, state and local governments, Tribal governments, school districts, community-based and other nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and special purpose districts such as public utility districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports. The funding activity category is Natural Resources and the CFDA (now Assistance Listing) number is 10.674. For the referenced cycle (USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2023), the listed award ceiling is $300,000, and the original closing date shown is 2023-03-23. Application materials referenced in the announcement include the official instructions and the application form (FS-1500-050), and the Forest Service also provided a prerecorded webcast to walk applicants through the process.Apply for USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2023
- The Forest Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Wood Utilization Assistance" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.674.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-01-31.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-03-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Wood Utilization Assistance (USDA Forest Service Wood Innovations) - FAQs
1) What is the Wood Utilization Assistance opportunity?
The Wood Utilization Assistance opportunity (also referred to as the USDA Forest Service Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity) is a discretionary grant program intended to grow and speed up wood products and wood energy markets across the United States. Its focus is on increasing practical, near-term utilization of wood material that is often low-value or costly to dispose of.
2) What problem is this funding trying to solve?
The Forest Service is addressing a nationwide challenge: forest management and wildfire-risk reduction activities generate enormous volumes of small-diameter trees, hazardous fuels, and woody debris. These materials can have limited market value, and disposal can be expensive. The program invests in market development and project readiness so that this material can be turned into useful products and energy instead of becoming a cost burden.
3) What is the main goal of the program?
The core idea is to convert hazardous fuels and other low-value wood residues generated from forest management work on National Forest System lands and other forestlands into saleable products and energy. By expanding end markets, the program aims to make forest restoration and fuel-reduction efforts more practical and affordable while supporting jobs and community benefits tied to a stronger forest-products economy.
4) What are the program's main priorities?
The opportunity is described as supporting three main priorities:
- Reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest health
- Lowering the cost of forest management across all land types
- Strengthening the economic and environmental well-being of communities
5) What kinds of projects does the Forest Service want to fund?
The agency is generally looking for later-stage, market-facing projects that are close enough to implementation to produce real wood-utilization outcomes in the near term. The emphasis is on projects that can realistically move toward construction, deployment, or expanded utilization soon, rather than purely exploratory ideas.
6) Are early-stage ideas competitive under this opportunity?
The notice indicates early-stage concepts and preliminary development ideas are not expected to be competitive. Applicants are typically expected to show strong project readiness, a clear path to construction or deployment, and credible market outcomes.
7) What are examples of "project readiness" activities that could be funded?
Competitive applications can include readiness work such as completing engineering designs, cost analyses, and permitting for commercial construction projects that use wood as a primary building material. Readiness activities can also apply to wood energy projects that need to finish development steps in order to secure financing.
8) Does the opportunity support commercial construction projects that use wood?
Yes. The announcement describes support for activities tied to commercial construction projects that use wood as a primary building material, including practical pre-construction steps like engineering, cost analysis, and permitting.
9) Does the opportunity support wood energy projects?
Yes. The opportunity includes support for wood energy projects, particularly those that are far enough along that completing remaining development steps would help secure financing or enable deployment.
10) Can the grant be used to expand manufacturing capacity or related infrastructure?
Yes. The program supports efforts to expand manufacturing capacity and related infrastructure for wood products aligned with forest ecosystem restoration. Examples mentioned include processing facilities, supply-chain improvements, and market development for restoration byproducts.
11) What does "demonstration and data-driven storytelling" mean in this context?
The opportunity includes a direction focused on building an actual commercial structure that uses wood and then quantifying the environmental and economic benefits. It also includes producing credible projections of what those benefits could look like if similar approaches were replicated more broadly in the national commercial construction market.
12) Are statewide wood utilization or wood energy teams eligible for funding?
Yes, but with a specific limitation. The opportunity includes support for organizing and coordination at the state level to establish statewide wood utilization teams and statewide wood energy teams only in states that do not already have, and have not previously had, such teams.
13) What are "clusters of wood energy projects," and are they supported?
The Forest Service expresses interest in proposals that build clusters of wood energy projects in a particular region or within a specific sector. Examples of sectors mentioned include prisons, hospitals, universities, and industrial settings.
14) Does the program fund work that addresses barriers to adopting wood energy?
Yes. The announcement states interest in projects that directly tackle market barriers that currently limit commercial adoption of wood energy.
15) Where is the wood material expected to come from?
The opportunity is centered on material generated from forest management work on National Forest System lands and other forestlands. The focus is on hazardous fuels and other low-value wood residues generated through restoration, fuel-reduction, and related forest health work.
16) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- For-profit businesses
- State and local governments
- Tribal governments
- School districts
- Community-based and other nonprofit organizations
- Institutions of higher education
- Special purpose districts (examples given include public utility districts, fire districts, conservation districts, and ports)
17) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category listed for this opportunity is Natural Resources.
18) What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this program?
The CFDA (now referred to as the Assistance Listing) number provided is 10.674.
19) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) for the referenced cycle?
For the referenced cycle (USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2023), the listed award ceiling is $300,000.
20) What was the closing date shown for the referenced cycle?
For the referenced cycle described (USDA FS WOOD INNOVATIONS 2023), the original closing date shown is 2023-03-23.
21) What application materials are referenced in the announcement?
The announcement references official instructions and the application form FS-1500-050. It also mentions that the Forest Service provided a prerecorded webcast to walk applicants through the process.
22) What federal authorities or policy goals does this funding align with?
The funding is framed around major federal authorities and policy goals, including the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Rural Revitalization Technologies authorities, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
23) What types of outcomes is the Forest Service looking for in competitive proposals?
Based on the description, competitive proposals are expected to show credible market outcomes and near-term impact on wood utilization. The emphasis is on practical steps that lead to construction, deployment, expanded manufacturing capacity, or measurable adoption of wood products and wood energy, rather than concepts that are still in preliminary development.
24) How does this program relate to forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction?
The program is designed to make restoration and fuel-reduction work more practical and affordable by improving the economics of handling low-value woody material. By increasing end markets for hazardous fuels and residues, projects can help reduce treatment costs and support ongoing forest health work.
25) Why does the program emphasize market development and end markets?
The opportunity explains that low-value woody material can be expensive to dispose of and often lacks strong markets. By investing in infrastructure, readiness, and market development, the program aims to create dependable end markets so restoration byproducts can be used productively and sold, improving the overall feasibility of forest management treatments.
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