Mendocino National Forest

2005 Fact Sheet

Introduction: Grants in the range of $10,000-25,000 are available on a competitive basis.

Eligibility: The bulk of funding is available to communities, organizations and tribes certified as elegible under the criteria in Subtitle G of the 1990 Farm Bill, Economic Recovery Program (National Forest Dependent Rural Communities Economic Diversification Act of 1990 {7 U.S.C. 6601}). Contact your local National Forest Rural Development Coordinator to determine eligibility. Approximately 20% of funding is available under Rural Development (1989, PL 100-446, 102 stat. 1774, 1803, and subsequent legislative history), , Forest Product Conservation and Development (Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of July 1, 1978 {16 U.S.C. 2101, 2104-2105}), and Resource Conservation and Development (The Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act of July 22, 1937 as amended, {U.S.C. 1010-1012}). Regardless of funding authority, all projects must be identified in a broad based community action plan which has been developed by a local community action team.

Eligible Projects: Proposals must address natural resource-based opportunities or enterprises. Eligible projects include development of a community action plan and measures to assess community progress in achieving objectives identified in the plan, support for community development staff to perform specific activities identified in a community action plan, transfer of new technology to assist businesses and communities in economic development and diversification efforts, completion of market, prefeasibility or feasibility studies, projects that hep meet energy resource needs through development of renewable energy, organizing natural resource based business cooperatives, projects that will utilize woody biomass removed from forest health or fuels reduction projects, development of heritage based tourism opportunities, natural resource based art and crafts industries, tourism marketing programs to benefit multiple communities, and filling gaps that other programs can not fill.

Proposal Process: Project proponents should work with local Forest Service Rural Development Coordinators in development of proposal applications due to Forest offices by May 6, 2005. Forests will review, evaluate and rank local projects according to funding priority. A Regional evaluation team will review the projects and Forests will be notified of project selections for funding by June 8, 2005.

Funding: The Federal contribution to the overall implementation of an action plan shall not exceed 80 percent of the total cost of the plan, including administrative and other costs. In calculating the Federal contribution, the Secretary shall take into account the fair market value of equipment, personnel, and services provided by the Forest Service and other Federal agencies. The direct Federal dollars are reimbursement for dollars spent.

Additional information on Forest Service economic assistance programs may be seen at www.fs.fed.us/r5/spf/about/coop.shtml. Applications, assurances and certifications are available at www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/.

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[Link]: United States Department of Agriculture national web site. [Link]: Forest Service national web site.