Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The USDA Forest Service is accepting applications for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program. Eligible applicants, including federally recognized Indian Tribes, local government entities, and qualified conservation nonprofits, must use the funding for the fee simple acquisition of threatened private forest lands that are at least five acres in size. To qualify, projects must be at least 75 percent forested, provide public access and community benefits, and have at least 75 percent of the land situated within the designated Terrestrial Habitat Connectivity Pilot Area of Michigan and Wisconsin. Funded acquisitions must close within a two-year timeframe, and applicants must secure a minimum 50 percent non-federal cost share. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by December 8, 2026, for individual awards of up to $1,000,000 from an estimated total program budget of $3,500,000.