WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is making up to $34 million in funding available to support innovation and jobs in the forestry sector while supporting healthy forest landscapes. The agency is seeking proposals that will spark innovation, create new markets for sustainable wood products and renewable wood energy, and expand processing capacity.

The funding, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, is available through the Forest Service’s three key grant programs to support the forest products economy: Wood Innovations Grant, Community Wood Grant and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs.

“Sustainably sourcing wood to manufacture products makes our forests healthier and our communities more vibrant,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

The agency seeks proposals that support innovative uses of sustainably sourced wood in construction, as a renewable energy source, and in manufactured and processed products. These programs also provide direct support to expand and retrofit wood energy systems and wood products manufacturing facilities nationwide.

The Wood Innovations, Community Wood, and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs have helped build markets, support efficient processing, and strengthen critical wood products infrastructure. The Forest Service has provided nearly $190 million to 482 projects across the country since 2021.

More than $618 million was matched or leveraged from applicants for a total investment of $808 million. These projects also help address the nationwide challenge of reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires, disease, and infestations by retaining or expanding markets for sustainably sourced wood.

The Forest Service is requesting proposals from eligible entities in the private, non-profit and government sectors, including tribes, local and state governments, businesses and for-profit entities, institutions of higher education, as well as public utility, fire, conservation, and school districts, among others.

These investments in the sustainable wood products industry will support forest management projects to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Byproducts from forest management, such as small diameter timber and woody biomass, have historically had little market value. Thanks in part to these Forest Service grant programs, funding is available to support and explore the use of these materials in many types of existing and future commercially viable wood products.

Businesses that are engaged in or support the forest products economy are eligible to apply for funding to expand manufacturing capacity to process wood materials with zero or no commercial value. These businesses are vital employers in local communities, especially in tribal or rural communities.

The investments will also support the Forest Service’s 10-year strategy to address the wildfire crisis in the places where it poses the most immediate threats to communities. The agency is investing in projects that source wood from activities that reduce risks to communities, like prescribed fire and mechanical thinning to reduce the vegetation that fuels wildfires.

Go to the Forest Service webpage for more information on funding for the Wood Innovations, Community Wood and Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Grant Programs.

The USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.

For more information, go to www.usda.gov.