Grants to USA nonprofit organizations, for-profits, government agencies, Tribal governments, IHEs, and school districts in eligible states and territories to broaden the wood product and energy industrial markets. Applicants are advised that required registrations must be completed prior to applying. Funding is intended to support projects that improve the environmental and economic health of communities, lower costs of forest management on all land types, reduce hazardous fuels, and enhance forest health.

The following states are eligible to apply for Statewide Wood Energy Team funding: All States except AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, KY, MA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MT, NC, NE, NH, NM, NY, OR, PA, VA, VT, WA, WI, and WV. The States listed have already received funding to establish a Statewide Wood Energy Team.

The following states are eligible to apply for  Statewide Wood Utilization Team funding: All States except for AL, AZ, AR, CO, HI, MI, MN, MS, MT, NC, NM, NY, OR, PR, SC, VA, and WI. The States listed have already received funding to establish a Statewide Wood Utilization Team.

Executive Order 13985: “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government”: Applications that can show a clear benefit to underserved/historically marginalized people and the communities where they reside or the forest areas that they value are encouraged.

The intent of the Wood Innovations funding opportunity is to stimulate, expand, and support U.S. wood products markets and wood energy markets to support the long-term management of National Forest System and other forest lands.

Projects can include, but are not limited to:

• Completing requirements, such as architectural and engineering designs, cost analyses, and permitting necessary for 1) commercial construction projects that use wood as a primary building material, and/or 2) wood energy project development to secure financing. Early phase project development proposals and feasibility studies will not be competitive.
• Establishing or increasing wood products manufacturing capacity and/or markets that support forest ecosystem restoration
• Showcasing quantifiable environmental and economic benefits of using wood as a sustainable building material in a constructed commercial building to increase acceptance and encourage growth in the construction industry.
• Establishing statewide wood utilization teams or statewide wood energy teams. Only proposals from States without an existing or former team will be considered. Identification of currently and previously funded statewide teams can be done at Section VIII.A (Questions) of this document.
• Developing a cluster of wood energy projects in a geographic area or specific sector; or installing a wood energy system at a facility (e.g., prisons, hospitals, universities, manufacturing, or industrial sector) that will use forest woody biomass or forest products manufacturing residues.
• Developing commercial woody biomass and wood product utilization industrial parks.
• Overcoming market barriers and stimulating expansion of wood energy in the institutional, commercial, or industrial sectors.
• Implementing applied research projects that engage with or involve industry partners to resolve gaps in practical knowledge that can lead to readily applied and near-termadvances in the wood products or wood energy market.
• Purchase stationary wood energy equipment to create markets to support forest management. 

Preference will be given to proposals that:

• Create or expand markets for wood and biomass generated by forest health and hazardous fuels reduction projects on National Forest System and other U.S. forested lands.
• Support development of domestically sourced timber and U.S. manufacturing of mass timber and other wood products.
• Involve wood products or wood industry partners.
• Support commercial building markets or other markets that use innovative wood products.
• Bundle or address multiple wood energy or wood products projects.
• Commit to utilizing domestically sourced timber for mass timber construction projects.
• Support, benefit, or engage communities that are historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality (pursuant to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government).
  

Note:

• Proposals incorporating commercially proven technologies will be competitive.
• Construction and equipment purchases will NOT be funded under this funding opportunity with one exception: Stationary wood energy equipment is the only equipment purchase eligible for grant funds; however, wood energy equipment is subject to the regulations at 2 CFR § 200.310, 2 CFR § 200.313, and 2 CFR § 200.316.
• Basic research will not be considered. Applied research and demonstrations projects will be considered.
• Projects must provide a preference for the purchase, acquisition, or use of goods, products, or materials produced in the United States pursuant to 2 CFR § 200.322.
• Expenses for self-marketing or self-promotion are not eligible expenses (e.g., company brochures, business cards, display materials, web sites, other electronic media, etc.).
• Proposals should align with Forest Service Regional priorities and State Forest Action Plans.

A cluster for the purpose of this funding opportunity is a wood energy system that serves multiple buildings at a single location (e.g., district heating) or wood energy systems installed at multiple locations in close proximity in an attempt to further expand the use of commercially available technology and/or expand wood fuel markets. A grant provided under this opportunity can support final engineering of the wood energy systems or production.