2026 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program
Posted by Forest Service
Opportunity snapshot. This Grants.gov announcement — 2026 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program — is cataloged under number USDA-FS-COMMUNITY-WOOD-2026 and tied to CFDA assistance listing 10.708, posted by Forest Service. Grants.gov currently shows the opportunity as open, first posted on February 18, 2026 and last updated on February 23, 2026. The funding category is Discretionary, delivered as a grant.
Award economics. The award range on file is $10,000 -- $1,000,000. Cost sharing is not required, so applicants do not need to commit matching funds to be competitive on this opportunity. Federal award ranges are often upper bounds; actual allocations reflect program appropriations, the strength of the applicant pool, and the evaluation committee's scoring.
Deadline and action path. Applications close on April 22, 2026. Every Grants.gov submission requires an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Review the Eligibility section below carefully — federal eligibility categories (nonprofit, state or local government, tribal, individual, educational institution, small business) have distinct registration and reporting requirements. Pre-application outreach to the listed agency contact is permitted and often welcomed — it helps clarify scope and scoring priorities.
Award Range
$10,000 -- $1,000,000
Close Date
April 22, 2026
Posted
February 18, 2026
Instrument
Grant
Description
The USDA Forest Service is delivering the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program (Community Wood) to support the Rural Revitalization Technologies 7 U.S.C. Sec. 8113 and Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 Pub. L. 115-334 Sec. 9013, and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) Pub. L. 117-58 Div. J Title VI which directly support the installation of thermally led community wood energy systems or development and expansion of innovative wood product facilities. The intent of the Community Wood is to support forest health and stimulate local economies by expanding renewable wood energy use and innovative wood products manufacturing capacity. The Forest Service solicits proposals for projects that will achieve the following: Expand thermally led community wood energy or innovative wood product opportunities; Improve Forest health; and Stimulate local economies. This funding opportunity is intended for shovel ready projects that will not require additional funding or time to complete after the award period. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to: Install a thermally led community wood energy system for heating, cooling, and/or electricity that replaces fossil fuels such as coal, oil, propane, or natural gas. Purchase and install manufacturing equipment at a mass timber production facility. Expand a sawmill to add higher value production lines that incorporate innovative technologies and cost cutting measures. Purchase and install equipment at a new facility to produce biofuels from forest residues. All awards are based on funding availability. The Forest Service plans to award up to $6 million in total awards under this announcement. The maximum for each award is $1 million to pay for up to 35% of total capital costs. The Forest Service may consider awarding up to $1.5 million (for up to 50% of total capital costs) for a proposal that warrants special consideration, especially for projects located in areas of high unemployment. Matching funds are not required; however, leveraging is required. Applicants must contribute the remaining funds (leveraged funds) necessary to complete the project above and beyond the requested Forest Service funding. For example, if an applicant requests Forest Service funding for 35% of the total capital costs of the project, then the applicant must commit to providing 65% of the total capital costs of the project. In this example, the 65% of the total capital costs are considered the required leveraged funds. Even though leveraged funds have a lower reporting burden and fewer legal requirements than matching funds, applicants must adhere to requirements for leveraged funds. Leveraged funds must be from non-federal sources and be committed within the grant timeframe. Moreover, if third-party organizations contribute to the leveraged funds requirement, then applicants must submit with their proposal package commitment letters from the third-party organizations confirming the amount of leveraging being committed. A pre-recorded webcast that presents information on applying for this funding opportunity can be found at FY26 Community Wood Pre-Application Webcast (Available by 2/20) Additional details on the funding opportunity can be found at Wood Innovations Homepage Instructions on how to apply for funding and the official application can be downloaded at the following weblinks: Instructions FY26 Community Wood Program Community Wood Grant Application (FS-1500-0051) Community Wood Grant Factsheet
Eligibility
25
Official Listing on Grants.gov
View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.
Agency Contact
Alex Kazer <br/>Wood Innovations Specialist
Key Dates
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Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.
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