2026 Wildfire Resilience Block Grants

Purpose: CAL FIRE's Wildfire Resilience Program awards funding to build local capacity while providing financial and technical forestry assistance to nonindustrial forest landowners. The power of this program comes from the regional partner’s ability to set parameters for assistance that directly meet the unique needs of the landowners in their local region. Description: Projects under this grant: Make funding available through agreements with private nonindustrial forest landowners to pay for specific, non-commercial ecological forest improvement and wildfire resilience practices to the extent they support reforestation and longevity of existing regeneration.Provide technical assistance to promote information sharing and education on the full range of effective reforestation practices and opportunities as well as forest management education and management planni Promote long-term storage of carbon in forest trees and soils through reforestation and reduction of forest overcrowding and pests. Further the goals of the California Forest Carbon Plan, California’s Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, California’s Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan, California’s Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire, and AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan.CAL FIRE seeks to significantly increase reforestation of forests degraded by infestation, and catastrophic fire. Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit Other Legal Entity Public Agency Applicants are limited to Resource Conservation Districts (RCD’s), local and state agencies, and special districts capable of acting as lead agency for CEQA projects. These applicants must demonstrate they have the capacity to deliver a forestry based technical and financial assistance program to non-industrial forest landowners. Eligible Geographies: No specific geographic areas. All forested areas in CA are eligible where they are owned by a nonindustrial forestland owner. Publicly owned lands are not eligible. Matching Funding Requirement:     Important Dates Expected award announcement The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant. November 15, 2026 Period of performance The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized. January 31, 2031. Anticipated Open Date Summer 2026 Funding Details Total estimated available funding The total projected dollar amount of the grant. $10,000,000 Expected number of awards A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. 4 – 9 Estimated amount per award Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. $100,000 – $5,000,000 Letter of Intent Required? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent. No Requires Matched Funding? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source. No Funding Source: The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number. State Funding Method: The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly).

Purpose: CAL FIRE's Wildfire Resilience Program awards funding to build local capacity while providing financial and technical forestry assistance to nonindustrial forest landowners. The power of this program comes from the regional partner’s ability to set parameters for assistance that directly meet the unique needs of the landowners in their local region. Description: Projects under this grant: Make funding available through agreements with private nonindustrial forest landowners to pay for specific, non-commercial ecological forest improvement and wildfire resilience practices to the extent they support reforestation and longevity of existing regeneration.Provide technical assistance to promote information sharing and education on the full range of effective reforestation practices and opportunities as well as forest management education and management planni Promote long-term storage of carbon in forest trees and soils through reforestation and reduction of forest overcrowding and pests. Further the goals of the California Forest Carbon Plan, California’s Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, California’s Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan, California’s Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire, and AB 32 Climate Change Scoping Plan.CAL FIRE seeks to significantly increase reforestation of forests degraded by infestation, and catastrophic fire.