Forest Service Opens $3.5M Community Forest Grant Opportunity in Lake Superior Basin

Milwaukee, Wis., (July 22, 2026) — The Forest Service is offering Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grants through the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program. Working with the Environmental Protection Agency, we expect to make about $3.5 million available to help communities purchase private forestland and establish community forests. Funding is open to projects in Michigan and Wisconsin within the Lake Superior basin, in areas identified as a priority conservation area for the connectivity of wildlife habitat. 

The Great Lakes form the world’s largest surface freshwater system and are the source of drinking water for more than 30 million people. Launched in 2010, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative strategically targets the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem and accelerates progress toward long-term restoration goals. 

Eligible applicants include federally recognized Tribes, local government entities and nonprofit organization that are qualified to acquire and manage land. Applicants may request up to $1 million through this opportunity, which must be matched by non-federal funds at a 1:1 rate. Additional information and requirements may be found by searching funding opportunity number USDA-FS-2026-GLRI-CFP on Grants.gov.   

All applications for this funding opportunity must be received in Grants.gov by December 8, 2026. For more information on completing grant application packages visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/working-with-us/grants-agreements.  

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.  

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