The USDA Forest Service awarded six million dollars to our program with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Eighty-percent of these dollars will go out as pass-through grants to disadvantaged communities, while the remaining 20% will go toward unmet needs within the program. Applicants will be eligible to receive a 100% match waiver as required by the federal government—that’s right, no match!
In addition, our program is receiving an additional six million dollars from the Washington State Legislature. These dollars are funded out of the new Climate Commitment Fund and must be spent in the ’23-’25 biennium which starts on July 1. It is very likely that some of these dollars will be available for grants to constituents outside of those disadvantaged communities, and some matching funds will be required. Pass-through grants funded by both state and federal dollars will be announced in the fall of 2023. Applications will likely be due in January, though final decisions on timelines, funding amounts, and match requirements among other details, have not yet been made.
