Division of Forestry and Wildlife

Two grant opportunities are now open and accepting applications: Landscape Scale Restoration Grants and Wildland-Urban Interface Grants. The two grants are listed in the same Request for Information (RFI) listing on the Hawaii Awards & Notices Data System (ehawaii.gov). Note that while the grant opportunities are listed in the same RFI, they have different application deadlines as described below:

Seeking providers for

two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service competitive grant programs:

Wildland-Urban Interface and Landscape Scale Restoration Grants

DLNR Forestry & Wildlife is looking for other non-federal landowners, agencies and organizations interested in collaborating on joint projects across land ownership and management boundaries for both programs:

LANDSCAPE SCALE RESTORATION GRANTS

Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) grants address priority landscapes and/or issues identified in the Hawaii Forest Action Plan and encourage collaborative, science-based restoration projects that encompass a diversity of ownerships at a scale that can address the restoration objectives identified in the project.

A project proposal MUST be designed to achieve one or more of the following Landscape Objectives: 

• Reduce the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires; 
• Improve fish and wildlife habitats, including habitats for threatened and endangered species; 
• Maintain or improve water quality and watershed functions; 
• Mitigate invasive species, insect infestation, and disease; 
• Improve important forest ecosystems; and
• Measure ecological and economic benefits including air quality and soil quality and productivity.

Ineligible activities include but are not limited to purchasing of land, purchasing of technical equipment greater than $5,000 without prior approval by USFS, work on federal land, construction (e.g. new buildings or roads), and research-related activities.

Links to guidance and application forms can be found within the RFI posted on the Hawaii Awards & Notices Data System (ehawaii.gov).

WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE GRANTS

Funds to mitigate risk from wildland fire within the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) are available and awarded annually through a competitive process with emphasis on:

• hazard fuel reduction in the WUI;
• information and education;
• assessment and planning; and
• monitoring through community and landowner action.

Projects that DO NOT qualify include suppression capacity building, such as the purchase of fire department equipment. Applications must describe how the project connects with the goals of the Hawaii Forest Action Plan and an existing Community Wildfire Protection Plan. 

Links to guidance and application forms can be found within the RFI posted on the Hawaii Awards & Notices Data System (ehawaii.gov).

DEADLINES

• Landscape Scale Restoration Grant submittals will be received up to 12:00 PM (HST) on October 16, 2023
• Wildland-Urban Interface Grant submittals will be received up to 12:00 PM (HST) on January 5, 2024.

Email LSR applications to Tanya Rubenstein (Cooperative Resource Management Forester) using subject header “LSR Request for Interest”

Email WUI applications to Michael Walker (State Fire Protection Forester) using subject header “WUI Request for Interest”

All submitted responses must be on the appropriate application form, linked above, and must be editable (i.e. in fillable pdf or MS Word format only). Use English only, and provide all financial information in U.S. dollars. All applications are reviewed and prioritized by DOFAW and DOFAW will load selected proposals into the relevant online system for submission for the competitive western region review/scoring process.