Forest Legacy Program Capacity and Project Development 2026
🏛 Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (California)
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Sep 13, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for California organizations working on climate resilience in overburdened and disadvantaged communities. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, tribal communities, local governments, and community groups serving disadvantaged unincorporated communities (DUCs).
Multiple co-applicants are required to form a collaborative governance structure with community, business, and local government stakeholders. Your project area must be in California and address climate resilience goals previously identified in community planning efforts.
Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities, tribal communities, and previous Planning or Implementation Grant applicants receive priority. Project Development Grants fund pre-development and basic infrastructure activities preparing communities for future implementation funding.
Activities must include community engagement and advance climate resilience, emissions reduction, public health, environment, and economic opportunity goals.
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Program description
Eligible Activities: Future Projects – Funding for Forest Legacy Grant Due Diligence: Grant funds can be requested to prepare and develop future working forest conservation easement or fee acquisition projects for completion under a Federal OR State Grant. These will be referred to as “Future Projects” throughout the grant guide. The actual transactions for these Future Projects will need to be prepared and submitted for Federal or State Forest Legacy Funding at a future date, for either Forest Legacy solicitations, or solicitations to other federal or state conservation programs. Projects receiving funding under this grant line item are not guaranteed Federal or State Forest Legacy funding for projects in the future. Future Projects can include costs for preparing the following: Market analysis or restricted use appraisal for Future Projects in development; Preliminary title report and any associated documents listed in that report (deed, easements, MOUs), as well as the costs to remove exceptions; Minerals Remoteness Report or statement; Land survey with acreage and Description verification; Mapping products / GIS; Development and negotiation of Conservation Easement (CE) Deed (if not acquiring in fee); CE Baseline Document (if not acquiring in fee); Phase 1 Environmental Assessment; Forest Management Plan, Agricultural Management Plan and/or Grazing Management Plan; Soliciting and developing potential FLP projects; Organizational staff time associated with preparation of the above mentioned documents or general work towards completion of the project; Salaries, fringe benefits, travel and supplies that directly support the FLP; Facilitating the donation of lands or interests of lands into the FLP. Eligible Applicants: These can include, but are not limited to; nonprofits, land trusts, and conservation organizations. This program will not grant funding to a private person, business or other private entity to hold ownership of these interests (fee title or CE) using State funds. Any applicant not eligible to hold a Land Conservation Easement shall specify the intended Land Conservation Easement organization within the application. Eligible Lands are: Land that can support 10-percent native tree cover of any species, including hardwoods, under natural conditions, and has a minimum of 75 percent forestland or a documented plan that includes sufficient landowner capacity to reforest to at least 75 percent forestland. The land should allow for management of one or more forest resources, including timber, grazing, aesthetics, fish and wildlife, biodiversity, water quality, recreation, and other public benefits. Eligible Costs: The following costs are eligible for reimbursement: Future Projects – Due Diligence for Future Forest Legacy Project (a) The development and due diligence costs for future conservation easement or fee acquisition projects as stated above under Future Projects.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- Nonprofits
- Public Authority
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Project Development Grant Application Form
- Proposal Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Letters of Support from collaborative partners
- Community Engagement Plan
- Environmental/Climate Resilience Goals and Outcomes description
Program contact
- 📧 forestlegacy@fire.ca.gov
- 📞 1-559-281-8479
FAQ
Who can apply for TCC Project Development Grants?
Nonprofits, tribal communities, local governments, and community organizations in California's disadvantaged and overburdened communities. Multiple co-applicants forming a collaborative governance structure are required.
What geographic areas are eligible?
California only. Priority given to Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities, tribal communities, and applicants in areas previously identified through community planning efforts.
What activities can be funded?
Pre-development and basic infrastructure activities advancing climate resilience goals. Examples include community engagement, planning, feasibility studies, and projects supporting emissions reduction and economic opportunity.
When is the deadline?
September 30, 2026. Technical assistance requests should be submitted by July 31, 2026 to receive priority support during application development.
Is there a funding range?
The program has $15 million total available. Individual award amounts are not specified, but funding up to $5 million may be available depending on project scope.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start early and engage your community partners now. Multiple co-applicants and a formal governance structure are required; building alignment takes time.
- Request technical assistance by July 31, 2026 if eligible (tribal communities, tribally-owned nonprofits, or projects in disadvantaged unincorporated communities).
- Ground your proposal in prior community planning work. Show how your project development activities build on existing plans and community-identified priorities.
- Connect your activities to climate resilience outcomes. Clearly link budget items to emissions reduction, health improvements, or environmental benefits.
- Include diverse stakeholders. Demonstrate how community members, local businesses, and government agencies will collaborate in decision-making and implementation.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail to document prior community planning or clear community priorities they're building from. Proposals lack meaningful community engagement or show weak collaborative governance structures without genuine multi-stakeholder participation. Projects don't clearly articulate climate resilience outcomes or fail to connect budget activities to emissions reduction and environmental/health benefits.
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