National Forest Foundation Announces 2012 Matching Awards Program Guidelines

NFF is currently soliciting proposals for its Matching Awards Program, which provides matching funds for direct on-the-ground and citizen-based monitoring projects benefiting America's national forests and grasslands.

NFF is interested in supported action-oriented projects that enhance the viability of natural resources while benefiting and directly engaging surrounding communities. MAP funds can be used to support conservation and restoration projects in the areas of wildlife habitat improvement, recreation, watershed health and restoration, and community-based forestry. In addition to focusing on one or more of these four areas of stewardship, NFF requires projects to show a strong commitment to civic engagement and community involvement through the direct involvement of the public in on-the-ground conservation, restoration, and monitoring projects.

The foundation will consider applications from non-federal partners, community-based organizations, Native American tribes, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations implementing action-oriented, on-the-ground conservation and citizen-based monitoring projects on or around national forests or grasslands.

Past awards range from $500 to over $100,000. Organizations new to NFF should keep their first proposal to a moderate sum. All MAP awards require at least a 1:1 cash match of non-federal funds. Projects must be completed within one year. MAP funding is available to support specific conservation and restoration projects and does not provide general programmatic support.
http://nationalforests.org/conserve/grantprograms/ontheground/map