Past
Climate
Grant

Matching Awards Program (MAP) Funding Round 2

Deadline:
July 9, 2026
Total Funding
Not specified
Maximum Award
$70,000
Overview

The National Forest Foundation’s flagship competitive grant program, the Matching Awards Program (MAP), focuses on community engagement and completion of appropriate stewardship activities. The program’s goal is to create lasting change that provides all communities with opportunities to benefit from activities on National Forest lands.

Funder

National Forest Foundation

Program

Matching Awards Program

Resources

Applications Due

July 9, 2026

Total Funding

Not specified

Funding Source

Nonprofit

Maximum Award

$70,000

Award Details

There is no official minimum or maximum award amount for the MAP program, and successful proposals vary widely in budget size. In recent years, NFF has considered applications ranging from less than $5,000 to over $70,000.

Eligibility

Nonprofit organizations, Tribal governments and organizations, and universities.

Eligible Activities

  • Community Engagement include, but are not limited to:
    • Public lands days, clean-up days, and similar events
    • Field trips for schools or collaborative groups
    • Outdoor skills training
    • Indigenous ecological practices
    • Ceremonies or celebrations related to natural resources
    • Nature-based therapeutic activities
    • Trail or site ambassador programs
    • Community science projects
    • Implementation of natural resource stewardship projects directly by community members
  • Stewardship Activities include, but are not limited to:
    • Recreation site clean-up
    • Native tree and shrub planting
    • Trail maintenance
    • Invasive species control
    • Forest and watershed restoration
    • Hazardous fuels reduction
    • Ecological or social monitoring to inform management decisions
    • Educating other public lands users to prevent resource damage

Duration

Projects will begin in October 2026 and may run up to 18 months.

Notable Requirements

Projects must take place on U.S. National Forests or Grasslands, or on adjacent public lands, and demonstrate a benefit to the National Forest System lands. There is a required 1:1 cost share of nonfederal match that must be directly received by the applicant organization.

Preferences

The selection committee will prioritize projects that aim to create opportunities to expand beneficiaries and/or collaborative leadership, whether during the MAP-funded performance period or in the future. Projects that are part of a long-term strategy to create or inspire connection to public lands through stewardship activities will also receive priority.

How to Apply

Applicants must begin by completing the MAP eligibility quiz. Upon successful completion of the eligibility quiz, you will receive an email with an access code and instructions that will allow you to initiate an application. Applicants may re-access their application form through the NFF application portal login page.

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