The New York Department of State recently announced the availability of up to $7 million in grant funding in fiscal year 2023 for northern border communities – including Orleans and Genesee counties – through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s (NBRC) 2023 Forest Economy Program. Eligible organizations, including nonprofit and governmental entities (state, local and tribal), within the Northern Border region of New York State can apply for grants up to $1 million for each project to support the local forest-based economy and to assist in the forest industry’s evolution to include new technologies and viable business models.
“New York’s forested lands are a huge contributor to our state’s economy and provide significant benefits to both residents and visitors,” said New York State Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “This round of federal grant funding has the potential to help support, modernize and diversify this critical, but often overlooked, piece of New York State’s economy.”
Funds will be awarded to support projects in the forest economy, which may include one (or multiple) of the following:
•Community development projects that support the diversified use of forests within the Northern Border Regional Commission’s service area for economic activity to include wood products and advanced materials manufacturing, as well as for other economic activity that utilizes northern border forests sustainably and demonstrates planning for climate resiliency.
•Workforce training and development projects for the purpose of building the skills and recruiting and retaining the workforce needed for forest businesses.
•Marketing/communication and education projects that promote the environmental and climate benefits of forest management and forest products in ways that strengthen markets for wood products.
•Business planning and technical assistance projects that enhance the viability and sustainability of new and existing forest businesses.
•Public infrastructure projects that directly support the forest industry, and/or that demonstrate the use of wood-based products in public infrastructure.
Potential applicants must submit Letters of Interest (LOI) to be considered for funding. LOIs will be accepted on a rolling basis with two deadlines for summer and winter award consideration. LOIs for summer award consideration are due by March 10, 2023, by 5 p.m., and LOIs for winter award consideration are due by September 15, 2023, by 5 p.m. LOIs must be submitted as one pdf file to fep@nbrc.gov with the email subject line of “FOREST ECONOMY PROGRAM LOI.”
LOIs will be evaluated by a nine-member Advisory Board, consisting of forest economy representatives from each of the four NBRC states. The Advisory Board will determine which applicants will be invited to submit a full application, due either April 28 for summer award consideration or November 3 for winter award consideration. The application and required support documentation must be submitted via one email to fep@nbrc.gov with the e-mail subject line of “FOREST ECONOMY PROGRAM APPLICATION.”
For additional information, including the 2023 Forest Economy Program overview and timeline, visit https://www.nbrc.gov/content/FEP.
For those considering applications in 2023, contact NBRC Forest Economy Program Manager Marina Bowie (603-369-3001 or mbowie@nbrc.gov) or New York State NBRC Program Manager Kyle Wilber (518- 473-3694 or wilber@dos.ny.gov).
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