Community Wildfire Defense Grant
Forecasted
Community Wildfire Defense Grant supports at-risk communities and Tribes with wildfire protection planning, hazardous fuel mitigation, and community education to reduce wildfire risk.
Funder: Utah Department of Natural Resources
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Round 3 awarded about $200 million nationally; Utah award example: $293,122
Summary: Supports at-risk communities and Tribes in planning for and reducing wildfire risk through community wildfire protection plans and implementation projects.
Key Information: Implementation projects must be described in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan less than 10 years old.
Description
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) program helps at-risk communities and Tribes plan for and reduce wildfire risk. The USDA Forest Service administers the program in partnership with state forestry agencies, including Utah’s Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. Funding supports developing or revising Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) and carrying out projects identified in qualifying plans.
The program helps communities in the wildland-urban interface advance the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy: restoring and maintaining landscapes, creating fire-adapted communities, and improving wildfire response. It prioritizes communities with high or very high wildfire hazard potential, low-income communities, and communities affected by severe disasters that increase wildfire risk. Supported work includes hazardous fuel mitigation and community education.
