The Hazard Fuels Reduction (HFR) Grant Program is administered by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) with funding support from the USDA Forest Service’s State & Private Forestry Branch. It is specifically designed to support wildfire risk mitigation efforts on non-federal lands that are adjacent to federally managed projects. The HFR program focuses on advancing community safety and forest resilience by reducing hazardous fuels, with the intention of aligning these efforts directly with federal land management objectives.
The HFR program allows applicants to seek up to $240,000 in reimbursement-based funding for eligible projects. Unlike its companion WSFM program, the HFR grant does not impose a formal cost match or leverage requirement, though applicants are encouraged to show matching resources to strengthen their proposals. Projects funded through HFR must be located adjacent to federal lands where a complementary federal project has either been completed in the past three years or is planned to begin within the next three years. This adjacency requirement is strictly enforced and serves to enhance cross-jurisdictional coordination and impact.
All HFR-funded activities must be tied to a Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan (CWPP), which may be a standalone document or integrated into a county’s all-hazard mitigation plan. Eligible activities under the HFR program include fuel reduction treatments such as thinning, creation of shaded fuel breaks, prescribed burning, and slash removal. The grant program does not fund general public education or outreach activities. The only educational activities that may be supported are those directly tied to project implementation and involve participant-specific instruction. This distinction sets the HFR grant apart from other wildfire mitigation programs that may support broader community education initiatives.
Eligible applicants include state governments, local governments, federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, and educational institutions. All applicants must demonstrate how their projects meet HFR requirements, including the federal adjacency and CWPP alignment. Proposals must clearly articulate project goals, scope, anticipated outcomes, and how the activities support both local and federal wildfire mitigation objectives.
The application cycle for the FY26 HFR Grant opened on January 21, 2026, with proposal packets made available on the IDL website. An informational webinar is scheduled for February 4, 2026, to assist potential applicants with project planning and understanding proposal expectations. Final proposals must be submitted via email to [email protected] by March 31, 2026, at 5:00 PM PST. Applicants will be notified of their funding status in fall 2026. Projects selected for funding will proceed to contracting and implementation phases beginning in late 2027, after final approvals and agreements are signed with the U.S. Forest Service.
Attend the informational webinar to improve project alignment and proposal quality.
