Faith-Based and Strategic Local Investments

The Nuestros Bosques initiative, organized by the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF) in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, offers funding to enhance urban and community forestry in disadvantaged communities across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The initiative, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, focuses on increasing equitable access to urban forests, promoting community-led environmental resilience, and supporting broader federal environmental priorities, including Justice40 and the Ten-Year Urban Forestry Action Plan. The program seeks projects that contribute to community well-being through tree planting, forest planning, and community engagement, ultimately mitigating urban heat effects, reducing pollution, and bolstering environmental and public health. The total funding for this Request for Proposals (RFP) is $10,786,295, with $2 million allocated specifically for faith-based organizations and the remaining $8,786,295 for strategic investments involving federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, Tribal organizations, and community-based nonprofits. Grants will range from $50,000 to $1 million, with a maximum project duration of up to three years, concluding by December 31, 2027. Funding is provided as a cost-reimbursement subaward, and no cost match is required. Selected projects must deliver measurable benefits directly to disadvantaged communities identified using federal environmental justice tools. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, faith-based organizations (FBOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), federally recognized tribes, and tribal organizations. Projects must focus on eligible non-federal lands and demonstrate alignment with one or more of the initiative’s primary goals: urban and community forestry planning, tree planting and maintenance, and community engagement to foster access to nature and environmental stewardship. Faith-based applicants must serve the public without religious restrictions on services and may not use funds for explicitly religious activities. The application process includes a detailed project narrative, understanding of local priorities, evidence of collaboration, a budget with a narrative, an evaluation plan, a sustainability strategy, mapping and census data for disadvantaged communities, and a financial capability questionnaire. Applicants must also demonstrate organizational capacity for project management and compliance with federal guidelines. Proposal evaluation criteria cover project alignment with program goals, potential impact, local priority understanding, collaboration, feasibility, monitoring, and sustainability, with a scoring system out of 100 points. Applications open on October 18, with a deadline of November 15, 2024. Decisions are expected in winter 2024-2025. A launch webinar on October 18 provides an overview of the program, including Q&A on the application process. Reporting requirements include bi-annual progress and financial updates, a final report due in March 2028, and impact reporting for public transparency. For additional support, applicants may connect with HAF’s Community Navigators for guidance on application preparation and project execution.