Funds to Enhance Innovative Wood Products and Value Chains

The Richard King Mellon Foundation (RKMF), one of the nation's most prominent philanthropic institutions with a 2023 year-end endowment of \$2.9 billion, has issued a targeted Request for Proposals (RFP) to support the development, deployment, and scaling of innovative wood products and value chains. This initiative falls under RKMF's Conservation program area, which has a longstanding history of funding efforts that protect critical habitats and promote sustainable community development. With over \$1 billion already invested in conservation efforts across all 50 states, this RFP reflects a strategic evolution to include market-based mechanisms that sustain working forests. Working forests are central to the U.S. forest-based economy and conservation infrastructure. These forests contribute to over 950,000 jobs and generate more than \$280 billion in GDP annually. However, declining markets for hardwoods and small-diameter or low-grade timber have created challenges for sustainable forestry management. The rise of engineered wood products and novel wood-based technologies offers an opportunity to counteract these market declines, restore value to lower-grade timber, and incentivize long-term forest stewardship. RKMF's RFP seeks proposals that enhance the adoption and scalability of wood-based construction materials such as cross-laminated timber (CLT), glue-laminated timber (glulam), and nanocellulose composites, among others. It also welcomes projects that address innovation in packaging, biochar, thermally modified wood, wood-based energy, and bioplastics. Proposals may focus on product development, commercialization, supply chain reinforcement, workforce upskilling, demonstration projects, or market adoption campaigns. Social impact investments are also available to early-stage for-profit firms through program-related investments (PRIs). Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, public sector entities, and scalable for-profit companies based in the United States. Projects must demonstrate measurable outcomes aligned with RKMF’s conservation and economic development goals. Each proposal must include a sustainability plan, defined metrics for success, and a monitoring and evaluation framework. RKMF emphasizes projects with a rural economic development component, particularly in regions with conserved natural landscapes. Grants will fund activities over a 6- to 18-month period and may support program delivery, capital investments, consulting, evaluation, and administrative costs. There is no set ceiling or floor on the funding amount. The Foundation will not fund endowments, political activities, retroactive expenses, deficits, or event sponsorships. Proposals that meet eligibility requirements and clearly articulate both ecological and economic benefits will be given priority. The application deadline is Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by December 5, 2025, with disbursement of funds scheduled for December 23, 2025. While RKMF will not answer questions before submission, applicants may contact [rkmf@rkmf.org](mailto:rkmf@rkmf.org) with inquiries following proposal submission using the subject line "Innovative Wood Products RFP." Through this funding initiative, the Richard King Mellon Foundation aims to catalyze long-term innovation and economic resilience in the forest products sector while reinforcing its environmental conservation mission.

Focus on measurable rural economic development and conservation impacts. Use precise metrics. Proposals that align both economic and ecological goals are prioritized.