Texas A&M Forest Service offers grants to landowners to complete
prescribed fires on private land. Each grant targets landowners in
different priority areas across the state.
Prescribed Fire Grant Application Period for CPP, SFC-ETX, and NRCBW Grants has closed and will reopen September 1-29, 2025. Click link above to check eligibility.
SFAM Plains Prescribed Fire Grant provides assistance to communities that have been or may be threatened by
wildland fire by funding prescribed burning to reduce hazardous fuels in and around communities. Treatment areas will be located adjacent to priority communities in Texas that are at highest risk for loss during a Southern Plains Wildfire Outbreak event. The goal is to protect high-risk communities and aid in ecosystem restoration by utilizing prescribed fire to consume excess vegetation before it contributes to catastrophic wildfire. Priority will be given to treatments sites that provide protection to the highest risk communities based on data from the Texas Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (TxWRAP) and those communities that contain ecosystems that will benefit from prescribed fire.
The Community Protection Program Grant provides assistance to reduce the hazard of high-risk fuels on private lands through the use of prescribed burning. The treatment area will be within 10 miles of a National Forest boundary. The grant's goal is to protect high-risk communities and associated forest resources by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire on private and public lands. Priority will be given to projects that meet both criteria.
The State
Fire Capacity near Federal Lands in East Texas Prescribed Fire Grant provides assistance to reduce the hazard of
high-risk fuels on private lands and non-federal public lands through the use
of prescribed burning. Treatment areas will be in 20 East Texas counties that
contain concentrations of federal lands, have a high social vulnerability index
rating, and high risk fuels (See interactive eligibility map). The
goal is to protect communities and aid in ecosystem restoration by utilizing
prescribed fire to consume excess vegetation before it contributes to
catastrophic wildfire. Priority will be given to treatments sites that are
within a CWPP, located near federal lands, a Firewise USA site, and near homes
based on Texas Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (TxWRAP). This program has
previously been known as the State Fire Capacity in Central and East Texas
Grant and the State Fire Assistance for Mitigation Grant.
Neches River and Cypress Basin Watershed Restoration Program - Prescribed Fire Grant provides assistance to landowners in utilizing prescribed fire for ecological improvement to the Neches River and Cypress Basin watersheds. This program will benefit the public and natural resources through improvement of water quality and quantity, control of invasive species and enhancement of wildlife habitat. Treatment areas will be private property in the Neches River and Cypress Basin Watersheds. Priority will be given to prescribed burn treatments that promote native ecosystem restoration, are in priority watershed protection zones and near public land.
The Texas Longleaf Conservation Assistance Program provides eligible landowners with financial and technical assistance for establishing, enhancing and managing longleaf pine. Landowners with property within ten East Texas counties which include Angelina, Hardin, Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, San Augustine, Sabine, San Jacinto, Trinity and Tyler are eligible to apply. Approved participants may receive up to 50% payment not to exceed a standard cap rate for implementing approved conservation practices. Approved conservation practices include prescribed burning, reforestation, site preparation and forest stand improvement.
Funding for this program is provided by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and are administered through the Texas Longleaf Pine Implementation Team and Texas A&M Forest Service.
+ SFAM Plains Prescribed Fire Grant
Scope of Project:
The goal is to protect high-risk communities and aid in ecosystem restoration by utilizing prescribed fire to consume excess vegetation before it contributes to catastrophic wildfire. Priority will be given to treatments sites that provide protection to the highest risk communities, are located near homes based on Texas Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (TxWRAP), and contain ecosystems that will benefit from prescribed fire.
Priority will also be given to landowners that were approved in the 2022-23 grant process but were unable to complete their burn project. No cost shares are involved with this grant program. Grant recipients will be reimbursed actual per acre costs associated with conducting the prescribed burn not to exceed the maximum reimbursement rate of $30.00 per acre with a total limit of 800 acres per recipient. Application packages must be submitted online before 5:00 PM Thursday, August 31, 2023, or they may not be considered for funding. No faxed, mailed, hand delivered or e-mailed applications will be accepted.
All applicants will receive a notification of decision letter of either approved or denied no later than September 30, 2023. Texas A&M Forest Service will also publicize the listing of approved recipients on our website. The grant funding period is from September 30, 2023 to May 31, 2024.
+ State Fire Capacity near Federal Lands in East Texas - Prescribed Fire Grant
Scope of
Project:
Provide assistance to reduce the hazard of
high-risk fuels on private lands and non-federal public lands through the use
of prescribed burning. Treatment areas will be in 20 East Texas counties that
contain concentrations of federal lands, have a high social vulnerability index
rating, and high risk fuels. The
goal is to protect communities and aid in ecosystem restoration by utilizing
prescribed fire to consume excess vegetation before it contributes to
catastrophic wildfire. Priority will be given to treatments sites that are
within a CWPP, located near federal lands, a Firewise USA site, and near homes
based on Texas Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (TxWRAP). This program has
previously been known as the State Fire Capacity in Central and East Texas
Grant and the State Fire Assistance for Mitigation Grant.
No cost shares are involved with
this grant program. Grant recipients
will be reimbursed actual per acre costs associated with conducting the
prescribed burn not to exceed the maximum reimbursement rate of $30.00 per acre
with a total limit of 500 acres per recipient. The application period for this grant is September 1-30.
Click Here for an Interactive Map to Determine Eligibility and to Apply
2019 NFP Grant Summary
2018 NFP Grant Summary
2017 NFP Grant Summary
+ Texas Climate Smart Initiative
The Texas Climate-Smart Initiative is a 5-year financial
incentives program made possible by the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart
Commodities grant. The incentives program provides funds to non-industrial,
private, small-acreage landowners to conduct science-based, Carbon-Focused
Forest (CFF) management practices to establish new forest stands, improve the
health and vigor of existing stands, and/or encourage holistic forest
management upon the landscape. This program serves as a financial
incentive to landowners to implement the CFF practices at the stated
reimbursement rates and is available in East Texas.
Specifically for the prescribed fire practice the program
requires:
• Work with a degreed/certified forester to create a Forest
Practice Plan of Work and a treatment area map.
• Obtain a Farm Number with the Farm Service Agency (FSA)
and acquire copies of a FSA Tract Map and a FSA Subsidiary Print.
• Participants work with a licensed Texas Department of
Agricultural (TDA) Certified and Insured Prescribed Burn Manager (CIPBM).
• All parties follow Texas Best Management Practices.
The reimbursement rate is a flat $2,250 per applicant/project,
an eligible treatment is between 15 and 125 acres with a priority of funding for
ownerships that are less than 50 acres.
More information and an application to pursue funding can
be found at: https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/climatesmart