2015 Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Deadline: May 15, 2014 The Secretary of Agriculture has a congressionally designated advisory council that assists the U.S. Forest Service in establishing the grant categories and recommendations of final proposals for the Forest Service to consider. This is the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC). The Council serves to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the status of the nation’s urban and community forests and related natural resources. The NUCFAC seeks to establish sustainable urban and community forests, by encouraging communities of all sizes to manage and protect their natural resources, which, if well managed, improves the public’s health, well-being, economic vitality, and creates resilient ecosystems for present and future generations. The Council recommends urban and community forestry projects that have national or multi-state application and impact through the U.S. Forest Service’s competitive Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program. This year, the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) has identified three national grant categories: 1. Incorporating Urban Forests as Green Infrastructure into Urban Planning Practices that will result in improvements for ecologically underserved communities and regions. 2. Green Infrastructure Jobs Analysis 3. Utilizing Green Infrastructure to Manage and Mitigate Stormwater to Improve Water Quality An applicant may apply to more than one category; however they are to use a separate application for each category. The purpose of these grants is to address national issues. This RFP is not for local or State-wide projects. Click on link http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/nucfac.shtml for full information on the 2015 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant. Search [CFDA number: 10.675], or [Grant Opportunity No.: USDA-FS-UCF-01–2015]. The grant applications are to be submitted through www.grants.gov. Contact Nancy Stremple, Natural Resource Specialist, Executive Staff, National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council, (NUCFAC) nstremple@fs.fed.us or your Forest Service Regional Urban Forestry Program Manager, if you are interested in applying and have any questions. The Forest Service Regional Urban forestry Coordinators are located at http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/contact_regional.html. For Region 2 Mountain the new contact is: Dana Coelho, dcoelho@fs.fed.us , Region 6 Pacific North West /Region 10 Alaska is: Kathy Sheehan, ksheehan@fs.fed.us, and Region 5 California, Hawaii and the Pacific Island Territories is: MaryLou Fairweather, mfairweather@fs.fed.us.