Aleta Rogers, Author at U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, Inc.

Mission-related investments focus on attainable housing, forestry jobs and uses for low-value wood.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – September 25, 2024 – Attainable housing in rural communities, forestry jobs and uses for low-value wood are the focus of three awards totaling $3.5 million for the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Community’s (Endowment) first-ever mission related investments.

“Mission-related investments enable the Endowment to support the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities while safeguarding our capital and generating positive financial returns,” explained Pete Madden, president and chief executive officer of the Endowment. “By allocating a small portion of our funds typically invested in traditional stocks and bonds, we are strategically investing in businesses and funds that directly benefit forestry and rural communities.”

Since its inception in 2006, the Endowment employs creative ways to extend its impact. Initially focused on grant-making, it has evolved to incorporate low-interest loans, equity investments and loan guarantees. In 2021, the Endowment’s Board of Directors approved a pilot program to explore expanding the organization’s impact through mission related investments. The Endowment engaged the consulting firm Gordian Knot Strategies to guide the process and in 2022, the Board approved funding for the inaugural mission-related investments.

“These investments strike at the heart of significant challenges faced by rural, forest-rich communities,” Madden continued. “They also build on the Future Forest Economy Initiative, a previous partnership between the Endowment, the Northern Forest Center and the U.S. Economic Development Administration to increase production, commercialization and use of wood products in the Northeast and New York.”

The three inaugural investments are:

Northern Forest Center, Inc. – $1,000,000: The investment will help the Northern Forest Center move closer to its $30 million goal for the Northern Forest Fund, which finances the development of attainable housing across 10 communities in the Northern region. The region includes areas in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. The investment will help the Center address housing shortages by funding projects that make housing affordable for median-income earners in these rural areas.
WholeTrees Structures – $1,000,000: The funding from the Endowment will enable WholeTrees Structures to grow its sales force and expand its nationwide production capabilities to meet increased market demand for Solid Structural Timber (SST). In part, the re-opening of a previously dormant forest products facility in partnership with Seven Islands Land Company, the State of Maine, and other stakeholders. This infusion of capital will also build market confidence in SST, which is in strong demand for commercial construction and represents a high-value use of timber sourced from well-managed forests, the impact of which will benefit forest-reliant communities nationwide.
Tanbark MFP – $1,500,000: This investment will support Tanbark’s expansion of its manufacturing capabilities for fiber packaging, allowing them to operate on a larger scale. Their packaging is a byproduct of working forests and helps eliminate plastic waste.

WholeTrees Forestry workers together on a logging truck

It is anticipated that additional funding for mission-related investments will be available in the winter of 2024/2025. If you would like to be on the distribution list for the announcement of future rounds of impact investment funding and informational webinars, please complete this form.

Subscribe to the Endowment’s newsletter for information on all funding opportunities.

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity collaborating with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities.

U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Receives $50,000 Grant from Green Diamond Resource Company

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Sept. 4, 2024 – The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment) proudly announces a $50,000 grant from Green Diamond Resource Company’s Impact Fund to support critical initiatives aimed at future workforce development and new markets for forest products. The company’s giving initiative, created in 2022, supports nonprofits that share value to the sustainability of the company and align with issues of importance to their stakeholders.

“This generous grant from Green Diamond Resource Company will help our efforts to attract and retain top talent for our sector,” said Alicia Cramer, senior vice president of the Endowment. “Their support will help the Forest and Wood Products Inclusion Council to drive tangible change and support mass timber. We are grateful for Green Diamond’s commitment to our shared goals.”

A majority of the grant, $40,000, will support the Forest and Wood Products Inclusion Council. Dedicated to fostering inclusive workplaces, the Council empowers individuals to contribute to sustainable forestry practice. By collaborating with industry leaders from private, government and academic sectors, as well as forestry and wood products initiatives, the Council aims to attract new diverse talent and close workforce gaps within the forestry sector. The remaining $10,000 will go to a mass timber program to grow its marketplace.

“Green Diamond has a longstanding tradition of philanthropy and community involvement is one of our core values,” said Douglas Reed, president of Green Diamond. “We admire the Endowment’s commitment to innovative initiatives that revitalize forest-rich, rural communities. Their efforts ensure that working forests continue to thrive and deliver their many benefits. We are proud to support their inclusion council and their work with mass timber.”

About Green Diamond Resource Company:
Green Diamond Resource Company is a privately held forest products company with roots dating back to 1890. Today, the company owns working forest lands in Washington, Oregon, Montana, and California. A subsidiary, Green Diamond Management Company, provides forest management services in the U.S. South and West. All lands owned and managed by Green Diamond are independently audited and certified for sustainable forest management. More information about Green Diamond’s environmental leadership may be found at www.greendiamond.com.

Photo Credit: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

Gillette Tract Preserved: Ensures Long-Term Protection of Nottoway River’s Scenic and Ecological Riches

Greenville, S.C. — August 22, 2024: A new conservation easement on the Gillette tract will protect 2,100 feet of the Nottoway River frontage in southeastern Virginia, supported by a grant from the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund (EFCF). Managed by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF), this easement will preserve water quality, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitats, and reinforce protection for the river and its tributaries.

The Nottoway River, a Scenic River and Blueway Trail flowing into the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound Estuary, will benefit from this effort, ensuring its ecological and scenic value for future generations. Brandi Colander, Chief Sustainability Officer at Enviva, said, “We are delighted to be a part of this significant milestone for environmental preservation and to assist with the conservation of another important easement along the Nottoway River.”

Eligible for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the easement supports the river’s exceptional attributes and safeguards its environment. The river is also classified as “Threatened and Endangered Waters” by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, protecting rare species like the Roanoke Logperch and Dwarf wedge mussel.

The property includes natural heritage resources such as Bald Cypress and Coastal Plain Bottomland Forest, contributing to a continuous wildlife habitat corridor. Estie Thomas, Easement Manager at Virginia Outdoors Foundation, noted, “This is another important puzzle piece that fits in with all of the important land protection along the Nottoway system, and VOF is proud to work on this partnership with the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund.”

About the Enviva Forest Conservation Fund:

The Enviva Forest Conservation Fund is a $5 million, 10-year program established by Enviva in December 2015 to protect environmentally sensitive bottomland and wetland forests. Administered by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Fund awards grants annually to nonprofit organizations and government agencies for conservation projects. Learn more at http://envivaforestfund.org/

About Virginia Outdoors Foundation:

The Virginia Outdoors Foundation is established to promote the preservation of open-space lands and to encourage private gifts of money, securities, land or other property to preserve the natural, scenic, historic, scientific, open-space and recreational areas of the Commonwealth.

Learn more: https://vof.org/

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity working collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at www.usendowment.org.

Media Contacts:

Aleta Rogers, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (aleta@usendowment.org; 864-233-7646)

Photo Credit: Dave Masuda

$1.718 Million in Grants Announced for Innovative Finance for National Forests Program

Seven awards support development of finance models that seek to leverage public and private sector capital to support resilience of the National Forest System and surrounding lands.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – July 24, 2024 – Seven new grants will support local stakeholders and project developers to connect public and private capital to unfunded environmental challenges in National Forests and surrounding landscapes across the United States.

These seven awards represent the fourth round of funding from the Innovative Finance for National Forests Grant Program. This partnership is funded and administered by the USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office’s Conservation Finance Program and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment).

“The 2024 Innovative Finance for National Forests grantees are exploring use of loan guarantees, state revolving funds, and other mechanisms to reduce forest wildfire risk, enhance watershed protection, and create new recreation opportunities,” said Pete Madden, president and chief executive officer of the Endowment. “We are impressed by the ingenuity of the proposed approaches from our partners, and we commend the Forest Service for their commitment to exploring new financial vehicles that tap into private sector resources.”

“The Innovative Finance for National Forests program highlights our efforts to address the wildfire crisis, backlog of deferred maintenance and protection of watersheds across the country through new approaches,” said Chris French, Deputy Chief of the USDA Forest Service’s National Forest System. “This slate of projects offers an exciting possibility of new business at the Forest Service – one that prioritizes public-private partnerships and sustainable financial solutions to pressing land management and community needs. We are honored to work with the Endowment and grantees on these big ideas together.”

The seven projects selected for the fourth round of funding from the Innovative Finance for National Forests Grant Program are:

Caldor/Cosumnes Watershed Outcomes Bank (Pilot) – California

$300,000 to The Freshwater Trust to pilot a Watershed Outcomes Bank framework. This framework will leverage together multiple sources of funds and target those coordinated funds to strategically cultivated projects across the Cosumnes River Watershed, including the Eldorado National Forest, that most cost-effectively achieve watershed resilience targets. This pilot project, which builds on a Round 3 IFNF feasibility study award, will implement a central entity and partner governance structure for match funding, financing, and efficient fund delivery.

Protecting Source Water and Reducing Wildfire Risk in Rural Communities (Pilot) – Wyoming

$250,000 to the City of Cheyenne, in collaboration with the World Resources Institute and the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities, to pilot the potential use of the Wyoming State Revolving Loan Fund program to finance forest restoration activities on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland. State Revolving Loan Funds offer favorable terms for municipalities to fund water quality treatments and wildfire prevention activities. This arrangement can allow local communities to implement essential interventions they otherwise might not be able to afford.

Financing for Acid Mine Drainage Treatment (Pilot) – Ohio

$287,000 to Rural Action, Inc. for startup costs for a full-scale treatment plant near the Wayne National Forest that will harvest iron oxide from acid mine drainage discharge. The harvested iron oxide will be used to create paint pigments for sale and will create a reliable funding source for watershed restoration efforts in the region.

Innovative Finance for Agave Restoration: Piloting a Nursery Loan Guarantee Program (Pilot) – New Mexico and Arizona

$300,000 to Bat Conservation International, in collaboration with New Leaf Climate Partners, to address the decline of agave habitats in the Southwest United States. This project combines nursery assistance, habitat restoration, and innovative financing, including piloting a loan guarantee program to enhance nursery capacity for native agave seedlings. The initiative aims to deliver long-term ecological benefits across the Southwest United States, starting in the Gila and Coronado National Forests.

South Central Oregon Seed Orchard Financing Innovation (Pilot) – Oregon

$300,000 to American Forests to bring innovative financing to reforestation efforts by attracting private investment into seed orchard establishment. The goal is to reduce long-term seed shortage bottlenecks by producing high quality, climate-adapted seeds and generate financial returns via seed sales. This project specifically engages the Fremont-Winema National Forest and will produce seed that is critical to meeting regional public, private, and tribal reforestation goals.

Funding and Finance Feasibility for Enhanced Recreation in North Central Washington (Feasibility) – Washington

$131,000 to TREAD to assess regional funding options and explore a new governance structure for recreation enhancements near the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. TREAD will explore new financial resources for recreation and the creation of a new entity to support cross-jurisdictional decision making, deployment of resources, and improved implementation for recreation outcomes.

Exploring the Value of Ignition Reduction on the Impacts of Post-Fire Flooding in Southern California (Feasibility) – California

$150,000 to Blue Forest, in partnership with Chapman University and Louisiana State University, to analyze the impacts of forest restoration on runoff, erosion, and management costs borne by the Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District near the Cleveland National Forest. This project aims to determine the value of upstream restoration activities to flood control districts.

The Innovative Finance for National Forests is a competitive grant program. Additional information is available at https://www.usendowment.org/ifnf/.

About the USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office:
The USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office (NPO) Conservation Finance Program connects external funding, capacity, expertise to Forest Service priority projects public-private partnership models.

For more information contact:

Aleta Rogers, aleta@usendowment.org
Dawn McCarthy, dawn.mccarthy@usda.gov

Photo credit: Mac Stone

Morgan Franklin joins U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities as Program Coordinator

GREENVILLE, S.C. – April 23, 2024 – Morgan Franklin has joined the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (the Endowment) as program coordinator. The Endowment is the nation’s largest public charity dedicated to serving the forestry sector and Franklin will manage program activities and support grant and contract management.

“We are thrilled to have Morgan join us,” said Delie Wilkins, program officer for the Endowment. “Her experience in project management and grant administration, coupled with her passion for active forest management and environmental stewardship, brings a valuable skillset that aligns perfectly with our mission of keeping working forests working.”

Prior to the Endowment, Franklin specialized in grant administration and forestry at Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods. There, she managed grant funding, analyzed lumber production and oversaw assets. Her work led her to collaborate with the Endowment’s ForesTrust initiative, where she helped pilot a tracking and tracing program that tracks logs from the forest through the supply chain. This experience fueled her passion for sustainable forestry, advocating for active management and environmental stewardship while prioritizing local initiatives and supply chain stability. Additionally, she worked with the University of Tennessee Extension, focusing on farm, nursery and home garden education.

“I’m excited to join the team and contribute to their vital work,” said Franklin. “My background allows me to bring a unique perspective to this role, and I’m eager to help ensure the Endowment’s programs continue to have a positive impact.”

Franklin received a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Middle Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil sciences from the University of Tennessee at Martin. Outside of work, she enjoys camping outdoors, visiting national parks and exploring small mountain towns with her husband and son.

For more information, contact:
Brooke Miller
brooke@crawford.agency
(864) 248-4259

Photo credit: Mac Stone

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Initiates the Steps for a National Forest System Land Regional Risk Assessment

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. (The Endowment) has gained approval from the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) for their proposed methodology and sponsorship of a Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) for national forests. The scope of the assessment includes the national forests in the lower (contiguous) 48 states, and the USDA Forest Service is a key partner for the project.

The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) is a procurement and traceability standard that assures biomass is sourced from legal and sustainable sources. The SBP is not a forest certification standard—i.e., the standard applies to those purchasing material, not to the landowner or manager—and the completion of an SBP RRA process does not result in certification of any specific lands or forests. The scope of the SBP RRA includes identifying and mitigating risks associated with sustainable sourcing of fiber. Sustainable sourcing includes compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, biodiversity protections, ecosystem functions, and maintaining carbon stocks. If the RRA evaluation identifies any mitigation actions necessary to address potential risks, those mitigations would be the responsibility of biomass producers, not the Forest Service.

In February 2021, a preliminary gap analysis was completed by The Endowment to evaluate alignment between the Forest Service management framework and the SBP. This 2021 gap analysis provided a high-level assessment of the potential for biomass producers to source feedstock from the national forests in conformance with established international sustainability standards for woody biomass.

Results from the 2021 gap analysis indicated a reasonable probability that timber sourced from national forests can be shown to conform with SBP standards. In light of these results, a more comprehensive and thorough investigation was warranted, resulting in this formal SBP Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) for national forests in the lower 48 states.

The Endowment wishes to support the advancement of a formal risk assessment of biomass feedstock sourced from forests administered by the Forest Service in accordance with the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) Regional Risk Assessment (RRA) Procedure and SBP Standard 1: Feedstock Compliance. The goal is to support biomass market opportunities for wood sourced from national forests.

The Endowment has assumed oversight responsibility for development of the RRA as well as facilitating the process required to complete the RRA. The Endowment is a not-for-profit public charity established in 2006 and works collaboratively with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. The Endowment has contracted with INCOS Strategies and Cambium Consulting to coordinate the assessment and complete the RRA process. Dovetail Partners is engaged in the public consultation activities for the process. The RRA will be developed and submitted to SBP in accordance with the applicable SBP rules, standards, and procedures.

National forests in the contiguous U.S. include forests in 38 of the 48 states, spanning from ocean to ocean, and border to border. National forests in the lower 48 states are part of 8 regions and include 152 national forests covering over 164 million acres. Forest Service lands are managed according to federal laws and regulations, as well as agency directives, policies, and procedures. The sampling strategy used for the Forest Service RRA is applied at the regional and forest levels and follows the SBP standard and requirements for approved sampling methodologies.

Upon formal approval by SBP, a Forest Service RRA will be made publicly available to all biomass producers in the US. A single, comprehensive risk assessment will result in improved transparency, consistency, and efficiency among biomass producers throughout the lower 48 states.

The RRA development process is expected to be completed in 2024.

For more information, to receive project updates, or to join the project contact list, please contact: Dovetail Partners, info@dovetailinc.org, 612-333-0430 or visit: http://www.dovetailinc.org

About The Endowment:
The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is committed to keeping working forests as forests and advancing family-wage jobs in forest-rich rural communities. Through strategic and deliberate investment, we support research and development in traditional forest product markets, ensuring that forests and forest-based economies grow and thrive. https://www.usendowment.org/

About the SBP:
The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) is a certification scheme designed for woody biomass used in industrial, large-scale energy production. SBP has developed a certification scheme to provide assurance that woody biomass is sourced both legally and sustainably allowing companies in the biomass sector to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, as a minimum. Our certification scheme is designed as a clear statement of standards and processes necessary to demonstrate such compliance. We seek to avoid duplication and to be consistent with standards that have overlapping scopes, while not limiting innovation and improvement. https://sbp-cert.org/

About INCOS Strategies:
Specialized in forest certification, INCOS stratégies offers services to organizations wishing to become certified or maintain their forest management (FM) and chain of custody (COC) certificates. INCOS Strategies experience across the forest supply value chain is invaluable in finding the right solutions for organizations. INCOS Strategies offers concrete solutions to its clients by collaborating with internal and external resources. https://www.boiscertifies.ca/solutions

About Cambium Consulting:
Providing tailored consulting services on issues relating to sustainability of natural resources, supply chains and climate. Expertise includes strategy and policy development, risk analysis, third-party certification and assurance, standards development, forest management, stakeholder engagement, project management and impact analysis. https://consultcambium.com/

About Dovetail Partners:
Dovetail Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental management, including consumption choices, land use decisions, and policy alternatives. Dovetail provides a highly skilled team that fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors through collaboration to develop unique concepts, systems, models, and programs. Dovetail excels at solving complex problems and helping responsible organizations succeed. We also help define programs that increase the job creation and the job quality of resource-based industries. https://dovetailinc.org/

For more information please contact:
Brooke Miller
brooke@crawford.agency
(864) 248-4259

Forest Economy Initiative Helps Launch New Products, Spurs $14 Million Private Investment in Sector

Funded Projects Support Market Demand for 8 Million Tons of Northern Forest Wood

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mar. 21, 2024 – New products from a centuries-old industry are making their way to the marketplace. This is thanks to a five-year initiative designed to generate market demand for sustainably sourced wood from the Northern Forest of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York.

The Future Forest Economy Initiative (FFEI) funded 13 projects that generated substantial economic development opportunities within the region’s forest sector and in economically distressed rural communities across the area.

“The initiative succeeded by all measures,” said Joe Short, vice president of the Northern Forest Center. “What is inspiring is the innovative and viable new products and market development ideas proposed by the grantees and how they all contribute to strengthening the forest economy.”

The FFEI-funded projects benefitted 219 businesses across the forest supply chain, improved the quality of 1,500 jobs, leveraged more than $14 million in private investment into the forest economy and funded projects that support market demand for more than 8 million tons of wood from the region.

The initiative — a cooperative effort of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities (the Endowment) and the Northern Forest Center (Center) — grew out of a congressional mandate to support the development of markets for wood products.

“We had specific investment objectives and these projects really hit the mark,” said Alicia Cramer, senior vice president of the Endowment. “They’ve produced new products, strengthened the supply chain, shown the viability and economic potential of new product ideas and reinforced the ability of area manufacturers to capitalize on new market opportunities.”

As a result of FFEI’s investments, the construction industry can now use structural round timber from Maine or buy certified cross-laminated timber made from the region’s softwoods. Businesses also have access to a small-scale fiberboard manufacturing line at the University of Maine during the research and development phase of creating new wood-fiber-based products.

FFEI supported every part of the forest economy supply chain. It increased certified wood supply by expanding master logger certification, promoted the reuse of old mills to attract private investment and educated millions of consumers about using wood heat instead of fossil fuels.

“The forest sector is crucial to the region’s economy and combating climate change,” said Short. “The data shows us that we make the greatest headway against climate change when we use forests for both storing carbon and producing renewable wood products. We are backing sustainably harvested wood products, which create market demand and incentivize forest conservation.”

For one of its first projects, the FFEI provided funding for the Town of Ashland, Maine, to build market demand for using nearly whole trees from sustainably managed Maine forests instead of steel and concrete in construction. The project has identified $8 million in potential sales for structural round timber. WholeTrees Structures of Madison, Wis., has opened a production facility in Ashland, aiming to create six to eight full-time positions this year and double that by 2026.

The initiative also funded market studies that showed promise for several new ventures. This includes manufacturing net-zero homes made primarily of wood products from Maine, using low-grade wood in textiles to displace petroleum-based material and using domestic wood on military vehicles in place of tropical species.

The FFEI grew out of a congressional mandate to support the development of markets for wood products. The EDA provided $3 million to fund the market-development initiative. The Center managed the five-year initiative and provided strategic support to help grantees expand their networks and develop connections critical to the success of their projects. The Endowment committed $300,000 toward the project and advanced payments to grantees to decrease the gap between project expenditures and reimbursement.

About The Northern Forest Center:
The Northern Forest Center is a regional innovation and investment partner creating rural vibrancy by connecting people and economy to the forested landscape. www.northernforest.org.

Media Contacts:

For more information contact:
Joe Short, Vice President, Northern Forest Center, 603-491-2651, jshort@northernforest.org

Alicia Cramer, Senior Vice President, U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities, 205-792-8650, alicia@usendowment.org

Photo credit: Mac Stone

U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities Receives $20 Million in Funding to Support Underserved Forest Landowners

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Mar. 15, 2024 –The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities (Endowment), along with its key partners Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Network (SFLR), Khuba International and mano-Y-ola, LLC, proudly announces the receipt of a $20 million award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. This award will support underserved landowners in gaining equitable access to emerging markets while creating landscape-scale impact.

“This funding represents a significant milestone in efforts to support underserved forest landowners and reinforce our Communities strategy work,” said Alicia Cramer, senior vice president of the Endowment. “We are excited to collaborate with our partner organizations who have demonstrated experience in outreach to underserved landowners, forestry and farming expertise and a proven track record in overcoming barriers to land ownership and accessing federal funding.”

The funding announced by the USDA Forest Service will allow underserved and small-acreage forest landowners to implement climate-resilient practices, access information about market opportunities and support the capacity building of the partners to better serve our forest landowners.

When looking at new market development, a key consideration is the ability to provide the resources, including raw materials, necessary to stand up the emerging market required for long-term sustainability. Having an ample fiber supply in a state of readiness will be imperative to serving emerging markets. Healthy working forests are critical to rural economies and will play a pivotal role in mitigating the effects of climate change.

“We are grateful for the support of the USDA Forest Service and other partners who share the commitment of advancing the role of underserved landowners in emerging markets. In emerging markets, trusted knowledge is critical. Much like an experienced navigator in unfamiliar terrain, you need trusted entities with insight into the supply chain, culture, barriers to entry and regulatory environment. Our partners bring this expertise and trusted assistance needed to support wood markets,” added Cramer.

The Endowment, along with our generous philanthropic partners, such as The JPB Foundation who made an early lead investment to support this work, will further amplify the impact with an additional $7 million in funding, complementing the generous award from USDA Forest Service.

There is additional funding available from the USDA Forest Service and proposals up to $2 million are still being accepted until August 21.

About SFLR:
The SFLR Network was launched in 2012 with assistance from the Endowment in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the USDA Forest Service. Their goal is to create a sustainable system of support for African American forest owners that significantly increases the value of African American owned forests, land retention, community stabilization, and asset development for Black families in the U.S. South. Since then, additional supporters focused on redressing Black land loss have included the American Forest Foundation, Inc., JPB Foundation, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation, and Doris Duke Foundation. More information: www.sflrnetwork.org

About Khuba International:
Khuba International is a black-led non-profit organization that seeks to integrate youth education, sustainable agriculture, and community development through hands-on programming and inclusive partnership-building. We are based in Tompkins County, N.Y. Our activities particularly seek to engage and empower community members impacted by racism, redlining, and colonization, and families from disadvantaged backgrounds. We support black community members of Central New York that wish to access land and farm. Areas of focus include: BIPOC farming, black-led land access, food sovereignty, literacy, and sustainable agriculture outreach.

About mano-Y-ola:
mano-Y-ola, a minority-and female-owned consulting firm, focuses on supporting minority and immigrant farmer communities, particularly Hispanic landowners. They specialize in providing tailored guidance and resources for overcoming challenges in land ownership, agricultural practices, and accessing resources. Through their commitment to empowering Hispanic landowners, mano-Y-ola promotes equitable opportunities for all.

Media Contacts:

Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency (wendy@crawford.agency ; 864-248-4290)

A U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities’ Grant Funds Research by Dovetail Partners in Collaboration with Cambium Consulting

Concept Paper Examines Forest Carbon Market Impact on Forest-Dependent Communities and Forest Health

Greenville, S.C. – January 23, 2024 – A newly released concept paper outlines key questions to be answered by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities’ (Endowment) backed research into the forest carbon offset market, which is expected to surge from $2 billion in 2020 to $250 billion by 2050.

The paper considers the potential economic, ecological and social implications of increased offset demand on other forest-based products, habitats, and the local communities that rely on forests for jobs, tax revenue and quality of life.

Already, banks and joint ventures have purchased millions of acres of timberland as demand for offsets grow, which could lead to unknown impacts downstream for forest-dependent communities and forest health.

To maximize positive outcomes and minimize negative ones, the Endowment issued a grant to Dovetail Partners in collaboration with Cambium Consulting to conduct research into the impact of escalating offset demand.

“Carbon offsets allow businesses to take near-term action to meet long-term sustainability goals,” said Pete Madden, President and CEO, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. “While positive in many ways, this research seeks to create a shared understanding of the potential impact on matters like wood availability and sustainable forest management.”

“Our goal with this paper is to create an opportunity for more dialogue, and to inform the next three phases of research: surveying stakeholders, developing mapping strategies and conducting a workshop later this year,” said Kathryn Fernholz, President, Dovetail Partners. “Once research is complete, we will have a much clearer idea of what is already working well, and what needs to change to benefit both forests and the communities that rely on them.”

Key questions addressed in the paper include:

Where there are forests with overlapping objectives, are there existing or potential conflicts in value attainment, and what tools can be developed to help identify competing priorities and balance trade-offs?

Are the existing forest carbon offset protocols sufficient to ensure rural communities and biodiversity are appropriately addressed in the design and implementation of forest carbon projects?

Are we missing opportunities to share perspectives, elevate awareness, and integrate critical thinking (and action) among the full spectrum of stakeholders?

Dovetail Partners is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing authoritative information about the impacts and trade-offs of environmental management, including consumption choices, land use decisions, and policy alternatives. Dovetail’s highly skilled team fosters sustainability and responsible behaviors through collaboration to develop unique concepts, systems, models, and programs. We also help define programs that increase the job creation and the job quality of resource-based industries. Learn more at dovetailinc.org.

For media information, contact:

Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency

Wendy@crawford.agency (864) 248-4290

Application Deadline is April 22, 2024

Greenville, S.C. – December 4, 2023 – The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program will accept proposal submissions through April 22, 2024. The program supports the development and implementation of innovative finance models that leverage private and public capital to enhance the resilience of forests and grasslands.

“The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program supports the development of new and effective sources of funding for pressing natural resource challenges such as forest health,” said Pete Madden, President and CEO at the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. “Tapping into the creativity of local partners gives us another tool to help keep working forests working and providing the products and services that will benefit rural communities and rural economies.”

National Forests across the country provide important services to the American public including clean drinking water, local jobs in nearby communities, habitat for fish and wildlife species, recreational opportunities, and more.

However, with the impacts of climate change, extreme weather events, and deferred maintenance needs, National Forests and surrounding communities face increased threats to the many benefits these forests provide. Despite ongoing efforts, more investment in creative financial solutions is needed to address these issues. The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program aims to act as a catalyst for various efforts. It achieves this by awarding grants that explore, pilot, and scale new financial tools that are designed to meet stewardship needs in key areas such as wildfire resilience, watershed health, and recreation infrastructure and access.

“We are grateful to the Forest Service for their leadership on this program,” added Madden.

The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program is funded and administered by the USDA Forest Service National Partnership Office and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities.

“The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program helps accelerate the pace and scale of land management across national forests and grasslands by investing in locally driven, public-private partnerships that incubate financial innovation,” said Chris French, Forest Service Deputy Chief for the National Forest System. “These partnerships help communities set up replicable funding models that support long-term financial sustainability, specifically in the areas of wildfire risk and recovery, watershed health and recreation infrastructure.”

The Innovative Finance for National Forests team will host an informational webinar on Wednesday, January 17 from 1-2 p.m. EST. Registration is required. For more information on the program, please visit https://www.usendowment.org/ifnf/. To view the request for proposals, visit the Endowment’s funding opportunities page at https://www.usendowment.org/funding-opportunities/.

For additional information, contact Peter Stangel at peter@usendowment.org.

About the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities:

The U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities is a not-for-profit public charity collaborating with partners in the public and private sectors to advance systemic, transformative, and sustainable change for the health and vitality of the nation’s working forests and forest-reliant communities. To learn more about the Endowment, please visit our website at https://www.usendowment.org/.

For media information, contact:

Wendy McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at Crawford Agency

wendy@crawford.agency (864) 248-4290

Innovative Finance for National Forests Infographic