Wilderness Stewardship Challenge

Frequently Asked Questions

Restoring Our Wild Places

For Grant Seekers

For Award Recipients

For Grant Seekers

View this informational session recorded during the December 14, 2011 Wilderness Stewardship Challenge Program webinar. Click here!


What is the National Forest Foundation's Wilderness Stewardship Challenge?
The National Forest Foundation (NFF) Wilderness Stewardship Challenge (WSC) provides nationwide competitive challenge grants to community-based and national nonprofit organizations to implement projects benefitting the Forest Service 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. The Wilderness Stewardship Challenge award program is unique, in that it effectively doubles the money available to Wilderness stewardship projects by adding federal funds to private, non-federal matching dollars. Project funding is for one year, with one award round per year. If awarded, project activities must be complete and all NFF and matching funding requested and fully expended by the end of the one-year award period.

Who is eligible for funding?
Applications will be considered from 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, including community-based and national organizations, Native American tribes, and universities implementing projects that support Wilderness stewardship work in support of the Forest Service 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge.

Applications will not be considered from:

• Federal agencies;
• Regional, state or local governmental entities;
• For-profit organizations;
• Consultants;
• Educational and research organizations proposing projects that do not show tangible Wilderness benefit;
• Organizations seeking general operating support; and
• Organizations seeking funding for litigation or advocacy.

Does my organization need to have 501(c)(3) status to apply for a grant to the NFF?
Typically, Yes. If your organization does not have 501(c)(3) status you will need to utilize an organization with that status as a fiscal sponsor, and they will need to apply on your behalf. The only exceptions to this are for universities or Native American tribes, who are eligible to receive funding under other sections of the IRS code. If you would like to utilize a fiscal sponsor, be sure you understand the NFF’s policy on fiscal sponsorship.

How do I apply to the National Forest Foundation's Wilderness Stewardship Challenge?
To apply, please visit the WSC Application Process page and review the Request for Proposals. Proposals are accepted once a year, must be submitted in hard copy, and must follow the proposal guidelines.

What types of projects are eligible for funding?
The NFF supports projects that advance the elements of the Forest Service 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. The NFF encourages groups to conduct (a) work in Wilderness Area(s) that do not meet the minimum stewardship level and (b) work that advances or helps meet any individual stewardship element(s) that are not managed to the baseline standard. Organizations should work with local Forest Service Wilderness managers to develop project proposals that best meet management needs to help meet the 10-Year Challenge.

What types of projects are not eligible for funding?
The NFF does not support general operating or overhead expenses, funding for multiple years, political advocacy or litigation of any kind, or scholarly research or education that does not directly support the 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge.

Does trail work in Wilderness qualify for the award program?

No. In itself, trail work does not necessarily qualify for funding through the Wilderness Stewardship Challenge. Please work with local Wilderness Managers to determine what individual Wilderness Areas need help improving or maintaining their stewardship level as part of the 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge.

Is there a typical grant amount?

Past awards range from $1,500 to $50,000, with a mean of $20,000. WSC Awards are capped at $50,000 per year per organization.

What is a DUNS number, and how to I obtain one?

The DUNS number is now required for all federal grant applicants to track federal funding. Please visit the White House's instructional page here for a description and instructions.

For Award Recipients

Where can I find reporting forms and guidelines?
Visit the page for Current Grantees, where you can find all the necessary forms for completing the required reports, as well as additional resource documents to help in your organizational development.

How do I request my award funds?
Upon notification of award and return of contract documents to release NFF award funds, your organization must submit a cash request form and physical check(s) for the matching funds in an amount up to 100% of your NFF award amount. The NFF will process this request and return the matching funds to you with your NFF award funds. The NFF processes fund requests on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and additionally as necessary. From the date the NFF processes your request, you can expect to have all funds returned to you in about two weeks.

When can I request my award funds?
NFF award funds can be requested at any point during your award period, all at once or incrementally. Although funds can be requested after you have completed the funded task(s), the grant should not be considered reimbursable. All NFF funds should be requested as early within the award period as possible and should be requested and expended before the close of your award period. If funds are not requested before the award period closes, any remaining award balance becomes unavailable to you.

Our WSC award period is closing shortly and we haven't completed our project and/or requested all the award funds. Can we get an extension?
No extensions are possible through the NFF Wilderness Stewardship Challenge Award Program.

Due to extenuating circumstances, we're going to have to revise a portion of our project. How do we know if NFF funds can be used for the revised project?
NFF funds can only be used as requested in the approved proposal, unless approved otherwise. Please contact the NFF as soon as possible to discuss any program or budget changes you'd like to make. The NFF must approve any changes prior to their implementation.

Still have questions about the Wilderness Stewardship Challenge? Contact Adam Liljeblad.