Advancing Forest Markets Grant Programs (Round 1)

Bids must be submitted through the NYS SFS Grants Management System. All Bidders must be Registered with SFS Grants Management to apply. Please visit https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/transition-SFS to register. SFS Event ID's are as follows; TND 26, GRO 26 and TMBR 26.

DEC’s Advancing Forest Markets (AFM) grant program is designed to help remove key barriers to large-scale tree planting efforts by increasing access to high-quality, locally grown seedlings for reforestation, afforestation, and climate resilience projects. It also seeks to strengthen New York State’s forest economy by expanding access to critical resources for producers of forest commodities like wood and maple syrup and other forestry businesses through projects that encourage innovation and expansion in product development, capacity, and market access.

Eligible applicants must establish a Farm Record with the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency to obtain a Farm ID and either:

· specialize in collecting, processing, germinating, storing, propagating, and/or growing native trees or those that support this supply chain through associated market, workforce, and network development or

· own at least one acre of land that is forested or has the potential to become forested and allows for timber harvesting.

There are three unique funding categories through this grant program:

· 25 Million Trees Nursery Discount Program (TND 26): Nurseries may apply for funding to offset costs to offer trees for sale to the public at a reduced cost;

· Growing Reforestation Opportunities (GRO 26): Nursery growers, seed collection networks, and other entities may apply for funding to scale up their production capacity and support tree supply chain markets; and

· Tree Market Boost and Revitalization Program (TMBR 26): Forestry and forest product businesses and other entities may apply for funding to expand their capacity and support forest-based markets related to reforestation, forest management, low-grade wood products, timber, and other forest products.

Grant awards range from a minimum of $100,000 to a maximum of $12 million with no match required. Grant awards will include an incentive payment for program participation (between $2,000 and $10,000, dependent on project size). These incentive payments will be distributed after a contract becomes fully executed with DEC at the beginning of the project. All work funded through these grants must be completed before January 2028.

Bidders must be registered with the Farm Service Agency and have a registered Farm ID located within New York State. All costs and deliverables must solely include and target markets, producers, and activities within New York State. No activities or markets funded by this grant can take place, originate, or target producers outside of New York State.

All activities connected to the incentive payment must occur fully within New York State. This applies to networks and conglomerate organizations as well: all work must be exclusive to New York State. However, projects funded by these incentive payments is not exclusive to the FSA registered lands owned by the producer.

Applications will be accepted until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 5, 2026. Applications must be submitted through the Statewide Financial System (SFS). Those interested must register in SFS before applying. Not-for-profits must also prequalify before the application deadline. Bidders may submit one application per bid type, but can submit an application to each and any bid type they are interested in.

Business enterprises awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years:

None

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB)

SDVOB Goal: 0.00%

Minority / Women Business Enterprise contracting goals (MWBE)

MBE Goal: 0.00%

WBE Goal: 0.00%

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise contracting goals (DBE)

DBE Goal: 0.00%

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