Find Funding Opportunities

A Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a locally developed plan that identifies wildfire risk and prioritizes mitigation projects within a defined community or landscape.

Many wildfire funding programs give strong preference to projects that align with an existing CWPP because it shows that the work is part of a coordinated community wildfire strategy rather than an isolated project.

For some programs, alignment is not just recommended — it is required.

For example, the Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) requires that proposed projects be specifically identified within the CWPP for the geographic area where the work will occur. General concepts such as "defensible space" or "fuels reduction" are not sufficient on their own. The plan must identify the specific project area or treatment location for it to be eligible for funding.

CWDG funding can also be used to develop a new CWPP or update an existing plan, which allows communities to identify priority mitigation projects and position those projects for future funding opportunities.

Communities with active Firewise programs are often better positioned to pursue wildfire mitigation funding because they demonstrate organized community engagement, defensible space efforts, and ongoing wildfire preparedness.

Programs focused on community mitigation and fuels reduction frequently prioritize projects that show strong local participation and coordination between fire departments, residents, and partners.

For example, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Ready, Set, Go! Program – Fuels Reduction Funding Awards supports fire departments implementing community fuels reduction projects. Participation in the Ready, Set, Go! program and documented community preparedness efforts are required for eligibility.

Each funding program is designed to support specific types of work and has its own priorities, eligibility rules, and evaluation criteria. Even if a project addresses wildfire risk, it may not be competitive if it does not align closely with the goals of the funding program.

Before preparing an application, it is important to review the program guidance carefully and consider whether the project clearly supports the program’s stated objectives. Strong applications demonstrate a clear connection between the proposed work and the outcomes the funding program is intended to achieve.

In many cases, projects that are not a good fit for one program may still be strong candidates for a different funding opportunity.