EmailMe Form - FY27 Firewood Bank Assistance Program Application

Has the firewood bank previously received funding from the Firewood Bank Assistance Program? *

No.

Yes.

All grantees that previously received funding from the Firewood Bank Assistance Program will be able to apply for the FY27 grant cycle as long as past grant reports were completed.

If the firewood bank received funding previously, were Interim and Final Reports submitted on time? *

No.

Yes.

N/A

Where did you hear about this funding opportunity? *

Alliance for Green Heat

National Forest Foundation / Wood For Life

U.S. Forest Service

Other

Section 1: Contact Information

A. Firewood Bank Name *

B. Firewood Bank Physical Address *

Street Address City State / Province / Region Postal / Zip Code

Firewood Bank Mailing Address

Note: Only fill out if this is different from the physical address above.

Street Address City State / Province / Region Postal / Zip Code

C. If applicable, we encourage you to write the traditional name of your firewood bank location AND the traditional names of the tribe(s) the firewood bank serves.

Primary Contact Information

As the person filling out this application, you are the primary contact for this grant. All communication leading up to the contract will be with you. The secondary contact, as well as the financial reporting contact, will be Cc'd.

D. Your Name *

First Last

Your Email Address *

Your Phone Number *

### - ### - ####

Your Title/Role *

Secondary Contact Information

Must be different from the Primary Contact.

E. Secondary Contact Name *

First Last

Secondary Contact's Title/Role *

Email Address of Secondary Contact *

Phone Number of Secondary Contact *

### - ### - ####

Financial Reporting Contact Information

F. Financial Reporting Contact Name *

First Last

Financial Reporting Contact's Title/Role *

Email Address of Financial Reporting Contact *

Phone Number of Financial Reporting Contact *

### - ### - ####

Section 2: Program Information

A. What best describes the organizational structure of the firewood bank? *

B. List and describe the role of the firewood bank's main organizational partners, if any. *

C. Upload liability waiver for volunteers. *

All firewood banks must have their volunteers and/or workers sign a liability waiver. (The liability waiver must also include holding Alliance for Green Heat harmless.) This protects you, your firewood bank, and the Alliance for Green Heat, in the event of an accident and helps to educate and warn about potential dangers. Click here to view our sample liability waiver that we encourage you to use (remember to add the name of your firewood bank and/or logo), or you can add the Alliance for Green Heat to the liability form you use.

D. Does the firewood bank have liability insurance?

Note: This is not a requirement, but we do recommend it. *

Yes

No

If yes, please list the name of the insurance provider.

Section 3: Mission and Operations

A. Please describe the firewood bank’s mission. Explain why the firewood bank was started and how the bank assists those with heating needs in the community. *

B. How many years has the firewood bank been distributing firewood? *

C. Approximately how many cords (4' x 4' x 8' stacks) of wood does the firewood bank process each year? *

D. Describe how the firewood is processed and distributed. Please include how much wood each household receives and how you decide that amount. *

E. Does the firewood bank use financial, age, or disability criteria, or another method, to determine household eligibility for receiving firewood? If yes, please describe. *

F. Approximately how many households do you serve each year? *

G. Approximately how many volunteers work at the firewood bank each year? *

H. Approximately how many paid staff work at the firewood bank each year *

I. Does the firewood bank utilize social media or a website? *

Yes

No

If yes, please list the profiles and/or website.

Please upload examples of fliers or advertising materials you've used in the past to promote the firewood bank.

Section 4: Wood Sourcing

Firewood banks must currently source, or have a documented plan to source, some or all firewood from federally managed lands, if feasible. It is also acceptable if a firewood bank has logs on site that were previously sourced from federally managed lands. Applicants may meet this requirement by harvesting firewood through an existing agreement with a federal agency, or by purchasing wood from a logger who sources from actively managed federal lands.

A. What is the source of the wood at the firewood bank? Check all that apply. *

B. How is the wood obtained? Check all that apply. *

Purchased from logger/trucker

Self-cut

Donated

Other (please specify)

C. Describe your plan for sourcing wood from federal lands. Who are you partnering with, and how will wood be harvested or purchased? *

D. If sourcing wood from federal land is not feasible, please explain why.

E. If the grant is awarded, how much wood (in cords) do you anticipate receiving from federally managed lands? *

F. Name(s) of federal land that logs will be/are sourced from (ex. name of National Forest, National Park, or BLM land). *

G. Please upload documentation, showing proof of your ability to source wood from federally managed lands.

Documentation could include:
- a letter from a USFS employee describing firewood bank's ability to access land and harvest timber
- a quote from a logger the firewood bank is purchasing wood from
- firewood bank’s agreement/permit/contract to source logs from federally managed lands
- a letter from Wood For Life stating that the firewood bank is a partner in their federal wood sourcing work *

This documentation must include the exact name(s) of the federal land where wood will be harvested.

Contacts for Sourcing Wood from Federal Lands

List contacts the firewood bank has for sourcing wood from federally managed land.

H. Name of Logger/Company/Tribe/Organization *

First Last

Please write the contact of the firewood bank's logger, the company, tribe, or organization that holds the permit/stewardship agreement, or other authorization that allows them to cut logs on federal land. If the firewood bank performs its own cutting, please write the contact that leads that operation.

Email of Logger Contact *

Phone Number of Logger Contact *

### - ### - ####

I. Name of USFS District Ranger, Forest Supervisor, or Timber Management Officer

First Last

If the firewood bank has been in contact with their local National Forest office to obtain a permit or other authorization to source logs from USFS land, please indicate who you spoke corresponded with.

USFS Title/Role

USFS Contact's Email

USFS Contact's Phone Number

### - ### - ####

Section 5: Safety

All firewood banks must have a basic safety plan in place including: (1) name of a safety coordinator to oversee training, (2) explanation on how your volunteers and workers are trained, (3) a process by which to ensure that all volunteers and workers are using appropriate PPE, and (4) a filled out and posted Firewood Bank Emergency Information Sheet.

A. Name of Safety Coordinator *

First Last

Name of chainsaw training or certification, if obtained.

B. Describe the safety training staff/volunteers receive. *

C. Where does the firewood bank store personal protective equipment and firewood processing equipment? *

D. Do the firewood bank volunteers/staff have access to the following required personal protective equipment (PPE): work boots, gloves, eye protection, ear protection, helmets, chaps, first aid kit? *

Yes

No, the following PPE will be included in the grant budget:

E. Please download the Firewood Bank Emergency Information Sheet template, fill it out, and upload it here. This should be posted at your firewood bank work site. If the firewood bank has its own version of an emergency information sheet, please upload it here. *

Section 6: Air Quality and Health

A. When the firewood bank distributes wood it is... *

Seasoned (moisture content 20% or below).

Unseasoned.

A mix of seasoned and unseasoned.

B. Describe how the firewood bank seasons firewood. If it is not seasoned before distribution, please explain why. *

C. Does the firewood bank have a moisture meter?

(Note: All grant recipients must have a moisture meter, or purchase a moisture meter with their grant money.) *

Yes

No, we will include a moisture meter in our grant budget

Section 7: Financial Requirements

A. Does your firewood bank have a bank account or a fiscal sponsor?

(Note: We cannot wire funds to a personal account.) *

Yes

No

B. Name of Bank/Financial Institution *

C. Name on Bank Account *

D. Organizational Name of Fiscal Sponsor (if applicable)

Name of Contact at Fiscal Sponsor (if applicable)

First Last

Title/role of Contact at Fiscal Sponsor (if applicable)

Email of Fiscal Sponsor Contact (if applicable)

Phone Number of Fiscal Sponsor Contact (if applicable)

### - ### - ####

E. Please list the firewood bank's UEI or the UEI of the fiscal sponsor below.

Note: A UEI with an active registration status is required to receive a grant. UEI's are assigned by the federal government (sam.gov) and are a 12 character alphanumeric value. See our "apply now" page for an explanation on how to obtain a UEI. *

F. Please check the box "yes" if you understand the financial reporting requirements of the grant. *

Yes.

We have created a simple and straightforward reporting process. All groups receiving funding must provide an interim and final report describing how the money was spent and what was achieved. Please note that 80% of funds must be spent (or equipment ordered) within one month of receiving the grant funds. Groups will need to provide receipts for their major expenses (line items over $500), describe outcomes (e.g. how many cords of wood were delivered etc.) A screenshot showing the completed purchase can serve as a receipt for online purchases.

Section 8: Grant Request Budget

Upload your grant request budget using our budget template found here . Each line item must include either a direct link to the item or a link to its corresponding quote. Quote links must have sharing permissions set to "Anyone with the link can view" (or "View file", depending on the platform).

Note sliding scale based on the amount of cords your firewood bank processes (federal and non-federal).

Under 20 cords: Not eligible
20–49 cords: Up to $10,000
50–99 cords: Up to $15,000
100–149 cords: Up to $20,000
150-199 cords: Up to $25,000
200-249 cords: Up to $30,000
250-299 cords: Up to $35,000
300+ cords: Up to $50,000

EXAMPLES OF ELIGIBLE EXPENSES
- Log length wood from federally managed land
- Equipment (i.e. chainsaws, log splitters, conveyers, firewood processors)
- Rental or lease costs for equipment
- Trailers under $10,000
- Smaller equipment: (wheelbarrows, peaveys, hooks, fire extinguishers)
- Personal protective equipment (i.e. chaps, work boots, helmets, gloves, logger first aid kits)
- Safety training (ex. chainsaw certification)
- Moisture meters
- Labor (up to 10%)
- Liability insurance for firewood bank (up to $1,000)
- Warranty/insurance for equipment
- Supplies for temporary wood shed building
- Hauling costs
- Fuel (up to 10%, ex. Mileage reimbursements, gas cards, gasoline)
- Repairs and maintenance of firewood bank equipment (up to 10%)

NOTE: Skid steers and trucks may not be purchased but can be rented (rental costs are an allowable expense).

Upload Grant Request Budget *

Please upload the budget as an XLSX file.

Section 9: Equipment Above $10,000 - Additional Requirements

This section is ONLY for grant budgets that include equipment over $10,000.

1. Equipment Justification

A. Describe the equipment to be purchased (manufacturer, model number, price).

B. Describe why federal funds are needed and non-federal funds can't be used.

C. Describe why this equipment is necessary to complete the mission of your firewood bank.

D. Describe how the equipment will be used to complete the work of the firewood bank.

E. Estimate the cost of leasing/renting the equipment for the period of performance and briefly explain why purchasing the equipment is more cost-effective or practical (e.g. frequent need, logistical issues, unavailability of rentals, etc.).

2. Federal Requirements: The Federal Government has specific, additional requirements for equipment having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $10,000 or more per unit.

Grant recipients with budgets that include a single item of equipment $10,000 or more must agree to:

A. Complete an equipment record keeping sheet and submit it in their interim report.

B. File a Uniform Commercial Code. Grantee must file a Form UCC1 with their Secretary of State’s office to record that the Federal Government retains an interest in the equipment until the equipment is depreciated below $10,000. (Note: Tribes, state government, and institutions of higher learning are exempt from this requirement). Contact your Secretary of State’s Office to receive the appropriate Form UCC1 for your state. See instructions and completed sample Form UCC1 here . You must provide proof of this filing in your interim report.

C. Photograph or physical inventory. Grantee must submit photographs of equipment over $10,000 purchased with grant funds and allow a physical inventory of the equipment.

D. Disposition. The federal government does not retain an interest in the equipment when depreciated below $10,000. However, should the grantee choose to "buy out" the federal share of the equipment purchased with Federal funds, the grantee agrees to complete a SF-428 Disposition Request and submit to AGH.

E. Maximize use of goods. The grantee will, whenever possible, maximize the use of goods, products and materials produced in the United States.

3. Check "Yes" if the you are planning on purchasing equipment above $10,000 and agree to these equipment reporting requirements.

Yes.

Section 10: Photos

Please upload a photo(s) of the firewood bank that can be used on our website and promotional materials. *

Section 11: Wood Smoke Information

These questions are for informational purposes only. Your responses will not affect your eligibility for funding or the amount of funding you may receive.

A. Wood Stoves: To the best of your knoledge, what proportion of homes that use wood heat in your service area have older wood stoves that are not EPA-certified?

B. Indoor wood smoke: How common do you believe indoor wood smoke exposure is among the households you serve?

C. Geography and smoke dispersion: How many of the communities you serve are located in valleys or other areas where geography may limit the dispersion of wood smoke?

D. Chimney maintenance: Based on what you know about the households you serve, how common are chimneys that may need cleaning or other maintenance?

E. Are households you serve aware of the potential health effects of wood smoke?

F. Do you have any comments or reflections you would like to share about Section 11: Wood Smoke Information?

This funding is made possible from the USDA Forest Service through section 40803(c)(17) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Section 1: Contact Information

Primary Contact Information

Secondary Contact Information

Financial Reporting Contact Information

Section 2: Program Information

Section 3: Mission and Operations

Section 4: Wood Sourcing

Contacts for Sourcing Wood from Federal Lands

Section 5: Safety

Section 6: Air Quality and Health

Section 7: Financial Requirements

Section 8: Grant Request Budget

Section 9: Equipment Above $10,000 - Additional Requirements

1. Equipment Justification

2. Federal Requirements: The Federal Government has specific, additional requirements for equipment having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $10,000 or more per unit.

Section 10: Photos

Section 11: Wood Smoke Information

This funding is made possible from the USDA Forest Service through section 40803(c)(17) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

This funding is made possible from the USDA Forest Service through section 40803(c)(17) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.