Community Navigator Project Trainings and Resources

See below for training opportunities and resources developed as part of the Watershed Center’s involvement in the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Navigator initiative. Read more about our work on our Community Navigator Project webpage.

Upcoming TRAINING: FEDERAL GRANTS MANAGEMENT

  • Does your organization receive funding through federal grants or agreements, or are you considering applying for federal opportunities in the future? Do the rules and guidelines associated with these dollars feel a bit bewildering? Join the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network and the Watershed Research and Training Center's Community Navigators team for a four-part series intended to help communities better understand key requirements for successfully managing federal funding. This series will cover budgeting and financial planning for federal awards, complying with expense and match tracking, working through procurement, and more! We’ll also leave plenty of time for Q&A with our knowledgeable presenters. These sessions will build upon each other, so attending all four – while not required – will provide the most benefit! Register here!

Session 1 - Introduction to Managing Federal Funding Awards: January 9th, 2:30-4 p.m. Eastern/11:30-1 p.m. Pacific

Session 2 - Financial Management and Compliance: January 23rd, 2:30-4 p.m. Eastern/11:30-1 p.m. Pacific

Session 3 - Subgranting and Procurement: February 6th, 2:30-4 p.m. Eastern/11:30-1 p.m. Pacific

Session 4 - Risk Mitigation and Continuous Improvement: February 20th, 2:30-4 p.m. Eastern/11:30-1 p.m. Pacific

Additionally, we're excited to provide webinar attendees the opportunity to apply for a limited number of 1:1 technical assistance sessions with our presenters, Kelley Nonprofit Consulting. Priority will be given to those who attend more than one webinar session. Register for the webinars to receive more information on this offer!

This webinar series is supported by the USDA Forest Service through the Community Navigators initiative.

FEATURED RESOURCES

Match Tracking Template: Developed by the Watershed Research and Training Center, this is a tool that organizations can use or adapt to track in-kind and cash match across multiple funding sources. The template is downloadable as an Excel spreadsheet and includes instructions for use on the first sheet.

PREVIOUS TRAININGS

  • Understanding and Navigating the U.S. Forest Service

    • Interested in learning more about the U.S. Forest Service, how the agency is organized, and how it works with partners? This session, hosted by the Watershed Research and Training Center and the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network, provided an introductory overview of the Forest Service’s structure and scope, the policy and financial drivers of its activities, and bigger changes and opportunities relevant to partnerships that have been spurred by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. This webinar was supported through generous private donations to the Watershed Center.

  • Forest Service Grants & Agreements 101

    • Join us for this introduction to Forest Service grants and agreements, essential tools the agency uses to deliver funding and work in partnership with nonprofits, fire departments, conservation districts, local governments, Tribes, and more. This webinar session reviewed key grants and agreements tools for wildfire and climate resilience work, including important functions, features, and distinctions.  We also heard from Forest Service staff about services and resources offered by the agency’s Grants and Agreements Outreach and Partnership Engagement branch with plenty of time reserved for participant Q&A. This webinar was supported by USDA Forest Service through the Community Navigators initiative.

  • Grants & Agreements: People and Processes 

    • Forest Service grants and agreements facilitate an array of partnership work in communities and landscapes across the country. The people and processes behind these tools often vary based on a project’s context, Forest Service unit, agency priorities, and more. Join our panel of Forest Service staff and nonprofit leaders – all with deep grants and agreements experience – who will walk through various ways these tools are put into practice, important steps and strategies, and their own lessons learned and advice for more successful outcomes with grants and agreements. This webinar was supported by USDA Forest Service through the Community Navigators initiative. 

      • Watch the recording here (available in English, Spanish, and with ASL interpretation).

  • Community Wildfire Protection Planning with The Ember Alliance

    • Learn all about Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) in this overview hosted by The Watershed Research and Training Center and The Ember Alliance in partnership with Coalitions and Collaboratives and the Hispanic Access Foundation. This webinar was supported in part by the USDA Forest Service through the Community Navigators Program.