Community Navigator Project 

The Watershed Center, along with several other national and regional nonprofit organizations, is partnering with the US Forest Service on a community navigator initiative. 

The goal of this effort is to connect communities facing wildfire risk and climate change impacts, as well as historically underserved, rural, and low-income communities, to Forest Service funding and partnership opportunities supported by the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law). For a snapshot of the programs and activities that received funding through these laws, see our overview of BIL & IRA-supported Climate and Wildfire Resilience Funding Opportunities.

Key aspects of the Watershed Center’s community navigator work include:

• Developing relationships with communities who may benefit from new funding opportunities and connecting them with regional navigators and other sources of technical assistance and support within our networks.

• Creating tools, trainings, and other resources to support organizational capacity-building.

• Providing individual technical assistance to help communities identify and apply for funding opportunities and comply with post-award financial management and reporting requirements. 

Another important aspect of our work involves elevating community perspectives and feedback about the barriers that communities face in accessing US Forest Service support and partnership, with the goal of helping vision a more equitable system for all. 

The other organizations working on the Forest Service community navigator initiative include Coalitions and Collaboratives, Hispanic Access Foundation, Federation of Southern Cooperatives, First Nations Development Institute, and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association.

ASSISTANCE: Fill out a request form to connect with one of our navigators who can help brainstorm proposal and funding ideas, provide information and insight on funding and resources opportunities, review your application, or help with post-award grant management questions.

GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES: Working with our fellow community navigator organization Coalitions and Collaboratives, we continue to update our list of funding opportunities that support wildfire and climate resilience work. 

RESOURCE LIBRARY: In partnership with Coalitions and Collaboratives, we're compiling a host of helpful guidebooks, tools, and trainings about funding and implementing wildfire and climate resilience work.

NEWSLETTER: To get updates on new funding opportunities, guidance on applying for and managing grant awards, and resources for navigating federal programs and partnerships, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

CALENDAR: Check out our calendar of events for upcoming application deadlines, trainings, informational webinars and other opportunities.

FEEDBACK: Have you worked with a community navigator and want to share feedback? We’d love to hear from you! Your response will be used to improve our future services.

Information gathered via our CNP request and feedback forms are used by our staff to better assist clients and make program improvements. Data collected is not used by the USDA Forest Service or any other government agency.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.