Tennessee – The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) is accepting applications for the Hazard Mitigation and Community Education Grant Program through Oct. 14, 2025. Communities that have developed, or are in the process of developing, a Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (CWPP) will be eligible for funding to implement hazard mitigation assistance and education projects.
“More than 85% of our state’s population is exposed to wildfire risk, and that number is ever growing,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “It is vital that we support Tennessee’s communities in mitigating wildfire risk and educating citizens about how they can reduce the danger and impact of wildfires.”
TDF partnered with the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council (ARCD) to administer and manage the program. Applications are reviewed and approved by TDF, which makes funding recommendations to ARCD. Grant recipients must sign an agreement with ARCD, which provides guidelines for expenditures and reimbursement.
In 2024, the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program awarded $136,000 to support 19 communities across Tennessee. Funds were used to develop or update CWPPs, reduce hazardous vegetation, and promote best practices for Tennessee Fire Adapted Communities.
More information and the application for the Hazard Mitigation and Community Education Grant are available here.
The Division of Forestry works to protect, conserve, and enhance Tennessee’s forest resources. Its focus areas include assisting landowners, providing quality tree seedlings, supporting forest health programs, collecting forest inventory data, assisting forest industries, and responding to wildland fires. More details can be found at www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests.