Schools and Roads - Grants to States

Objective

The objective of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act is to provide stable and predictable payments to States and counties containing National Forest System lands in order to offset revenue losses resulting from declines in timber receipts. The program is intended to support funding for public schools, road maintenance, and other essential local government services in rural communities historically dependent on National Forest receipts. By authorizing payments based on historical revenue levels rather than current timber harvests, the program seeks to promote fiscal stability for eligible counties and States while supporting sustainable forest management and community well-being.

Who Can Apply

• State
• County Government (inclusive of boroughs in Alaska, parishes and other governmental entities with geographic regional control and authority)

Title I payments are made to States or territories of the United States to be allocated to counties in which national forests are situated. Title II project funds are reserved in special account in the U.S. Treasury and may be used by the Secretary of Agriculture for the purpose of entering into and implementing cooperative agreements with willing Federal agencies, State and local governments, private and nonprofit entities, and landowners. (16 U.S.C 7122). Title III funds are paid to respective states to be passed-through to participating counties.

Who Benefits

• Local
• State

A beneficiary of title II special project funds is a person or entity that receives a grant or enters into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a project for protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat, and other resource objectives consistent with the purposes of the Secure Rural Schools Act on national forests and on non-national forest land where projects would benefit the resources on national forests. (16 U.S.C. 7122) A beneficiary of title III funds is a participating county in which a national forest is situated that has elected to allocate a portion of its State payments for title III county projects.

Assistance Types

• Other Financial Assistance

Program Contact

brianna.salazar@usda.gov
(925) 248-7288