Scoring Criteria

An initial screening will determine if a project can be considered for funding based on the following criteria:

  1. Application received on time.
  2. Applicant is an eligible organization.
  3. Applicant submitted only 1-5 applications (more than 5 will not be accepted).
  4. Application is complete.
  5. All Letters of Commitment received on time.
  6. Total match amount in Letters of Commitment equals match amount in Application.
  7. Applicant included themselves in the match table if they are contributing matching funds.
  8. If the applicant has a fiscal sponsor, they submitted a fiscal sponsor agreement letter.

Proposals passing initial screening will be scored by the grant review committee, a panel of experts in wildfire issues and grants review/selection, based on the below criteria. In addition, the grant review committee will select projects for funding.


Scoring Criteria
Total possible points
1. 1. The organization/fiscal sponsor has a history of similar successful projects and/or demonstrates the capability to successfully complete this project either with qualified current staff or through the addition of qualified staff. Consideration should be given to ensuring new programs do not overburden the organization’s/fiscal sponsor’s resources given current workload. 5
2. 2. The project will create, or be linked to a completed or draft, interagency community wildfire protection plan (CWPP), collaborative community fire plan or an equivalent. 5
3. 3. The project/area’s priority in an interagency community wildfire protection plan (CWPP), collaborative community fire plan or equivalent is in the top 5. 5
4. 4. The proposed project will improve wildfire survivability in one or more communities at-risk. 5
5. Costs are reasonable in proportion to the projected deliverables. 5
6. The detailed budget is clearly defined, demonstrates involvement of key partners and identifies unit costs. 5
7. The project addresses long-term sustainability by creating community capacity to make itself fire safe after the grant ends. 5
8. The area impacted by the project is at risk to fire originating on federal land. 5
9. The area impacted by the project is in the wildland urban interface. 5
10. The project will reduce hazardous fuels by treating acres in wildland urban interface (WUI) areas, or areas designated in a CWPP or CALFIRE map. 5
11. Points based on field personnel project prioritization. 10
Maximum number of points60