Forest Service FS -1115 July 2018

United States Department of Agriculture

STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY

State and Private Forestry within the Forest Service 

reaches across the boundaries of the NFS lands 

to States, Tribes, communities, and nonindustrial 

private land owners. Related authorities authorize 

providing technical and financial assistance to States 

and others to help sustain the Nation’s forests and 

protect communities and the environment from 

wildland fires.

Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (P.L. 95–313, 

as amended)

• Assist forest stewardship on private, State, and 

local lands. 

• Improve timber stands.

• Manage insect infestation and disease.

• Support urban forestry. 

• Aid fire prevention. 

• Manage and support Forest Legacy Program.

Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) 

(P.L. 105–77, as amended) 

• Enhance forest products in the eastern hardwood 

industry. 

Collaborative Forest Restoration—Secure Rural 

Schools and Community Self-Determination Act 

(P.L. 106–393 §605)

• Apply only to projects in New Mexico. 

• Promote healthy watersheds. 

• Reduce threat of large high intensity wildfire. 

• Improve function of forest ecosystems. 

Partnering for the Sustainability, 

Protection, Restoration, and 

Stewardship of National Forests 

and Grasslands

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON AUTHORITIES 

AND TYPES OF PROJECTS AWARDED IN MY 

PROGRAM AREA?

Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535)

• Obtain services, supplies, materials, or equipment 

from another Federal agency. 

Service First (43 U.S.C. 1703) 

• Share facilities and services between U.S. 

Department of the Interior and other USDA 

agencies.

AUTHORITIES THAT CROSS DEPUT Y CONTINUED (from previous panel)

AREAS

Cooperative Funds and Deposits Act, as amended 

(P.L. 94–148) (16 U.S.C. 565a-1)

• Conduct pollution abatement. 

• Provide cooperative manpower, job training, and 

development programs. 

• Develop and publish cooperative environmental 

education and forest history materials.

• Support forestry protection. 

Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 

(P.L. 102–154) 

 Conduct:

• Trail maintenance and/or grooming. 

• Fish and wildlife habitat improvement. 

• Wildlife monitoring. 

• Watershed restoration. 

• Environmental education.

Cooperative Funds Act (16 U.S.C. 498)

• Accept monies received from voluntary 

contributions toward work in forest 

investigations, protection, management, or 

improvement of NFS lands. 

• Improve wildlife habitat.

• Plant trees. 

Granger-Thye Act (16 U.S.C. 572)

• Accept monies for the benefit of depositor 

if these are for work the Forest Service is 

authorized to perform.

Public Land Corps Healthy Forests Restoration 

Act (16 U.S.C. 1701) 

• Provide work experience and training on public 

lands to low-income young men and women 

in research, forest, recreation management, or 

resource protection activities that support the 

Forest Service mission.

Slightly revised February 2020
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM

Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act, Public Law (P.L.) 106–393 

§605

• Promote healthy watersheds. 

Good Neighbor Authority (16 U.S.C. 2113A )

• Allow States to perform restoration and 

protection services on National Forest System 

(NFS) lands, except wilderness areas.

• Treat infected trees. 

• Reduce hazardous fuels. 

• Improve watershed, fish, and wildlife habitat. 

National Forest Roads and Trails Act, as amended, 

(16 U.S.C. 532–538) 

• Construct, reconstruct, maintain forest 

development roads.

Cooperative Law Enforcement Act, P.L. 92–82 

(16 U.S.C. 551a)

• Cooperate with local government for the 

enforcement of law or ordinances on lands 

within or part of the NFS lands.

Stewardship End Result Contracting, as amended, 

P.L. 113-79

• Perform services to achieve land management 

goals for the NFS lands that meet local and rural 

community needs. 

Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Act 

(Wyden), P.L. 105–277 as amended (16 U.S.C. 

1011a)

• Protect, restore, and enhance fish and wildlife 

habitat and other resources on public or 

private land that benefit those resources with a 

watershed. 

Reciprocal Fire Protection Act (42 U.S.C. 1856a) 

• Provide reciprocal protection with fire 

organizations maintaining fire protection 

facilities in the vicinity of NFS lands.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Federal Technology Transfer Act (P.L. 96-480) 

• Accomplish cooperative research for 

technological transfer for commercial 

purposes. 

Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources 

Research Act (16 U.S.C. 1641–1650) 

• Conduct forest and rangeland research. 

• Lead research on trees and timber 

management, forest watersheds management 

and rehabilitation, wildlife, range, fish 

habitat, forest recreation, forest products 

and harvesting, forest atmospheric sciences, 

forest insect and diseases, forest inventory 

and analysis, and renewable resources and 

economics.

• Accept funding for research activities from 

organizations in the United States and in other 

countries. 

National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 

Teaching Act (P.L. 95–113) 

• Provide agricultural, research, extension, and 

teaching activities. 

• Acquire goods or services without 

competition to colleges and universities for 

agricultural, research, extension, and teaching 

activities.

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT 

AND PARTNERSHIP

Partnership programs are vital to accomplishing the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest 

Service mission. Involvement of the appropriate 

staff early in the process prevents delays and ensures 

Forest Service integrity and transparency in all 

partnership arrangements. 

• Engage appropriate staff (line officers, budget 

officers, grants specialists, etc.) early in the 

process; 

• Confirm the partner is a legal entity currently 

registered and active in the System for Awards 

Management (SAM); 

• Establish a clearly defined scope of work and 

financial plan; and 

• Ensure proposed project activities are approved 

and all necessary analysis—such as Work-Plan, 

environmental reviews, cost analysis, equipment 

justification—has been completed. 

A partnership is not itself a goal, but rather a means 

of achieving a goal.

This guide provides information on the use of 

the most common grants and agreements (G&A) 

authorities. It is not a complete list of laws affecting 

the Forest Service. Always contact your G&A 

specialist before you begin a project or contact 

partners. For more information, visit http://fsweb.

wo.fs.fed.us/aqm3/pages/grants-agreements for 

statutory authorities available from U.S.C. websites 

and other resource links.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, 

and lender.

CREATING A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE

Cover photo: Indian Holes Falls, Willamette National 

Forest in Oregon. USDA Forest Service photo.

Left: Three Sisters Wilderness and fall color, Willamette National Forest in 

Oregon. Right: Log and boulder detail in the Three Pools Day Use Area by 

the Opal Creek Wilderness on the Willamette National Forest in Oregon.

USDA Forest Service photos.