General Information

Private individuals, businesses and organizations own 423 million (56 percent) of the nation’s 751 million acres of forestland. Nearly 11 million family forest owners account for 92 percent of the private ownerships and 62 percent (262 million acres) of the private forest land. These lands are managed for a wide range of ownership objectives and support their owners’ personal goals and interests as well as contributing critical ecosystem goods and services to society as a whole.

NIFA's forest programs expand the knowledge of forest ecosystems, train future forestry professionals, and put research-based management practices into action through extension activities.

In addition to non-capacity grants, NIFA provides support for research and extension activities at land-grant institutions through grants to the states on the basis of statutory formulas. Eligibility is limited to the cooperating institutions, most of which are 1862, 1890, and 1994 land-grant institutions.

• McIntire-Stennis Capacity Grant
• Smith-Lever Act Capacity Grant
• Hatch Act of 1887 (Multistate Research)
• Hatch Act of 1887 (Regular Research)