Community Catalyst Fund

The Community Navigator Program is a program funded by the USDA Forest Service and launched in 2023 to support historically underserved communities in finding and accessing federal funding and partnership support. COCO’s Community Catalyst Fund is intended to build community-serving organizational capacity towards climate resilience through access to funding and partnerships with the USDA Forest Service. Awards range from $10,000-$150,000 and currently run on an 11-month timeline. The Community Catalyst Fund is a post-project reimbursement-based grant.

Eligible organizations include the following entities that serve historically underserved communities and whose work involves climate resilience:
● Regional and local collaborative efforts
● Fire Safe Councils and/or Wildfire Councils
● Nonprofit groups
● Fire Departments
● Conservation Districts
● Tribal Authorities
● City or county government
● Universities or Colleges

The community and/or project area must meet criteria for historically underserved communities. Applications that demonstrate meeting multiple criteria defined below will be prioritized. Communities defined as historically underserved as outlined by the Community Navigator Program include:
● Tribal governments and Indigenous communities
● Communities of color
● Communities at high risk of wildfire
● Communities at risk of extreme climate change impact
● Low-income rural communities
● Underserved communities of small acreage forest landowners (<2500)