This is your weekly grant opportunities update from The National Special Districts Association. Special districts are either eligible to apply directly, or able to partner with a qualifying entity to apply for any of the grants listed. 

New Grant Opportunities

Department of Agriculture

FY 2026 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support shovel-ready projects to install a community wood energy system or build or expand an innovative wood product facility. These projects will directly support forest health and stimulate local economies by expanding renewable wood energy and innovative wood products manufacturing capacity.
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations; local, state, and tribal governments; higher education institutions; businesses, companies, corporations (for profit); Indian tribes; and special purpose districts (e.g. public utilities districts, fire districts, school districts, conservation districts and ports).
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $15 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? April 22, 2026

Department of Agriculture

FY 2026 Wood Innovations Grant Program

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? This program stimulates, expands, and supports U.S. wood products markets and wood energy markets to support the long-term management of National Forest System and other forest lands. National focus areas include mass timber, renewable wood energy, and technological development that supports hazardous fuel reduction and sustainable forest management. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are for-profit entities, state and local governments, Indian tribes, not-for-profit organizations, higher education institutions, and special purpose districts (e.g. public utilities districts, fire districts, school districts, conservation districts and ports).
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $30 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? April 22, 2026

Department of Agriculture

FY 2026 Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Program

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? This program provides financial assistance to eligible entities to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood-processing facility that will utilize byproducts from forest ecosystem restoration projects on federal or Tribal lands. Byproducts may include trees, logs, and woody biomass harvested through timber sales, thinning, hazardous fuels reduction treatments, or other management activities occurring in areas of high or very high need of ecosystem restoration at risk of unnaturally severe wildfire or insect/disease infestation and invest in surrounding communities. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are for-profit entities, state and local governments, Indian tribes, not-for-profit organizations, higher education institutions, and special purpose districts (e.g. public utilities districts, fire districts, school districts, conservation districts and ports).
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $50 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? April 22, 2026

Department of Justice

FY 2025 Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to address firearm-related crime through the establishment and expansion of Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs). This initiative is a partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to assist local law enforcement in utilizing intelligence and technology, swiftly identifying crime guns and their sources, and effectively prosecuting perpetrators. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are state, county, city or township, and special district governments; Native American Tribal governments; other units of local government; and state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies, including prosecutors’ offices.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $3 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 30, 2026 (Grants.gov); April 6, 2026 (JustGrants)

Department of Justice

FY 2025 Public Safety and Mental Health Initiative

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? This program supports comprehensive service networks addressing untreated mental illness and substance use at the intersection of mental health, substance use, and justice systems. This initiative provides funding to support activities through four core areas: (1) crisis stabilization centers; (2) treatment services; (3) housing access; and (4) electronic health record (EHR) systems and technology modernization. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are state governments; Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized); and other units of local government; including towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state. Agencies with different legal status (e.g., nonprofit or for-profit mental health agencies) are eligible to apply only if they are designated by the state mental health authority to provide services as a unit of the state or local government and can provide documentation to support this designation.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $42 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 30, 2026 (Grants.gov); April 6, 2026 (JustGrants)

Department of Justice

FY 2025 Second Chance Act Youth Reentry Program

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to provide (1) comprehensive reentry services for moderate- to high-risk youth before, during, and after release from confinement, and (2) support transitional services to assist youth to successfully reenter the community. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are state, county, city or township governments; Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized); other units of local government; and nonprofit organizations other than institutions of higher education.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $13.65 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 30, 2026 (Grants.gov); April 6, 2026 (JustGrants)

Department of Justice

FY 2025 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? This program provides funding to develop or expand programs in juvenile and adult detention or correctional facilities to respond to the needs of incarcerated parents and their children to reduce the likelihood of antisocial behaviors, future involvement in the juvenile justice system, and recidivism; and support responsible parenting that leads to healthy child development, resiliency, and improved interactions among incarcerated parents and their minor children, family, and community members. Click here for more information.
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are state, county, city or township governments; Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized); and other units of local government.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $4.2 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 30, 2026 (Grants.gov); April 6, 2026 (JustGrants)

Department of Justice

FY 2025 Smart Reentry Demonstration Program

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support state, local, and Tribal governments to implement comprehensive and collaborative reentry strategies to increase the likelihood of successful reentry for adults leaving prison, jail, or supervision, and establish or expand a program or service (“intervention”) to reduce recidivism. Interventions may address a variety of needs related to reentry as outlined in section 101, subsection (b) of the Second Chance Act. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are state, county, city or township, and special district governments; Native American Tribal governments; and other units of local government.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $4 million
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 19, 2026 (Grants.gov); March 26, 2026 (JustGrants)

Department of Justice

FY 2025 Strengthening Community Supervision Agency Operations Program

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support state, local, and tribal community supervision agencies to develop more effective probation and parole programs and improve supervision outcomes by strengthening operations to prevent recidivism and reduce violent crime. 
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are state, county, city or township governments; Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized); organizing body or association of supervision agencies; and other units of local government.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $10,687,630
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 19, 2026 (Grants.gov); March 26, 2026 (JustGrants)

National Endowment for the Arts

FY 2027 Research Grants in the Arts

• WHAT DOES IT FUND? The purpose of this program is to support research studies that investigate the value and/or impact of the arts in American life. Funded projects should have national, regional, or field-wide significance.
• WHO'S ELIGIBLE? Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, units of state or local government, and federally recognized tribal communities or tribes.
• TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNT? $1,025,000
• WHEN IS IT DUE? March 23, 2026 (Grants.gov); April 2, 2026 (NEA Portal)