Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§1644 Forestry and rangeland competitive research grants

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 36— - FOREST AND RANGELAND RENEWABLE RESOURCES PLANNING › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - RESEARCH › § 1644

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can give competitive grants to federal, state, and other government agencies, public or private organizations, colleges and universities, businesses, and individuals in the United States to support research under this program. Grants must focus on basic and applied research that helps meet the program’s goals. The Secretary must use scientific review and involve qualified researchers nationwide. Grants are awarded at the Secretary’s discretion after publicly asking for proposals, allowing time to apply, and weighing quality, cost, management, and other relevant factors. The Secretary may reject any or all proposals. The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the research funds for high‑priority forestry grants and up to 5 percent for high‑priority rangeland grants. Priority goes to projects that are run through a center of scientific excellence, provide matching support of at least 50 percent (cash or in‑kind), and are part of an existing public‑private partnership with multiple research partners.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §1644

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In addition to any grants made under other laws, the Secretary is authorized to make competitive grants that will further research activities authorized by this subchapter to Federal, State, and other governmental agencies, public or private agencies, institutions, universities, and organizations, and businesses and individuals in the United States. In making these grants, the Secretary shall emphasize basic and applied research activities that are important to achieving the purposes of this subchapter, and shall obtain, through review by qualified scientists and other methods, participation in research activities by scientists throughout the United States who have expertise in matters related to forest and rangeland renewable resources. Grants under this section shall be made at the discretion of the Secretary under whatever conditions the Secretary may prescribe, after publicly soliciting research proposals, allowing sufficient time for submission of the proposals, and considering qualitative, quantitative, financial, administrative, and other factors that the Secretary deems important in judging, comparing, and accepting the proposals. The Secretary may reject any or all proposals received under this section if the Secretary determines that it is in the public interest to do so.
(b)The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts made available for research under section 1642 of this title to make competitive grants regarding forestry research in the high priority research areas identified under section 1642(d) of this title.
(c)The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of the amounts made available for research under section 1642 of this title to make competitive grants regarding rangeland research in the high priority research areas identified under section 1642(d) of this title.
(d)In making grants under subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary shall give priority to research proposals under which—
(1)the proposed research will be collaborative research organized through a center of scientific excellence;
(2)the applicant agrees to provide matching funds (in the form of direct funding or in-kind support) in an amount equal to not less than 50 percent of the grant amount; and
(3)the proposed research will be conducted as part of an existing private and public partnership or cooperative research effort and involves several interested research partners.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1998—Pub. L. 105–185 substituted section catchline for former section catchline, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, and added subsecs. (b) to (d).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 1644

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73