Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) (10.681)
Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) (Assistance Listing 10.681) is run by the Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $4.1 million in 16 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $259,009 per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $241,252. Half of the 16 awards fell between $227,302 and $300,166, and they ranged from $20,405 to $400,000.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$4.1 million
- Grant awards16
- Typical award$241,252
- Awarded in FY 2025$1.2 million
- Size rank1655 of 1824
- Type of assistanceCooperative agreements (discretionary grants), project grants (discretionary)
Key findings
- It is the 1655th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 15 largest recipients received 100% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 9 states and territories.
What the program funds
To provide technical assistance and funds, on a cost-share basis, for projects that enhance opportunities for sustained forest products production for primary and secondary wood industries located in the eastern hardwood forest region of the United States. In order to maintain and improve the health and stewardship of our Nation's forests, local wood-using industries need to be vibrant and able to utilize a wide variety of resources from the forest. Priorities include: Maintain the economic competitiveness of primary and secondary wood industries. Examples include: 1) Encouraging the adoption of new technology to improve competitiveness and profitability. 2) Bringing information and technology about processing, marketing, and business-related skills as well as urban wood utilization to existing and emerging businesses 3) Developing utilization options that improve forest stewardship and health. 4) Support activities that maintain or enhance harvesting industry capacity to serve the wood industry. Increase the knowledge and information about how the wood industry can contribute to the green building movement. Examples include chain of custody certification for sustainable wood products as well as life cycle analysis for a range of wood products. Increase the knowledge, information, and promotion of how carbon sequestration by wood products can provide a competitive edge to a sustainable forest products industry. An example includes developing specific carbon storage factors for a range of wood products. Develop technology and markets to address urgent issues on a global or domestic scale, including: 1) Sanitizing wood packaging materials, firewood, and similar products to eliminate these pathways for the transport of insect and disease pests. 2) Developing markets for and using unexpected increases in the volume of urban and rural wood due to new pest introductions (for example, emerald ash borer) and weather events such as tornadoes and ice storms. Increase the sustainable use of woody biomass to meet our Nation’s needs for energy, raw materials, and reductions of hazardous fuels. Examples include public/private partnerships for using woody biomass in heating and cooling, process energy, cogeneration, district energy systems, and solid and liquid fuel production. Projects may also develop or maintain local markets and forest industry infrastructure by using woody biomass for both energy and value-added products. Provide key information to address the economic, social and ecological aspects of woody biomass production and use: including sustainable supplies, harvesting techniques, forest management, plantation development, and environmental implications.
Open opportunities
No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.
Rules from the program listing
What the money can and cannot pay for
Projects need to complement existing activities and/or focus on niches that are not being met by either industry or service providers. In addition, projects proposals need to clearly document industry support and involvement. Funds cannot be used for construction, to purchase mobile equipment, or to fund research.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Depending on budget authority, anywhere from 20 to 50 percent match of the federal amount.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
Range varies from $10,000 to $100,000. Average project grant award is approximately $50,000.
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: An award to develop and disseminate outreach messaging showcasing forestry careers, professional advancement, and professional opportunities for careers in forest management, wood products, and operational services.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) (10.681) awarded$4.1 million across 16 grant awards, an average of $259,009 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle Moraine Hardwoods Inc | Wisconsin | 2 | $522,000 |
| City of Berlin | New Hampshire | 1 | $400,000 |
| Department of Forests Parks & Recreation Vermont | Vermont | 1 | $400,000 |
| Baillie Lumber Co LP | New York | 1 | $375,250 |
| Alliance for Green Heat, Inc. | Maryland | 1 | $299,554 |
| Central Mass Tree Inc | Massachusetts | 1 | $297,500 |
| Luxtech LLC | Pennsylvania | 1 | $295,400 |
| Powercorpsphl | Pennsylvania | 1 | $250,000 |
| Regents of the University of Minnesota | Minnesota | 1 | $232,503 |
| Arbor Wood Co., LLC | Minnesota | 1 | $232,257 |
| West Virginia University Research Corporation | West Virginia | 1 | $230,000 |
| Northcentral Technical College | Wisconsin | 1 | $229,736 |
| University of Massachusetts | Massachusetts | 1 | $185,000 |
| University of Wisconsin System | Wisconsin | 1 | $174,536 |
| Wudeward Urban Forest Products LLC | Wisconsin | 1 | $20,405 |
Who usually wins
Businesses received 29% of the money, colleges and universities 25% and state and local governments 19%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Businesses | 5 | $1.2 million | 29% |
| Colleges and universities | 5 | $1.1 million | 25% |
| State and local governments | 2 | $800,000 | 19% |
| Nonprofits | 2 | $549,554 | 13% |
| Small businesses | 2 | $534,257 | 13% |
By state
No state received $1 million or 10 awards from this program, so it has no state pages.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 5 | $946,677 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $545,400 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | $482,500 |
| Minnesota | 2 | $464,760 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $400,000 |
| Vermont | 1 | $400,000 |
| New York | 1 | $375,250 |
| Maryland | 1 | $299,554 |
| West Virginia | 1 | $230,000 |