The Sustainable Forestry and African American Land Retention Network has announced the launch of its $1 million Forestry Fund, an initiative designed to decrease financial roadblocks for established foresters within the SFLR Network. 

As an SFLR site, Roanoke Cooperative’s Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project is inviting eligible landowners to apply. 

This program seeks to support African American and underserved landowners across the Southeast through funding, resources and support, addressing barriers to wealth generation and land stewardship.

Through its partnership with the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and other funders, the SFLR Network Forestry Fund will provide financial support for sustainable practices such as forest management plans, boundary surveys and wildlife habitat restoration. 

It will also address critical legal challenges that hinder forestry efforts. By connecting landowners to timber and non-timber markets, the fund opens doors to new economic opportunities while strengthening local organizations to provide landowners with the on-the-ground support needed to succeed at scale.

“The SFLR Network Forestry Fund exemplifies the transformative power of partnerships to support small landowners in forestry,” said Alicia Cramer, COO of the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities. “This initiative reflects our commitment to sustainable forestry practices and the empowerment of communities that have been underserved.” 

Alton Perry, director of the SFLRP program, encouraged interested woodland owners to contact his team. “The many challenges facing private forest owners, especially forest owners of color, make it imperative that these individuals have access to all the technical and financial assistance they can get. This new Forestry Fund available through the SFLR Network is a tremendous opportunity that I hope woodland owners in our region will explore with an eye toward improving the health and habitats of their forestland and making their land more productive and viable assets for their families’ long-term benefit.”

The SFLRP assists woodland owners in 13 counties in North Carolina: Bertie, Chowan, Edgecombe, Gates, Granville, Halifax, Hertford, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Perquimans, Vance and Warren.

Eligible landowners currently enrolled with the SFLRP program and those willing and able to join it are encouraged to participate. 

Applications for individual or joint projects will be accepted on a rolling basis through April 15, 2025. Projects must exceed $10,000, with funding capped at $15,000 per landowner annually. Priority will be given to initiatives that address immediate barriers and promote long-term financial independence. 

For full eligibility criteria and application instructions, visit the Forestry Fund page on the SFLR Network website