Payment Rates & Covered Activities
Understand how cost-share reimbursements are calculated and what kinds of forest-health work are eligible.
How Incentive Dollars Work
North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) payments are cost-share reimbursements that help landowners complete forest-health work. These are not loans—they’re payments that reimburse a part of your project costs.
Each Activity Has a “Cap Rate”
Every eligible activity (thinning, pruning, reforestation, etc.) has a program cap rate— the maximum value NBFIP can use when calculating your reimbursement.
Your reimbursement is based on a percentage of this cap rate or your actual invoice, whichever is lower.
You Pay a Portion, We Reimburse the Rest
NBFIP reimburses a percentage of eligible costs. The percentage depends on whether your property is in a Disadvantaged or Severely Disadvantaged Community (DAC/SDAC).
Properties in DAC/SDAC can receive up to 80% of the cap rate. Other areas can receive up to 60% (with the option to choose 40% for a higher priority application).
How Your Payment Is Calculated
Your reimbursement is the lower of:
- Your reimbursement percentage × the activity cap rate
- Your reimbursement percentage × your contractor’s invoice
This keeps the program fair and consistent for all landowners.
Reimbursement Percentages
Your incentive amount depends on where your property is located. Properties in Disadvantaged or Severely Disadvantaged Communities (DAC/SDAC) qualify for a higher cost-share rate.
DAC/SDAC Properties
NBFIP can reimburse up to 80% of the activity cap rate (or 80% of actual invoiced costs, whichever is lower) for eligible projects on properties located within a DAC or SDAC.
All Other Areas
For properties outside DAC/SDAC areas, NBFIP can reimburse up to 60% of the activity cap rate (or 60% of actual invoiced costs, whichever is lower).
Landowners may optionally choose a lower rate (for example, 40%) to increase their application ranking in competitive funding rounds.
Unsure if your property is in a DAC/SDAC area? Use our mapping tools or contact your local RCD for help.
Forest Management Plan (FMP) Payment Rates
A Forest Management Plan creates the roadmap for your long-term forest health. Incentive payments for plans are based on property size and a set cap-rate formula.
How FMP Reimbursements Are Calculated
Full Forest Management Plan (typically ≥40 acres):
Max FMP Reimbursement = $6,000 + (acreage × per-acre rate)
Per-acre rates:
- $3.60/acre for 0–160 acres
- $3.00/acre for 160–1,000 acres
- Negotiated rate for properties > 1,000 acres
Mini-plan (properties < 40 acres):
Base $2,000 + $1.68/acre.
Example – 40 Acre Property
Step 1 – Calculate the maximum cap:
$6,000 + (40 × $3.60) = $6,144
(This is the maximum reimbursement for this property size.)
Scenario A – Contractor invoice: $7,000
- 80% of invoice = $5,600
- FMP cap = $6,144
Final Payment: $5,600
(You receive the lower of your cost-share amount and the cap.)
Scenario B – Contractor invoice: $10,000
- 80% of invoice = $8,000
- FMP cap = $6,144
Final Payment: $6,144
(Reimbursement cannot exceed the maximum cap for the property size, even if project costs are higher.)
FMP Reimbursement Estimator
Enter your property size and estimated Forest Management Plan invoice to see (1) your calculated FMP cap and (2) 80% of your invoice. Your estimated reimbursement is the lower of those two amounts.
Implementation Plan Payment Categories
Implementation incentives help pay for on-the-ground forest-health work. Activities are grouped into categories with their own cap rates.
Some of these activities may include:
- Small & large stem thinning
- Ladder fuel removal
- Mastication & oak woodland restoration
- Light and heavy brush treatments
- Reducing shrubs and understory fuels
- Pile and burn (light / heavy)
- Chipping and mastication
- Seedlings, tree shelters, and native seed
- Redwood add-ons and small container stock
- Light, moderate, and heavy site prep
- Tree pruning at different tree densities
- Implementation support from a forester
Detailed Implementation Plan Payment Rates
by Activity
Expand each section to view cap rates and reimbursement amounts for specific treatment types. Your project payment will be based on your reimbursement percentage (40%, 60%, or 80%) and cannot exceed your actual costs.
| Scenario | Practice | NBFIP CAP | 40% Payment | 60% Payment | 80% Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSI #1 | Timber Stand Improvement: Small Stem (<4" DBH) Treatment | $2,160 | $864 | $1,296 | $1,728 |
| TSI #2 | Timber Stand Improvement: Large Stem (4–8" DBH) Treatment | $2,880 | $1,152 | $1,728 | $2,304 |
| TSI #3 | Historic Oak Woodland Enhancement / Restoration | $3,312 | $1,325 | $1,987 | $2,650 |
| TSI #4 | Forest Composition Adjustment: Frilling – 100 TPA | $288 | $115 | $173 | $230 |
| TSI #5 | Forest Composition Adjustment: Frilling – 300 TPA | $576 | $230 | $346 | $461 |
| TSI #6 | Mastication of Brush / Small Trees | $3,312 | $1,325 | $1,987 | $2,650 |
| TSI #7 | Light Understory Removal & Ladder Fuel Reduction | $1,440 | $576 | $864 | $1,152 |
| Scenario | Practice | NBFIP CAP | 40% Payment | 60% Payment | 80% Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BM #1 | Brush Management 1: Light Hand TreatmentTreatment | $2,880 | $1,152 | $1,728 | $2,304 |
| BM #2 | Brush Management 2: Heavy Hand Treatment | $3,600 | $1,440 | $2,160 | $2,880 |
| Scenario | Practice | NBFIP CAP | 40% Payment | 60% Payment | 80% Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Follow-Up Slash #1 | Pile and Burn – Light | $1,728 | $691 | $1,037 | $1,382 |
| Follow-Up Slash #2 | Pile and Burn – Heavy | $2,160 | $864 | $1,296 | $1,728 |
| Follow-Up Slash #3 | Chip / Masticate | $2,880 | $1,152 | $1,728 | $2,304 |
| Follow-Up Slash #4 | Pile - Light | $1,152 | $461 | $691 | $922 |
| Follow-Up Slash #5 | Pile - Heavy | $1,584 | $634 | $950 | $1,267 |
Follow-up slash treatments are typically paired with timber stand improvement or brush management to reduce residual fuels after initial treatments.
| Scenario | Practice | NBFIP CAP | 40% Payment | 60% Payment | 80% Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reforestation #1 | Planting: Light – per seedling | $1.36 | $0.54 | $0.82 | $1.09 |
| Reforestation #2 | Planting: Medium – per seedling | $1.80 | $0.72 | $1.08 | $1.44 |
| Reforestation #3 | Planting: Heavy – per seedling | $2.16 | $0.86 | $1.30 | $1.73 |
| Additional Redwood Seedling Cost | Additional cost per redwood seedling | $0.60 | $0.24 | $0.36 | $0.48 |
| Reforestation #4 | Tree Shelters: Light – per shelter | $1.36 | $0.54 | $0.82 | $1.09 |
| Reforestation #5 | Tree Shelters: Medium – per shelter | $1.80 | $0.72 | $1.08 | $1.44 |
| Reforestation #6 | Tree Shelters: Heavy – per shelter | $2.16 | $0.86 | $1.30 | $1.73 |
| Reforestation #7 | 1 Gal Pot Seedlings / Saplings Hand Planting – per pot | $11.33 | $4.53 | $6.80 | $9.06 |
| Reforestation #8 | Native Seed Hand Planting (e.g., acorns) – per acre | $1,017.48 | $406.99 | $610.49 | $813.98 |
| Reforestation #9 | Installation of Cages to Protect Naturally Occurring Seedlings – per cage | $28.54 | $11.42 | $17.12 | $22.83 |
| Reforestation #10 | <1 Acre Hand Planting – per tree | $3.00 | $1.20 | $1.80 | $2.40 |
| Scenario | Practice | NBFIP CAP | 40% Payment | 60% Payment | 80% Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Prep #1 | Site Preparation: Light | $384.48 | $153.79 | $230.69 | $307.58 |
| Site Prep #2 | Site Preparation: Moderate | $1064.16 | $425.66 | $638.50 | $851.33 |
| Site Prep #3 | Site Preparation: Heavy | $1,471.68 | $588.67 | $883.01 | $1,177.34 |
| Scenario | Practice | NBFIP CAP | 40% Payment | 60% Payment | 80% Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pruning #1 | Pruning: 50–100 TPA | $288 | $115.20 | $172.80 | $230.40 |
| Pruning #2 | Pruning: 100–150 TPA | $576 | $230.40 | $345.60 | $460.80 |
| Pruning #3 | Pruning: >150 TPA | $864 | $345.60 | $518.40 | $691.20 |
TPA = Trees Per Acre. Pruning reduces ladder fuels and helps improve stand health and fire resilience.
View the full Prescription Cap Rate document with detailed descriptions of scenarios:
Using NBFIP with Other Funding (EQIP, CalFire, etc.)
You may combine NBFIP with other incentive programs as long as total funding does not exceed 100% of project cost.
Projects that treat additional acres by combining incentives receive higher ranking points.
Applicants who wish to match NBFIP incentives dollars with dollars from another incentives program, such as EQIP, must provide their current verified agreements in their application.
Tax Implications of Incentive Payments
Cost-share reimbursements may be considered taxable income.
Landowners may receive tax forms (e.g., 1099) depending on reimbursement amounts.
NBFIP and its partners cannot provide tax advice. Please consult a tax professional.
Ready To Get Started?
Whether you’re planning your first project or ready to apply for funding, our team is here to help.