FAQ for the CWDG Data Dashboard
The Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Data Dashboard is designed to help communities complete grant proposals and to help reviewers score applications. The Frequently Asked Questions below can help answer questions about the Dashboard. For more information about the CWDG program, please visit the U.S. Forest Service CWDG website.
Where do the data in the Dashboard come from?
The data in the Dashboard are from publicly available, federal sources, including Wildfire Risk to Communities, the U.S. Census Bureau, and FEMA. The complete report on data sources and methodology is available here.
How do I use the Dashboard?
This video explains how to use the CWDG Dashboard.
What data do I use if my application includes more than one jurisdiction?
If your application includes multiple communities or counties, include data for all of them in your application. If any jurisdiction qualifies in the data criteria, your entire application will qualify.
What if my community is not listed in the tool?
If you cannot find your community in the Dashboard, it may be because it isn’t a designated “place” in the U.S. Census. The Dashboard does not include data for county subdivisions or townships. If your community is not in the Dashboard, you can search the parent county (or counties) and use data for that location instead. If you are searching for a community in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, you’ll need to use other data sources (see below).
Where can I find data for Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands?
Data for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are not yet available in the Dashboard. Alternative sources are described below and these slides provide more detailed instructions.
Wildfire risk. There are no national wildfire risk datasets that include Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, but you can qualify using local risk data. Include a link or citation in your application.
Low-income. Search your community or county at the Census website. Search for your community and then click on “income and poverty” listed in the right sidebar. You’ll see the median household income listed on the right. If it is less than $55,217 (which is 80% of the national median household income), your community is considered “low-income.” Include a link to the Census website in your application.
Severe Natural Disasters. Use local or regional data to demonstrate the impacts of severe natural disasters, or search for your community at FEMA’s Declared Disasters website. In your application, explain how previous disasters impact wildfire risk. Include a link to the source you use in your application.
Cost-Share Waiver. If your community qualifies as “low-income” per the instructions above, you are eligible to apply for a cost-share waiver. You can also search your location in the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). If any census tract in your community is shown as “disadvantaged” in CEJST, you are eligible to apply for a cost-share waiver.
Can I download a spreadsheet with the data?
Yes. Two data spreadsheets are available for download:
(1) a spreadsheet with wildfire risk variables for all U.S. communities, counties, and tribal areas; and
(2) a spreadsheet with potentially high-ranking locations. This dataset shows whether communities, counties, and tribal areas meet the criteria for wildfire risk, low-income, and disadvantaged; their Rural Capacity Index; and whether they applied for and received funding in Round 1.