OCC Overview
The OCC Program was created by the 2021 Legislative Assembly and is authorized in Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 592, sections 21-23. Grants will be awarded to eligible organizations, public entities, and sovereign nations across the state to aid in reducing wildfire risk to communities while offering paid work experience, job training, skill development and forest-related or rangeland-related career path training.
OCC Purpose
•Reduce the risk wildfire poses to communities and critical infrastructure
•Help to create fire-adapted communities (defined as, “Communities located in a fire-prone area that require little assistance from firefighters during a wildfire”); and
•Engage youth and young adults (ages 16 through 26) in workforce training.
Projects shall take place within the Wildland Urban Interface and shall fall within priority areas set by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) utilizing the Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer map. The Wildland Urban Interface is the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development—it is the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.
Priority will be given to projects that reduce community fire risks, reduce hazardous fuels, provide educational experiences, and promote youth and young adult workforce development.
All projects must meet fuel reduction standards as defined by the local, state or county fire agency such as –ODF, one of the three Oregon Fire Protection Associations) and/or in consultation with the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshall. OCC will provide standards training to all grantees in consultation with ODF.
Workforce training is a component of the programming with the aim to help close employment gaps, particularly for those underserved and underrepresented communities, by providing young Oregonians with valuable work experience that promotes the development of essential employability skills.
All grant awards will be approved by the designated Advisory Committee and OWI Staff. The Committee shall use HECC’s Equity Lens in awarding grants by identifying and supporting populations with greater vulnerability and underrepresented communities, communities with members who have limited proficiency in English, and communities with lower-income members.
Oregon Conservation Corps
OCC Overview
The OCC Program was created by the 2021 Legislative Assembly and is authorized in Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 592, sections 21-23. Grants will be awarded to eligible organizations, public entities, and sovereign nations across the state to aid in reducing wildfire risk to communities while offering paid work experience, job training, skill development and forest-related or rangeland-related career path training.
OCC Purpose
•Reduce the risk wildfire poses to communities and critical infrastructure
•Help to create fire-adapted communities (defined as, “Communities located in a fire-prone area that require little assistance from firefighters during a wildfire”); and
•Engage youth and young adults (ages 16 through 26) in workforce training.
Projects shall take place within the Wildland Urban Interface and shall fall within priority areas set by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) utilizing the Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer map. The Wildland Urban Interface is the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development—it is the line, area or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.
Priority will be given to projects that reduce community fire risks, reduce hazardous fuels, provide educational experiences, and promote youth and young adult workforce development.
All projects must meet fuel reduction standards as defined by the local, state or county fire agency such as –ODF, one of the three Oregon Fire Protection Associations) and/or in consultation with the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshall. OCC will provide standards training to all grantees in consultation with ODF.
Workforce training is a component of the programming with the aim to help close employment gaps, particularly for those underserved and underrepresented communities, by providing young Oregonians with valuable work experience that promotes the development of essential employability skills.
All grant awards will be approved by the designated Advisory Committee and OWI Staff. The Committee shall use HECC’s Equity Lens in awarding grants by identifying and supporting populations with greater vulnerability and underrepresented communities, communities with members who have limited proficiency in English, and communities with lower-income members.