The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded more than $43 million to expand innovative uses of wood, including as a construction material in buildings. Made possible in part by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, these funds are being invested in 123 projects nationwide through Community Wood Grants and Wood Innovations Grants—longstanding Forest Service grant programs that promote innovation in wood products and renewable wood energy economies.

This year, two LEVER projects were named as Wood Innovation Grant recipients:

Portland Museum of Art—Planning support for the Museum’s Blueprint Project

Killingsworth Creative Office—Performance based testing for resilient rocking wall application in commercial office

LEVER previously received a Wood Innovation Grant for the Forest to Frame project, a web-based platform that will help empower the design and construction industry to make better-informed decisions when designing timber buildings and specifying wood products.

To learn about the grant program or to view a complete list of this year’s recipients please visit the USDA Wood Innovation Grant website.