2026 Spring Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program
Service Award Guidelines
The Deschutes County Natural Resources Department will be accepting applications for the 2026 Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program. Deschutes County has allocated funds for Spring of 2026 to fund a Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program to reduce wildfire risk in Deschutes County communities. Preference will be given to communities or neighborhoods that are listed as high wildfire risk.
Purpose
The Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program is intended to assist communities with the removal of fire fuels, helping to reduce fuels and improve defensible space in Deschutes County. The program aims to encourage property owners to complete fuels reduction work within 100’ surrounding their home/structure. This work can increase a structure's chance of survival in the event of a wildfire.
Eligibility & Evaluation
Program applicants must be working at a neighborhood or community scale to reduce wildfire risk. Individual properties will not be considered. Activities should result in reduction of wildland fuels and/or improvement of defensible space around structures. Preference will be given to communities classified as a high wildfire risk, but other factors that will be considered during the application review process include:
- Whether a neighborhood or community is a recognized Firewise USA™ site or is working to become one
- The number and/or size of properties participating in the project
- Whether the project’s focus is within the 100 ft. defensible space zone around structures
- Whether a neighborhood or community received bin rental services through Deschutes County last year
Funding
Neighborhoods and communities chosen to receive a service award will not receive the funds directly. Deschutes County will manage all bin rental contracts with the disposal companies and work directly with communities as they reduce the wildfire risk in their area. The amount of funding available for the program in the current fiscal year will fund roughly 25 service awards. Deschutes County will work directly with neighborhoods or communities to manage the Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program.
Application
Applicants must complete and submit one online fillable copy of the Deschutes County 2026 Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program application.
Timelines
To have your community considered for a bin rental service award, please fill out and submit an online application. Applications will be available Feb. 1 and accepted until Feb. 28. Service award recipients will be notified in April.
Post-Award Requirements:
Acknowledgment of Service Award: Service award recipients must acknowledge support from the Deschutes County Spring Sweat Equity Program if they receive any public recognition related to the grant, such as media announcements, marketing materials advertising, or information campaign.
Compliance: Award recipients who do not comply with program requirements established by Deschutes County may be subject to repaying disposal service costs and may become ineligible for future funding consideration.
For additional information about the Deschutes County 2026 Spring Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program, please contact Lauren Street, Natural Resources Specialist, at 541-322-7141 or forester@deschutes.org
Application Available February 1st
