Communities Caring for Canopy grants provide seed funding to help communities and organizations develop and sustain programs towards the advancement of urban and community trees and forests.  These grants allow for multiple program components to be merged into one grant application

Eligibility

Municipalities, public educational institutions, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations may apply. Projects may occur anywhere in Vermont.

Eligible Project Components

Projects must relate to urban and community forestry in public ways and places as defined in 24 V.S.A. § 2501a or at public educational institutions, take place in Vermont, and may consist of one or more of the following program components:

• Tree planting
• Tree nursery establishment
• Tree maintenance
• Removal of trees in public ways and places that pose a risk to public safety
• Tree inventory activities
• Plan development
• Pest and disease preparedness efforts
• Public outreach
• Staff or tree warden training
• Program development

Grant Category Information

This document contains all relevant information to support applications for this category.

Grant Overview

Application

Use the new common grant application form to apply to all three of the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program's 2024 grant categories.

We recommend using the grant application worksheet below to develop your application and transfer your answers into the online application form.

Applications cannot be saved or restarted once in the form application. Use the grant application worksheet to develop, edit, and save your work.

Grant Application Worksheet (Word doc)

Grant Application Worksheet (fillable PDF)

When your application ready to be submitted, transfer your answers in the grant application form.

Grant Application Form

Additional Documents & Guidance

• Grant Budget Worksheet (fillable PDF)
• Risk Assessment Questionnaire (Word doc)
• Risk Assessment Questionnaire (fillable PDF)
• Act 154 Certificate of Good Standing (fillable PDF)
• Grantee Insurance guidance
• Volunteer Match Guidance
• UCF Grants Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

For more information or assistance, contact the VT UCF staff listed below.

• Grant Application Questions: Elise Schadler, (802) 522-6015, elise.schadler@vermont.gov 
• Project Development Questions: Joanne Garton, (802) 249-4217, joanne.garton@vermont.gov

Helpful Resources