Funded through an unprecedented one-time allocation from the USDA Forest Service and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Urban & Community Forestry grants will support a broad range of activities to increase and maintain healthy urban and community tree canopy and access to nature.  This work aligns with and supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative by strategically identifying, reaching, and assisting disadvantaged communities in our state.

Eligibility

Projects must take place in or directly serve “disadvantaged communities”, which are census tracts included in one or more of the following datasets:

• National Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool
• National Housing and Urban Development Opportunity Zones
• National Housing and Urban Development Low-Moderate Income (LMI) areas

Eligibility Map

Eligible Project Components

Projects should create and foster more resilient urban forests by increasing and maintaining a healthy urban tree canopy and access to nature.  Projects must take place in or must directly serve at least one disadvantaged community, as defined above.  Urban & Community Forestry Grants will support a broad range of activities, including but not limited to:

• Urban tree canopy expansion and protection (e.g. tree planting, community tree nursery establishment)
• Tree maintenance
• Urban wood utilization
• Urban food forests
• Extreme heat mitigation and climate resilience
• Workforce Development
• Increasing capacity to care for and manage community trees
• Other activities as detailed in VT UCF's two other grant categories: Communities Caring for Canopy and Growing Urban Forests in the Face of Emerald Ash Borer

Grant Documents

This document contains information to support grant applications and project development.

Grant Overview

Application

There is a common grant application is available to apply to all three of the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program's 2024 grant categories. Applications must be submitted using the online Microsoft form.

Please use the grant application worksheet to develop your application and transfer your answers into the online application form. 

Grant applications must be submitted using the form below. Applications cannot be saved or restarted. 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, below.

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