Welcome to our Grants FAQ page. Whether you are a potential grant applicant or a grant recipient, this page is intended to support you by answering frequently asked questions about grant applications, administration, record-keeping, and payments.
Applications & Grant Agreements
For which 2024 grant category are we eligible?
Check out our UCF Eligibility Map to explore for which 2024 grant category or categories your project is eligible. Because each grant category is funded by a different federal source with different requirements, the geographic eligibility varies by category. The UCF Eligibility Map allows users to explore by grant category, or by inputting a specific address or town name to see for which category or categories that project location would be eligible.
Summary of geographic eligibility by category:
- Growing Urban Forests in the Face of EAB: Projects must take place within a 1-mile radius of designated areas through the VT Agency of Commerce & Community Developments Designation Programs. This includes Designated Downtowns, Village Centers, New Town Centers, Growth Centers, and Neighborhood Development Areas. Learn more by visiting the ACCD Planning Atlas.
- Urban & Community Forestry Grants: Projects must take place in or directly serve “disadvantaged communities” as defined by the USDA Forest Service, which for the purposes of this grant opportunity are census tracts included in one or more of the following datasets:
- The federal Council on Environmental Quality’s Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool
- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Opportunity Zones dataset
- The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s dataset for low to moderate income (LMI) areas.
- Communities Caring for Canopy: Projects can take place anywhere in Vermont.
Our project is eligible for multiple grant categories. For which should we apply?
Great! Some things to consider as you decide for which grant(s) to apply:
- The primary functional difference between the 2024 grant categories is that Caring for Canopy and Growing Urban Forests in the Face of EAB require 1:1 match in the form of cash, services, or volunteer contributions. The Urban & Community Forestry grants require NO match (though you may provide it if you wish).
- The primary topical difference between the 2024 grant categories is that:
- Growing Urban Forests in the Face of EAB grants are intended to support ash removals and replacements in downtowns village centers and along primary corridors into these areas.
- Urban & Community Forestry grants are intended to support healthy tree canopy cover and access to the benefits of trees in specific communities, as defined as disadvantaged by the USDA Forest Service.
- Communities Caring for Canopy grants are intended to support any activity that moves any community tree program forward, anywhere in the state.
How do I apply for a grant?
Prior to 2023, VT UCF accepted mailed paper applications or email PDF or Word applications. Due to the increase in funds available this year and an anticipated increase in grant applications, we have decided to move to a web-based application for all 2024 grants. The application is the same for all three grant categories. The application form is available here. Please note that once an application is started in the form, applications cannot be saved or restarted. We highly recommend that applicants use the grant application worksheet (PDF or Word) to develop, edit, and save your work prior to completing the application form and submitting. Applications are due by midnight on Friday, January 5th, 2024.
What makes a great grant application (and are there examples)?
Should I read our grant agreement? How can I get a copy of our signed grant agreement?
Can we changed the scope or deliverables we originally outlined in our grant agreement?
Funding & Invoicing
How does our community or organization receive the grant funding that we have been awarded?
What information should be included in an invoice?
An invoice should be on municipal or organizational letterhead and must include:
- the subaward number,
- the amount being requested for payment, and
- address to where a check should be sent.
Click here to see a sample invoice. 2023 grant agreements and beyond will also have a template invoice on the last page of the executed (signed) agreement.
How do we submit an invoice?
Can we invoice for activities that happened before the grant agreement was signed?
Yes. Attachment B of your grant agreement states: Up to 90 days of Pre-award costs are allowable under this agreement as determined by the State and as related to scope of work in Attachment A. In other words, completed project work that occurred as early as 90 days before the grant agreement was signed is eligible for reimbursement as long as the costs were properly documented.
What if we need to request an extension to our grant project period?
In-Kind Match & Final Report
How do we document our volunteer in-kind match?
What is the dollar value of volunteer in-kind match?
What is required in the final report?
Who do I send the final report to?
Final reports and final invoices should be submitted together in a single email and sent to ANR.FPRAgreements@vermont.gov. The final report can be submitted by anyone (town staff, the volunteer project coordinator, etc.). Though not required, please cc elise.schadler@vermont.gov so that our UCF program staff is aware that the report has been submitted.
More questions? Please direct all UCF grant questions to our Program Manager Elise Schadler at elise.schadler@vermont.gov.