The USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Program works in partnership with State and local forestry agencies, non-profit and tribal organizations, and institutions of higher education to restore, sustain, and manage more than 140 million acres of urban and community forest lands for the benefit of communities in the United States.
Donor Name: Forest Service
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/15/2023
Size of the Grant: $500,000
Grant Duration: 3 years
Details:
The Urban forests are trees for people, where they live, work, and play, which includes natural resources on public and private property that contribute to quality of life, supports community development, green infrastructure, and provide a wealth of benefits to cities and towns.
The USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Program is the only dedicated urban forest program in the federal government. It is a technical, financial, and educational assistance program that delivers nature-based solutions to more than 84 percent of Americans. Healthy urban & community forests and green infrastructure are not only critical to all their nation’s forests, but research and studies have also shown that their urban and community forests are essential to the economic, environmental, physical, and mental well-being of their citizens.
CATEGORY: Goal 5 Improve Urban and Community Forest Management, Maintenance and Stewardship
The Forest Service is seeking an inventory and assessment of existing hard copy and electronic urban and community forest management protocols. Once analyzed, the applicant should assess the information and determine which existing or new protocols would be suitable for small communities to large metropolitan areas in various geographical areas of the country and territories. The end result should be a comprehensive program / software that compiles existing and emerging technology and best management practices into one comprehensive and adaptable application to be successfully tested and utilized by pilot communities, Tribal communities, island territories, and disadvantaged communities.
Successful urban forest management programs should at least include:
- A comprehensive national inventory and assessment of existing hard copy and electronic urban forestry best maintenance/monitoring/management practices, case studies, and informative cost-effective strategies for urban forest management and assessment such as, but not limited to: Geospatial tree inventories, forest canopy cover mapping and benefit analysis, planting space analysis, urban heat Island mapping, optimal species diversity and distribution.
- An urban tree maintenance and stewardship plan (i.e., optimal pruning cycle frequency, tree removal and reforestation operations efficiencies, pest, and disease management decision matrices, etc.).
- Technical assistance resources (manuals, videos, methods/models) that support arboriculture/urban forestry workforce development training, and job creation for disadvantaged community members.
- Tools and technical assistance support for scaling of urban forest management and maintenance methodologies and implementation strategies for different community sizes, capacity, and geographical areas across the country and territories.
- Identify pilot communities that can test and utilize these management protocols.
- Awareness of volunteer-based citizen science, community assisted maintenance models (i.e., tree stewards, neighborhood/block tree tenders, etc.) and continuing education resources that support and extend community forestry stewardship capacity.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000
- Award Ceiling: $500,000
- Award Floor: $250,000
- Grant Period: Grants or Agreements are to be completed within 2-3 years.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- City or township governments
- County governments
- State governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Special district governments
- Private institutions of higher education
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
