Communities Caring for Canopy Grants

The Communities Caring for Canopy grants offer vital seed funding for communities to establish and maintain urban forestry programs in Vermont. With a total of $40,000 available for projects like tree planting, maintenance, and public outreach, individual awards range from $5,000 to $10,000. This initiative encourages collaboration and innovation in managing local tree resources, ensuring community engagement and environmental sustainability.

Communities Caring for Canopy grants provide seed funding to help communities develop and sustain community-wide programs for trees and forests in public places and right-of-ways. These grants allow for multiple program components (e.g., tree planting, tree maintenance, tree inventory, plan development, emerald ash borer or other pest preparedness, public outreach, staff training, and program development) to be merged into one grant application
Available Funds
A total of $40,000 in 1:1 cost-share grants is available, with individual awards ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. These funds will be distributed through a competitive grant review and selection process.
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 that pose a risk to public safety (replanting required)Tree inventory
• Planting and management plan
• development
• Municipal Tree Policy or Ordinance
• development
• Pest and disease preparedness efforts
• Public outreach
• Staff or tree warden training
• Program development