ME Project Canopy Assistance Grants- Planting & Maintenance

ME Project Canopy Assistance Grants- Planting & Maintenance

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Maine Forest Service
Amount: Up to US $15,000
Last Updated: September 11, 2025

Summary

The ME Project Canopy Assistance Grants support community forestry projects focused on tree planting and maintenance. Applicants, including local governments and non-profits, must attend a grant workshop prior to submission. The program emphasizes sustainable practices, enhancing community health, and improving air and water quality. A 50/50 matching requirement applies to federal funds, encouraging local financial commitment. This initiative aims to foster collaboration and share expertise for long-term forestry success in Maine.

Overview

NOTE: To be eligible to apply for Project Canopy Assistance grants, all applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application (excluding previous workshop attendees). The grant workshop is web-based and is scheduled for the "pre proposal" deadline above. This opportunity is for Planting & Maintenance projects. View the funding opportunity for Planning & Education projects here. Project Canopy Project Canopy is about people. It educates people about the benefits trees provide, and how trees make people's lives better. It connects people who have a particular expertise to people who need that expertise. It helps build bridges with town and city governments, and it knows how to communicate in a local, political environment. And just as important, Project Canopy helps people talk about success stories, so that they can find the motivation --- and inspiration --- that is crucial for developing creative, long-term community forestry programs. The Maine Forest Service has an incredible reservoir of knowledge and expertise. The challenge for us is to get that knowledge to the people who can use it. Any long-term community forestry program needs commitment and understanding from many different corners. Project Canopy's role is to get people in different corners talking to each other, so that awareness about trees can grow by leaps and bounds. We do that by using down-to-earth strategies, and deploying technical experts into the field to lend hands-on assistance. Project Canopy Planning and Education Grants The goal of this grant program is to support community efforts to develop and maintain longterm community forestry programs. Planting trees and caring for existing trees is an integral part of sustainable community forestry management. These grants provide an excellent opportunity for communities to increase tree cover, tree health, engage citizen volunteers, and build support for their community forestry program. Applicants are encouraged to contact Project Canopy staff to discuss project ideas. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to: Improved community health and quality of life – Plant trees in visible, contiguous locations where they make a direct, positive impact on the community. Tree planting projects improve air and water quality, reduce noise pollution, increase climate resilience, and beautify neighborhoods and travel corridors.Buffer plantings – Trees naturally filter air and water, limit storm runoff, and stabilize soil. Proper tree planting in urban areas can have a positive impact on water quality, climate resilience, aesthetics, and wildlife habitat.Business district enhancement – Trees planted in business districts can have a positive impact on the economy. Consumers are more willing to patronize business districts that have tree lined streets, shaded parking, and green spaces.Replacement tree programs – as existing street trees age and present risks or suffer from the ravages of invasive pests and diseases, trees can be replaced with grant program funding. Community tree nursery/gravel bed tree nursery - establishment of community tree nurseries allow for purchase and growth of seedlings before planting into streets and parks. Benefits include lower costs and greater diversity of planting stock, stronger and larger root systems, ease of transplanting bare-root trees and increased survivability of trees planted out in urban environments.Low Impact Development/green infrastructure - bioswales, raingardens and other forms of green infrastructure retain, reduce, and filter stormwater overflow resulting in reduced erosion, less flooding, and cleaner water. May reduce stormwater fees in certain where applicable.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Local municipal units of government, educational institutions, and non-profit entities, may be awarded grants for proposals that meet program guidelines. This is a 50/50 (Project Canopy/local) match program based on reimbursable costs. Applicants must match federal funds, dollar for dollar, in the form of cash, services or in-kind contributions that meet program standards and guidelines. Applicants must match federal cost-share funds with nonfederal funds and/or contributions. The applicant may use current reasonable rates, i.e. the value of a professional consultant’s time based upon his/her standard hourly rate of pay, when estimating the value of non-cash donations and in-kind services, e.g. volunteer time. Eligible Reimbursable Costs:The only costs eligible for reimbursement are those associated with one or more of the following:Fees charged by private contractors and/or consultants. Purchase of essential supplies and materials. Purchase and planting of trees, along with maintenance during the grant period, for research and demonstration projects only. For all other tree planting and maintenance projects, refer to Project Canopy’s Planting and Maintenance grant program. Three-year maintenance with a 90% survival rate is expected on all plantings. Only maintenance costs incurred during the grant period are eligible for reimbursement or match. Costs associated with site preparation and soil amendments.Eligible Non-reimbursable Costs (Applicant’s Share or Match):The following costs are not reimbursable, BUT are allowed to meet the community's minimum cost-sharing requirements of 50% of the total project cost.Cash or in-kind donations and services. Salaries, fringe, and overhead costs. Volunteer labor, machinery and equipment.

Ineligibility

Ineligible Costs (And NOT allowed as part of the community's cost-share):This cost-share program is for projects and/or activities not currently funded. It is not intended to be a substitute for existing funding levels. The focus of the program is to support new initiatives that would not otherwise occur during the funding cycle.Purchase of machinery or equipment. Construction of any kind, e.g. sidewalks or roads. Purchase of land or land charges. Purchase of plant material classified as invasive species by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry including Norway maples (Acer platanoides) (all cultivars) and callery (‘Bradford’) pear (Pyrus calleryana).  Purchase and planting of ash species (Fraxinus sp.)– due to current infestation and likelihood of eventual spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis). Normal, community wide periodic maintenance of utility (telephone, electric, and cable) lines unless it is site specific and necessary to the project.