Accelerating Urban Forestry Funding Opportunities

Community Forest Corps & Urban Forestry Fellowships

Municipalities and Community-Based Nonprofit Organizations are eligible. Please review funding priorities and details below.

Applications are due September 13, 2024 by 5:00PM Eastern Time

For more information click here to watch our August 15th Information Webinar and QA and scroll down to visit our FAQ page below.

Funding Opportunities Available

As part of the USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry’s Inflation Reduction Act Program (Funding Opportunity #: USDA-FS-2023-UCF-IRA-01), Center for Regenerative Solutions (CRS) and Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) are thrilled to open applications for capacity building and workforce development grants for communities to accelerate urban forestry through the launch and management of Community Forestry Corps youth employment programs.

We request all potential grant recipients to submit an Application for a period of performance beginning January 1, 2025 and completed by December 31, 2027. Applicants can choose to receive funding for one or both of the following programs:

Community Forest Corps sustains tree canopy in climate-vulnerable communities by empowering and employing youth to simultaneously provide community-based tree care and protection while also gathering critical urban heat data essential to developing urban forestry-based cooling strategies..

Urban Forestry Equity Fellowship Program places individuals from diverse backgrounds in jurisdictions that have demonstrated suitable progress toward implementing urban forestry initiatives and are committed to collecting urban heat data and enhancing tree care and maintenance through Community Forest Corps.

Available Funding

Individual sub-awards will range from a minimum of $300,000 to a maximum of $600,000 total over a 3-year period, depending on the scope of work, project work areas, partnerships engaged, and capabilities of the applicant. A minimum of $5,500,000 in total funding is available. Cost-share or match is not a requirement for your sub-award agreement.

Timeline

  • July 30 - Applications Open

  • September 13 - Applications must be submitted by 5pm ET

  • Early October - Accepted applicants are notified and receive Grant Agreements

  • Early October - CFC/Fellowship Grantee cohort is announced publicly

Grant Eligibility

All municipal/county-level jurisdictions, Tribes*, and community-based nonprofit organizations are eligible. All work must directly impact disadvantaged communities as defined by the EPA IRA Disadvantaged Communities Map.

*Tribes are defined as: Federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations/villages, Tribal organizations as defined in 25USC 5304 (I) and operating within the United States or its territories, and organizations working in Tribal communities.

Selection Criteria

Accelerating Urban Forestry grants are intended to strengthen the field of urban forestry, increase equitable access to urban tree canopy in disadvantaged communities, develop diverse urban forestry workforces, broaden community engagement in urban forest planning, and expand best management and maintenance practices to improve resilience to climate change and extreme heat. Applications will be prioritized for communities experiencing high heat, low canopy, and that can show the need for capacity building, workforce development, diverse urban forestry team members, and/or community education and engagement support.

Applicants do not need to have existing youth employment or workforce development programs. Applications should demonstrate your community’s need for capacity-building programs that employ youth to conduct tree care (watering and maintenance) and collect neighborhood-level urban heat data. If your community has existing youth urban forestry programs and partners, please describe how funding would extend or expand your current work in urban heat monitoring and tree protection, and how a grant would support your urban planning and address the unique needs of your community.

Please note that, while we are prioritizing applications for youth crews aged 14-17, we are also open to accepting applications for young adult crews aged 18-24. Please indicate the age group of your proposed crew within your application.

Budget Requirements

This program supports work that presents a clear path to sustaining a youth and fellowship employment program for three years. The below sample budgets and blank budget templates are designed to guide applicants in preparing their budgets for the CFC grant application and/or a CFC + Fellowship application.

  1. CFC Grant Budget Template: This template should be used to itemize expenditures for the "CFC Youth Crew" line item under the "contractual section." This includes direct and indirect costs associated with the crew, such as personnel, fringe benefits, travel, supplies, and other allowable expenses.

  2. CFC + Fellowship Budget Template: If you are applying for the CFC + Fellowship opportunity, please use this template to provide a detailed budget itemization for fellowship-eligible expenditures. This should include personnel, fringe benefits, travel, training, and other relevant costs.

Additionally, as part of your grant agreement, there will be a line item to cover the costs of heat data collection and analysis with CAPA Strategies as a contractual partner.

Please complete the appropriate budget template and upload it in the documents section of your application before submission.

Resources Required for Community Forest Corps

Please review the Community Forest Corps Overview and keep these required resources in mind as you complete your Application:

  • Partnerships with local organizations who have deep knowledge and experience in urban forestry, community engagement, youth employment programs, and heat data monitoring;

  • A committed Employer of Record and a dedicated Program Manager with demonstrated experience in youth workforce development;

  • Tree watering and maintenance equipment that can be used by youth/teens—or a need for the development of a youth-based equipment/toolset;

  • Urban Forest Assessment and Plans—Site-specific urban forest data, planning tools, and planting initiatives underway;

  • Develop new or leverage existing neighborhood stakeholder engagement and education strategy.

Resources Required for Urban Forestry Fellowships

Please review the Urban Forestry Fellowship Program Overview to determine your community’s ability to employ and manage a Fellow for 1-3 years. Fellowship applicants will receive an additional questionnaire to learn more about:

  • The host organization: government, tribe, or community-based nonprofit committed to employing a Fellow each year for three years

  • Community participation in DEI training

  • Logistical requirements of hosting a Fellow

Reporting Requirements

Bi-annual reporting is required from all IRA Grantees to measure and track project progress, ensure goals are met, and avoid payment delays. Reporting deadlines are in June and December of each year. A final report recapping the three-year program will be required in December 2027.

Ready to Apply?

Accelerating Urban Forestry Funding Opportunity FAQ

  • The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is federal funding that includes a broad range of national investments, including $1.5 billion dedicated to trees in cities and towns. The IRA was signed into law in August of 2022. You can read more about urban forestry funding in the IRA here.

  • CRS/USDN is a national pass-through partner of the USDA Forest Service, with the goal of distributing Inflation Reduction Act funds through the Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program to communities using trees to promote equity, enhance urban resilience, and create more livable conditions for all. To expedite the funding process, a mix of national pass-through partners— including state forestry agencies and nonprofits with granting experience (like USDN) — are helping distribute IRA dollars. You’ll see this referred to as “pass-through funding.” CRS provides subawardees with guidance, tools, and a network of peers. You can read more about our role here.

  • No, match funding is not required, nor does it increase your chances of a successful award.

  • Each sub-award will be for a 3-year period.

  • You can read more about the background and first Community Forest Corps here, and review an overview of this funding opportunity for CFC's here.

  • You can read more about the Urban Forestry Fellowship opportunity here.

  • Yes, no-cost extensions will be allowed with prior approval and appropriate justification for why the project can’t be completed by the end date. Extensions will only be allowed through 2028.

  • We are offering grants in the range of $300,000 to $600,000.

  • Yes. Please review the budget templates here. For example, an 8-week program with a 6-person crew and 2 crew leaders at $16/hour, 5 days/week would include approximately $50k for infrastructure/overhead. For communities without existing youth employment programs we can allow up to 20% of the grant to be used for program management.