DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Grant Program has awarded more than $31,000 to fund nine community tree projects in all three counties. The program offers up to $5,000 in annual competitive matching grants for projects on public land and community open space, and grants are available to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and nonprofit organizations in the First State. Successful applications were approved by a committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Since the grant program began, Delaware’s urban and community forestry program has given over 575 grants totaling more than $1.75 million and planted more than 13,000 trees.
Community
City
County
Award
Pencader Cemetery
Glasgow
New Castle
$5,000
Riverview, Wilmington, Brandywine,
& Old Swedes Cemeteries
Wilmington
New Castle
$2,500
Westover Hills Section C
Wilmington
New Castle
$900
Champions Club at Jonathans Landing
Magnolia
Kent
$5,000
Elizabeth W. Murphey School
Dover
Kent
$3,810
Villages at Five Points
Lewes
Sussex
$5,000
Milford Riverwalk
Milford
Sussex
$2,109
Forest Landing
Frankford
Sussex
$1,739
Total
$31,058
Urban Forestry Grants Up to $5,000 Available
Since its inception, Delaware’s urban and community forestry grant program has awarded 568 grants for more than $1.75 million and planted more than 13,000 trees.
DOVER, Del. — Delaware’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program is once again offering up to $5,000 in matching funds for tree planting or tree management projects on public land or community open space. The competitive grants – open to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profits in the State of Delaware (including churches and schools) – require a 50-50 match in either cash (non-federal funds) or in-kind services, which includes volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, or supplies. Requests can range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in only one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management (i.e., professional tree inventory, hazardous tree removal, or pruning).
Application deadline is March 6, 2020.
Applicants are required to schedule a site visit to review their project, according to the following guidelines:
Site visit MUST be scheduled a minimum of a week in advance
No site visits will be done after February 22, 2020
Appointments will be made on a first come first serve basis
Final day to make an appointment will be February 15, 2020
This year, applicants must complete their submission in one sitting at the online application link. Grant applicants are encouraged to gather required forms and documents for attachment to the application as the form cannot be saved and completed later.
2020 Guidelines and Forms
2020 Grant Requirements and Application (PDF) (Word)
Applications are judged on a competitive basis by a grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority will be given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities). Complete details at delawaretrees.com.
“Community trees play a critical role in our daily lives. Trees provide cleaner air and water, wildlife habitat, lower energy costs, natural beauty, and improved property values. The Delaware Forest Service’s urban grant program can help community groups to capture these many benefits for many years to come. Tree projects not only generate positive and lasting changes but also bring residents and volunteers together to make their communities more livable and enjoyable,” said Kesha Braunskill, the Delaware Forest Service urban and community forestry program director.
NEW: The Urban and Community Forestry Tree Grant Dashboard page provides a visual overview of the history of Delaware’s tree grants. Since its inception, the grant program has awarded 568 grants totaling more than $1.75 million—resulting in the planting of more than 13,000 trees. Details includes the locations and dates of specific grant projects by county, legislative map, or school district. http://de.gov/treegrantdashboard.
The comprehensive database can list charts of the grants by year, county, and legislative district. The map to the right of the dashboard also allows viewers to zoom in to various parts of the state and then view specific projects by clicking on the blue dot.
As part of its mission, several informative publications, resources, and links are available to help with proper planning and developing effective strategies for tree planting, care, and management.
Up to $5,000 in grants for community tree planting or tree inventory projects.
The Delaware Urban and Community Forestry Program is offering grants up to $5,000 for tree planting projects on public land or to help communities complete a professional tree inventory. The competitive grants – open to all municipalities, homeowner associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profits in the State of Delaware – require a 50-50 match in either cash (non-federal funds) or in-kind services, which includes volunteer or staff time, equipment rental, or supplies. Requests can range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management (professional tree inventory only). Interested applicants must schedule a site visit with Delaware Forest Service urban forestry staff before applying and submit their application using the online form.
Applications will be judged on a competitive basis by a grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority will be given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities). Complete details at delawaretrees.com.
“Community forests are critical to our quality of life. Trees provide cleaner air and water, wildlife habitat, lower energy costs, natural beauty, and improved property values. The Delaware Forest Service’s urban grant program is designed to help communities harness these many benefits. Tree projects can generate positive and lasting effects for years to come while also bringing residents and volunteers together to make their communities more livable and enjoyable,” said Kesha Braunskill, the Delaware Forest Service urban and community forestry program director.
Site visit MUST be scheduled a minimum of a week in advance
No site visits will be done after February 22, 2019
Appointments will be made on first-come first-serve basis
Final day to make an appointment will be February 15, 2019
Delaware Forest Service awards $58,000 for 16 tree planting projects
DOVER – The Delaware Forest Service has awarded $58,244 to fund 16 tree planting projects throughout the First State. Since 2007, the agency has given more than $1.7 million to cities, towns and homeowner groups to support community tree efforts that take place on public lands. Recipients provide a 50-50 cost-share match in either non-federal funds or in-kind services such as volunteer time, equipment, or donated supplies.
“These urban forestry grants are a central part of our agency’s efforts to meet our statewide program goals. Tree planting projects help to bring people together, build awareness about the importance of proper tree care in community settings, and highlight the many benefits of increasing tree canopy,” said Kesha Braunskill, Delaware Forest Service’s urban and community forestry director.
Delaware’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program is a competitive process open to all municipalities, community associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in the State of Delaware. Funds can only be utilized on public property owned by the municipality, HOA, or nonprofit organization. Grants ranged from $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in two project categories: tree planting or tree management. Applications were limited to one project in one category and were judged on a competitive basis by the grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority was given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities).
Delaware Forest Service awards $58,409 in urban and community forestry grants
DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Forest Service’s urban and community program has awarded $58,409 in grants to 22 municipalities, HOA’s, and nonprofits to fund planting and management projects to improve tree canopy on public lands and open space in the First State. Over the past 10 years, the program has funded more than $1 million in community-based tree projects in Delaware.
Funded by the U.S. Forest Service, Delaware’s Urban and Community Grant Program is open to all municipalities, community associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations within the State of Delaware. Funds can only be utilized on public property owned by the municipality, HOA, or nonprofit organization. Grants can range from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in one of two project categories: tree planting or tree management. All applications require a 50-50 cost-share match in either cash or in-kind services within program guidelines. Applications were limited to one project in one project category and were judged on a competitive basis by a grant committee of the Delaware Urban and Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority is given to first time applicants, Tree City USA’s, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities).
EVALUATION CRITERIA
All grants were ranked according to the following criteria:
Overall project quality/community need
Project encourages sustainable urban forestry through management planning, proper tree care or sustaining/ maintaining urban tree canopy.
The project mitigates tree hazard(s) – applicable only for management grants
Increases tree canopy – applicable only for planting grants
Municipality has an implemented an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (Municipalities) or is a current Tree Friendly Community
The Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is committed to providing a range of technical and informational assistance to residents of communities in the First State.
For more information, contact:
Kesha Braunskill, Delaware Forest Service (DFS) Urban Forestry Administrator
Office: (302) 698-4578, Kesha.Braunskill@delaware.gov
Applications for the next round of grants will be available early in 2018.
List of 2017 Delaware Urban and Community Forestry Grants: