Deadline: 3-Oct-22
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking applications for its Urban Forestry Startup Grants to support small projects focused on initial steps in community tree care and management.
A long-term goal for applicants should be development of a sustained community tree management program.
Goals
- DNR Urban Forestry program goals (derived from WI DNR Division of Forestry Strategic Direction)
- Impacting the tree canopy on private property
- Developing or updating a tree inventory
- Working with partners to develop professional workshops or educational events
Funding Information
- The minimum total project cost is $2,000. Grant requests must be between $1,000 and $25,000.
- There is no maximum project size; however, a grant award, and therefore reimbursement, is limited to $25,000 for regular Urban Forestry grants, and $5,000 for Startup grants.
- Only one startup grant may be awarded to an applicant per year.
- Projects begin Jan. 1 and must be completed within one calendar year.
Funding Priorities
- Responding to Emerald Ash Borer
- Developing or updating a management plan
- Developing or updating tree ordinances
- Tree planting
- Maintenance of trees on public land
- Developing a citizen tree board
- Furthering staff training
Eligible Projects
- Projects must relate to community tree management, maintenance or education within Wisconsin cities, villages or other areas of concentrated development.
- Projects by 501(c)(3) organizations must focus on their community’s trees.
- Projects may consist of no more than three of the following eight components:
- tree planting;
- tree pruning;
- tree removal;
- tree inventory;
- insect and disease treatment;
- staff training;
- urban forestry management plan; and
- information/education/outreach (may include forming a tree board, writing a tree ordinance, staff and/or volunteer training, or improving awareness of the importance of community trees and their management).
Eligibility Criteria
- Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations who meet two or more of the following conditions:
- Starting, or recently started, a community-wide tree care program.
- Resuming tree care and management activities that were once a regular community-wide program that ended.
- Community tree care (planting, pruning, removal) by staff or contractors is infrequently performed.
- Involvement and support for community trees and their care by boards/committees, elected officials, organizations and/or residents is low to non-existent.
- There are no trained staff, contractors or volunteers authorized to handle, advise or oversee community tree care and management.
- A maximum of three urban forestry startup grants may be awarded to an applicant within the lifetime of the startup grant program. To be eligible for a third startup grant, an applicant must either:
- have an existing tree inventory; or
- use the grant process to complete one.
For more information, visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/urbanforests/grants/startup
