NOTE: The Application Period is CLOSED.  We are NOT accepting new applications.

Urban forests are trees for people, where they live, work and play, which includes natural resources on public and private property that contribute to quality of life, supports community development, green infrastructure, and provide a wealth of benefits to cities and towns.

The USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Program is the only dedicated urban forest program in the federal government.  It is a technical, financial, and educational assistance program delivers nature-based solutions to more than 84 percent of Americans.  The program works in partnership to restore, sustain, and manage more than 140 million acres of urban and community forest lands for the benefit of communities in the United States. Healthy urban & community forests and green infrastructure are not only critical to all our nation’s forests, but research and studies have also shown that our urban and community forests are essential to the economic, environmental, physical, and mental well-being of our citizens.

Through the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the Forest Service is seeking proposals to address the National Ten Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan (2016-2026), (Action Plan) - Goal 4 and Goal 5 in the Ten Year Action Plan.

To find out more about this year's Grant Program category, carefully review the Grant Program's Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) document and the National Ten Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan Website below.

Urban and Community Forestry Climate-Resilient Tree Nurseries

The USDA Forest Service seeks innovative (new, cutting-edge or builds upon existing programs) grant proposals for program development, study, and collaboration that will address urban and community forest public awareness and education as it aligns with the goals in the National Ten Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan (2016-2026).  This year's Grant Program will focus on the following goals:

Goal 4 Strategy A: Action 1: Increase the biodiversity, health and resilience of trees in urban and community forests.
Goal 5 Strategy A: Support the use of more locally grown, regionally adapted, insect and pest-resistant, and diverse native or site-appropriate species. Action 1: Facilitate funding to promote planting higher quality trees in urban forests with less emphasis on the quantity of trees planted (such as the published International Society of Arboriculture guidelines).

Read the CATEGORY section in the NOFO document for complete details.

• Proposals must meet the Urban and Community Forestry Program Authorities as designated by Congress in the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act, (Section 9 PDF, pp. 19-24) State & Private Cooperative Forestry Handbook of Programs and identify with Goal 4, Strategy A Action 1 or Goal 5, Strategy A in the National Ten Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan (2016-2026).

• Partnership collaboration is required - Two or more related partners must be involved in these proposals and include formal letters of partnership.  The proposal may also include letters of support from other key stakeholders, as applicable.

• Available Funding: Aligns with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), the U.S. Forest Service may provide approximately $1,000,000 (Based on availability of funding, the quality of applications received, agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.)

• Awards will be made as cooperative agreements.

• Time Frame: Grants or Agreements are to be completed within 3 years.

• The grant review and award process may take up to 6 months.

• Eligible Applicants: Non-Profits, educational institutions of higher learning, any U.S. state and federally recognized Tribal Organization that is operating within the United States or its territories, and state organizations representing multi-state or national proposals are eligible. Local governments may apply if their proposed messaging includes other local governments/eligible entities around the country that can implement their process and demonstrate national application within the grant period. Private entities are not eligible but may be partners in the project.

• Matching Requirements: All grant funds must be matched at least equally (dollar for dollar) with non-federal match, which may include in-kind donations, volunteer assistance, and private and public (non-federal) monetary contributions.

- Federal Urban and Community Forestry Grant Dollars may not pay for any Federal employee salary, travel, or per diem, etc.

- Federal partners must provide a letter of support stating their pro bono role in the project.

• Registration in SAM (System for Award Management) is required: Please allow at least two (2) weeks to apply or renew this registration. All prospective awardees must be registered in SAM  https://sam.gov/content/home.

• If applicable, ensure all indirect cost rates are current.

• Definitions and Resources

• Proposal Evaluation

• A hard copy version of the NOFO is available upon request.  Please email SM.FS.nucfac@usda.gov.

The online application process steps you through the application workflow processes allowing you to complete online web-forms and upload required .pdf documents^* so that your entire application package is submitted online.

Apply online now or continue/edit your previously started application.

Online Application Instructions

To begin your online application, you'll need to enter your name and email address along with the project title and the grant category for which you are applying. For added security, you will also be required to setup a secret question and answer.

Once you complete this information, you will be send an email with a unique online grant application tracking-id that you will need to access your online application.

Each time you access your online application, you'll need your email address, the answer to your secret question and your tracking-id to gain access.

To enter and upload the required application information, you'll follow the workflow process presented when you access your application. The final step to the workflow process is the application submission step. You should carefully review your online application before submitting. Once successfully submitted, you will receive an email with a time stamp confirming your submission. This email is your receipt for timely submission.

You will be notified by email during each of the following steps taken by the grant program review committee:

• application received
• application accepted for review or rejected and reason why
• grant awarded