Grant overview
The Growing Tomorrow’s Tree Care Professionals Grants make available $2.3 million to help develop the skilled workforce needed to protect urban forests, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act from the U.S. Forest Service. These grants will support communities in environmental justice areas. Funds can be used for education and outreach, professional certification and training, recruitment, and buying personal protective equipment needed to work in the tree care industry. Each grant can be up to $500,000 and no matching funds are required.
Webinar
We hosted a webinar that discussed the application process, how to format your budget, and hosted a Q&A session.
If you have additional questions, you can sign up for a 15-minute appointment slot.
Eligible applicants
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and governments, including cities, counties, regional authorities, joint powers boards, towns, soil and water conservation districts, educational institutions, and Tribal nations. Parks and recreation boards in cities of the first class are also eligible to apply.
Eligible applicants will need to show they can recruit, train, or retain members of environmental justice communities within the tree care industry.
Eligible activities
All efforts done by grantees must serve environmental justice communities. View a map of the environmental justice areas eligible for this grant.
- Education and outreach:
- Urban and community forestry or tree education and career-focused outreach.
- Beginner tree maintenance programs for adults and youth.
- Professional development:
- Certifications, diplomas, degrees, registered apprenticeships, and industry-recognized certifications.
- Continuing education for those already engaged in the industry.
- Recruitment and retention:
- Programs to increase recruitment and retention of individuals in environmental justice areas.
- Engaging underrepresented people in workforce development.
- Hands-on experience:
- Conducting tree work in environmental justice priority areas as a means of professional education.
Eligible expenses
Eligible project expenses include materials and staff time to accomplish the following:
- Educational and engagement materials: Printing or purchasing materials for community outreach and education,
- Professional development: providing certifications and continuing education credits.
- Staff and professional services: Paying staff for outreach, project work, or administrative tasks, and hiring outside help for technical assistance.
- Purchases to help overcome barriers: Paying for public transit tickets for participants and personal protective equipment.
Other eligible expenses include additional supports as outlined in the Request for Application.
Project timeline
- Application available: Thursday, August 22, 2024
- Application questions due: September 24, 2024
- Applications due: October 8, 2024
- Project selection, grant agreement negotiations begin: November 5, 2024
- All grant work completed and final reimbursement request submitted by: June 15, 2028
How to apply
- Review the Request for Applications
- Download and complete the Application
- Download and fill out the Attachment A Budget Form
- Provide a Letter of Support if you are working with an outside organization on the project - any format is acceptable.
Please reach out if you need help or have questions! [email protected]
After reading the Request for Applications, complete all parts of the application found above. Email completed applications to [email protected] (only emailed applications will be accepted). Applications deadline: October 8, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
No match requirement
Please do not submit a match as part of your application.
FAQs
Please submit additional questions to [email protected] by Sep 24, 2024. Answers to frequently asked questions will be posted weekly.
Is my whole city eligible for funding if not all of it is identified as an environmental justice area?
Yes, your city is eligible but the benefit for the grant needs to go to environmental justice areas. This can be accomplished in a few ways. You can provide the training to residents from environmental justice areas while doing tree care work in other areas in the city. You can be engaging underrepresented individuals in the training program who may or may not reside in environmental justice areas while doing tree care work in environmental justice areas.
Can I use this funding to hire or contract with a certified arborist for meeting the training requirements?
Yes, funding may be used to contract with or hire staff with the required credentials to teach educational components of the program.