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Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants Program

Learn about the application process here

The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program provides matching grants to cities for park projects in underserved communities. These investments enable urban communities to create new outdoor recreation spaces, reinvigorate existing parks, and form connections between people and the outdoors.

From picnic tables to playgrounds, ORLP funding invests in outdoor recreation and the facilities needed to enjoy and use community parks. Accessible playgrounds, biking trails, and campgrounds have all been made possible through ORLP grants aimed at improving local access to outdoor recreation. Over $100 million in Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant funding has been invested nationwide.

Managed by the National Park Service and funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the nationally competitive ORLP program provides matching grants (up to 50% of total project costs) to assist communities with little to no access to outdoor recreation opportunities in urban areas. Funds can be used for the acquisition and/or development of, or to substantially renovate public parks and other outdoor recreation spaces.

Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program

Applications Due November 21st, 2024

EPA’s new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the IRA for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments. 

Explore Various Opportunities via City Parks Alliance Page

With the influx of federal transportation dollars through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and FY 2023 budget package, City Parks Alliance is highlighting and educating members on the tremendous number of transportation programs that could be beneficial to their park and trail projects.

These programs include planning, capital projects, and technical assistance that aid with the creation of linear parks, trails, park access, and recreational facilities. Several of these programs have a focus on improving public safety, climate resilience, and equitable access to green space and recreation.

Current and Upcoming Grant Opportunities Through 2024 

Connecticut’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is gearing up for its most robust menu of grant offerings ever! Nearly $3 million will be available through 2028 to support urban and community forestry projects through the programs outlined below. Each grant program will have different award amounts, eligibility criteria, cost-share requirements, and will support different activities.

Check back periodically for request for proposals (RFP), applications, and additional details on these programs. The Urban and Community Forestry program will be holding office hours throughout the fall to help potential applicants navigate grant program criteria and support the proposal development and application process.  Check back periodically for office hours and other grant announcements. 

Urban and Community Forestry – Hurricane Ian Recovery (U&CF-HIR) Grant Program

Due by Decemeber 20th, 2024

In September of 2022, Hurricane Ian struck peninsular Florida with extensive wind, flood, and storm surge impacts, causing significant damage to the urban forest.  While making landfall as a category four hurricane with sustained winds of 150 MPH, this storm had significant and clear direct impacts on the urban tree canopy due to wind damage on the southwest coast of Florida. However, the impacts of this storm spread much further with flooding caused by excessive rain (between five and 20 inches, depending on specific location) and severe erosion in many locations. Hurricane Ian impacted most of peninsular Florida, with urban forest damage stretching from Fort Myers to Jacksonville.

The purpose of this program is to improve and reestablish urban forests in 29 counties of the peninsular region of the state that were negatively impacted by Hurricane Ian. The primary goal is to ensure that the urban forest is more resilient to future storms.

Applications are being accepted from nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, local governments, and American tribal governments from the following 29 Florida counties: Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, and Volusia.

IRA Iowa Tree Planting Grant

Application deadline is December 30th, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. (CST)

Through the USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received funds for tree planting grants for communities.

The IRA Iowa Tree Planting Grant provides reimbursable grants to purchase trees, mulch, tree staking/protection and supplemental watering by contractor or city staff. The grant is a two-year program allowing for planting to take place in the spring and fall of 2025 and 2026. Grant funding is competitive, non-match, and awarded in amounts between $10,000 to $30,000 per applicant.

The IRA Iowa Tree Planting grants are available to community governmental entities, volunteer organizations, and service organizations involved with local urban and community forest services, for planting trees on publicly owned properties within the community to diversify the tree canopy, increase tree benefits, and help disadvantaged populations with energy costs and health disparities, and increase access to parks and nature. Eligibility is determined by the Forest Cover and Socioeconomic Assessment Tool.

Green Communities Grant

Application deadline is on a Rolling basis for those municipalities and counties developing a Community Forestry Management Plan

Pursuant to the New Jersey Shade Tree and Community Forestry Assistance Act, N.J.S.A.13:1L-17.4(c), one purpose of the New Jersey Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program (NJUCF) is to provide grants to local governments and shade tree commissions to assist in the writing and implementation of a comprehensive Community Forest Management Plan (CFMP) to the extent monies are appropriated or otherwise made available. The NJUCF Green Communities Grant was established to provide this financial assistance.

Grants are awarded to encourage the development of CFMPs and projects that strongly link the use of best management practices to achieve urban and community forestry management goals defined in theCFMP.

Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Governmental

applications accepted year round

The State of New Mexico, Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), Forestry Division  is seeking applications for urban and community forestry projects to assist communities in developing and maintaining sustainable stewardship of urban and community forestry resources in New Mexico. 

Eligible applicants  are non-federal governmental entities, including public colleges and universities and tribes (as long as other federal money is not involved).  Projects located on lands owned or administered by the federal government are not eligible for this funding.

Applications may request any amount up to $60,000.00. The Forestry Division reserves the right to partially fund projects. Project contacts will be notified by the Forestry Division Program Manager before any partial funding is approved. 

Community Forestry Grants

Application deadline is October 31st, 2024

The Community Forestry program offers several grant opportunities for communities. Fall grant applications are accepted September 3 through October 31, 2024. All communities interested in obtaining an application must contact NDFS Community Forestry Staff.

Urban and Community Forestry Subaward Programs

See link below for application deadlines

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Urban & Community Forestry (UCF) received $26.6 million to stand up two subaward programs offering $10 million explicitly devoted to the nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon, and $12.5 million available to all eligible entities in the State of Oregon. Both funding opportunities aim to promote community and urban forest investment and tree equity for overburdened and underserved communities. This initiative strives to support Tribal, rural, and urban communities by providing benefits beyond individual project or program investments.

These Federal Financial Assistance grant awards 24-DG-11062765-084 and 23-DG-11062765-093 are administered by ODF. As the pass-through entity, ODF will be managing all subawards for the duration of this funding opportunity. Assistance with proposal development, technical consultation, and application writing is available upon request as part of the subaward programs.

Community Forestry Grants Program

Applications due 4pm cst on February 14th, 2025

Texas A&M Forest Service is offering $12.4 million in grant funding through the Community Forestry Grants program to enhance community forestry initiatives throughout the state. These grants will help build capacity for community forestry through workforce development, outreach, canopy enhancements and other unique project ideas. 

These grants are designed to foster community forestry principles that promote the establishment, protection and enhancement of community forest ecosystems throughout Texas. Beyond the climate and ecosystem sustainability benefits that can be created by utilizing these grants, communities will be able to integrate health and wellness initiatives as a result of proper tree planting and management.   

“The growth and success of our Community Forestry Grants program has been monumental,” said Mac Martin, Texas A&M Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program Leader. “The grants offered through our program are essential to enhancing community forestry practices that will improve the quality of life for residents now, and for future generations. This is a strategic program that ensures grants are distributed in a manner that will have a trusted positive community impact.”  

2025 Tree Maintenance & Removal Grants

Due on January 10th, 2025

Funded through an unprecedented one-time allocation from the USDA Forest Service and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Tree Maintenance & Removal grants will support local efforts to maintain a healthy urban tree canopy and address dead and high-risk trees in disadvantaged communities.  This work aligns with and supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative by strategically identifying, reaching, and assisting disadvantaged communities in our state.

Community Tree Planting Grants

Round 2 applications Due on january 10th, 2025

The Community Tree Planting Grant (CTPG) program will hold two rounds of competitive grant applications (2024, 2025) to help fund tree planting projects in high priority areas across Vermont. These community projects will help increase urban tree canopy and improve water quality and public health by controlling stormwater. This program is being administered by the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission in cooperation with the Vermont Urban and Community Forest Program. See full overview below.