Forestry

Urban and Community Forestry

Related References

Urban Forestry Grants

Application and Guidelines

New for 2009
A simplified, startup grant for communities that want to start or restart an urban forestry program. Projects are limited to a few project types and have a maximum grant award of $5,000. To determine if you are eligible to apply for a Startup grant follow the instructions below.

  1. The purpose of the grant program is to fund projects that improve a community's capacity to manage its trees. The applicant may be a city, village, town, county, tribal government, or 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Joint applications are encouraged.
  2. The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Grant program is a 50-50 cost-share program. The grant recipient, or sponsor, uses its own resources (cash, in-kind services, and/or donations) to fund the entire cost of the project. Upon project completion and approval, the sponsor requests reimbursement for 50 percent of eligible costs up to the approved amount of the grant award. Nonprofit organizations may ask for half of their total grant as an advance at the time of award, but otherwise grants are not provided up front.
  3. Grants range from $1000 to $25,000. The minimum total project size is $2000. There is no maximum project size, however reimbursement is limited to $25,000.
  4. Application deadline this year is October 6, 2008. Projects may begin no earlier than January 1, 2009 and must be completed no later than the following December 31, 2009.

Additional Information

  1. Learn about financial and record-keeping guidelines in the 2008 Record Keeping and Reimbursement Guide [PDF, 670KB] (For the 2007 grant cycle please refer to the 2007 Record Keeping and Reimbursement Guide [PDF, 682KB]) or contact the DNR Urban Forestry Grant Coordinator Candice Sovinski.
  2. Forms
  3. Sample Authorizing Resolution [.doc]
  4. Recipients of Wisconsin DNR 2008 Urban Forestry Grants [PDF, 62KB]

Eligible Projects

Projects may include, but are not limited to, development of:

  • urban forestry plans (strategic plans, management plans, work plans, etc.)
  • community tree inventories
  • vegetation ordinances
  • urban forestry tree boards or tree action groups
  • urban forestry staff training
  • urban forestry public awareness programs and/or materials
  • urban forestry volunteer/neighborhood involvement programs
  • tree health care plans
  • hazard tree inventories
  • contract specifications for urban tree planting, maintenance, and/or removal
  • funds may be available for tree planting, maintenance, or removal

Eligible Project Costs

  1. Eligible project costs that are reimbursable include: salaries and fringe benefits of personnel directly engaged in project; necessary supplies and equipment; leased equipment and facilities; contract costs of vendors to perform project activities; value of in-kind contributions by applicant of labor, equipment, or facilities.
  2. Eligible project costs that are non-reimbursable include the value of donated (where no compensation is made) labor, equipment, supplies, facilities, or services. These costs are eligible as the applicant's match, but are not eligible for reimbursement.
  3. Learn more about financial and record-keeping requirements in the 2008 Record Keeping and Reimbursement Guide [PDF, 670KB] (For the 2007 grant cycle please use 2007 Record Keeping and Reimbursement Guide [PDF, 682KB]).

For further information: Contact the DNR's Urban Forestry Grant Coordinator or your DNR Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator or write:

DNR Urban Forestry, PO Box 7921, Madison WI 53707
Last Revised: Tuesday July 29 2008