$30,000 IN MATCHING GRANTS FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY TREE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH DEM
Grant Information Workshop to be Held February 9 at DEM Forestry Headquarters in North Scituate
The Department of Environmental Management’s Division of Forest Environment, in cooperation with the United States Forest Service and the Rhode Island Tree Council, is offering 60/40 matching grants for the establishment or extension of comprehensive community tree programs. The program is an integral part of the America the Beautiful initiative that focuses on helping communities to develop sustainable forestry programs.
A grant information workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 9 by DEM forestry staff to explain the program and application process.
Eligible applicants include all units of government, non-profit organizations, and recognized community groups.
Projects eligible for grants include inventories of public trees, development of a tree management plan, educational activities and materials leading to a comprehensive tree program, tree planting projects as part of a comprehensive tree management plan, development of a tree ordinance and historic and specimen tree maintenance and inventory. A total of $30,000 is available for this year’s grant awards.
Grant requests between $2,000 and $4,000 will be considered, equaling 40 percent of a project’s total costs, with the additional 60 percent match provided by the applicant. DEM has distributed $2.25 million in America the Beautiful grants in the past 19 years under this formula, matched by $3.6 million in local funds.
The February 9 workshop will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Division of Forest Environment headquarters located at 1037 Hartford Pike in North Scituate. The application deadline for submitting grants is 4 p.m. on Monday, February 28. Grants will be awarded during Arbor Day ceremonies on April 29.
For additional information and grant applications, contact Peter Lockwood, urban and community forestry coordinator at DEM’s Division of Forest Environment at 647-3367 or via email at [email protected]. The grant application and fact sheet are available on DEM’s website, www.dem.ri.gov, by clicking on “Topics” from the homepage, then “Grants/Financing,” then “America the Beautiful Grant Requests.”
News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 www.dem.ri.gov
Contact: Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402
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