TreeUtah’s Community Tree Planting Grant Program is designed to provide financial, logistical, and volunteer support for community tree planting projects outside the Wasatch Front. Inside the Wasatch Front, if you know a location in need of trees that you would love to help plant, please reach out to Amy May, Executive Director, at director@treeutah.org.
This program aims to expand the reach of TreeUtah to help communities plant trees with the help of local volunteers. In addition to awarded funds for purchasing trees, TreeUtah staff can physically participate and help community volunteers do the planting. Ultimately, this program serves to promote awareness and appreciation for the many social, environmental, and health benefits trees provide.
Eligibility
Any local government (county, city, town, or neighborhood council), non-profit, community group, or public school may apply for grant funding. All projects must be planted outside the Wasatch Front on publicly accessible areas or in urban green spaces with assistance and consultation from TreeUtah staff. Moreover, all projects should have a long-term plan for watering and maintenance.
Funding and Grant Details
The maximum grant request for each project is $2,500 - awarded grants average $1,500. Funds are only to be used for the purchase of trees. Grant awards are not meant to cover a group’s total project budget, only to supplement the cost of a project. We require a 1:1 grant match, so the monetary value of your matching contributions must be equal to — or greater than — your request from us. Matching contributions may include the purchase and installation of irrigation systems, time spent planning and preparing for the planting project, and/or volunteer or staff time spent attending the workshop and planting the trees. The monetary value of volunteer time may be calculated at $29.95 per hour (as calculated each year by Independent Sector), or you may substitute more accurate figures if they are obtainable. TreeUtah staff is happy to help you determine the most appropriate trees for your situation and Utah’s climate. Given that nurseries aren’t available in some locations, you may reach out to us to help coordinate tree deliveries if needed.
You may call us at 801-364-2122 or email us at director@treeutah.org if you have any questions.
Applicants are asked to identify a desired date for a workshop and planting. However, we cannot always accommodate preferred dates due to scheduling conflicts with other planting events and the limitations of our small staff. We ask that you please be flexible when scheduling a planting date. In addition to monetary funding, grant awardees receive an investment of time and resources from TreeUtah’s staff that can include assistance with organizing and managing the tree planting day, tools that can be used for the volunteers at the event, and a tree care demonstration workshop held the day of the planting. For reliable information about trees in Utah applicants are encouraged to consult the Utah State University Extension Forestry website and www.treebrowser.org.
Planting Report & Reimbursement TreeUtah grant recipients will be required to submit a report detailing the status of the project and project-related expenses. This report should include a description of the project status, photos of the project area, and a detailed list of expenses that includes receipts and invoices. TreeUtah will disperse grant funding on a reimbursement basis. We will reimburse you after the project is completed and we have received the invoice of receipts with your planting report. All invoices must be received by TreeUtah no later than 30 days after the completed tree planting date. Forms not received by this time risk not receiving a reimbursement.
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