(Sacramento) – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), Urban and Community Forestry Program announced today the application portal for 2024 Inflation Reduction Act grants is open. To help create sustainable urban forests across the state, $30.8 million in funding will be available to support urban and community forestry projects in historically disinvested urban communities throughout California.
The Inflation Reduction Act supports urban and community forestry investments that foster:
- Increased and equitable access to urban tree canopy and associated human health, environmental, and economic benefits in disadvantaged communities.
- Broadened community engagement in local urban forest planning, tree planting, and management activities.
- Improved community and urban forest resilience to climate change, extreme heat, forest pests and diseases, and storm events through best management and maintenance practices.
Applications for Inflation Reduction Act grants are due no later than May 30, 2024 by 5 p.m. Links to the application portal and final grant guidelines can be found on the Urban and Community Forestry Grants Program webpage.
Eligible applicants include local government entities, including cities, counties, or qualifying districts; Federally recognized Tribes operating within California, Tribal-affiliated non-profit organizations; non-profit organizations; schools, school districts, and community college districts.
There are six grant options available: Urban Forest Expansion and Improvement, Urban Forest Management Activities, Urban Forestry Education and Workforce Development, Urban Forestry Regional or Statewide Impact, Urban Forest Equity Capacity Building, and Green Schoolyards.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry (UCF) Program awarded $1.5 billion to states, projects, and national initiatives that support urban communities in ensuring equitable access to trees and their benefits via the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The UCF Program is a covered program under President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, established through Executive Order 13985.
In California, CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is administering this federal grant funding. Projects must directly serve priority populations within one or more defined disadvantaged and/or low-income community in an urban area.
For more information, or to request technical assistance visit the Urban and Community Forestry Grants Webpage.
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