Community and Watershed Forestry Grants
Forecasted
Community and Watershed Forestry Grants support governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions in tree planting, buffers, and lawn conversion to improve water quality, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
Funder: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Due Dates (Anticipated): April 2027 (Application closing deadline)
Funding Amounts: Minimum award of $50,000; match required at 20% of total project cost
Summary: Supports community tree planting, riparian forest buffers, and conversion of lawns to forest or meadow.
Key Information: Applicants must describe five-year establishment and long-term stewardship plans for plantings.
Description
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Community and Watershed Forestry Grants support planting trees in towns and cities and along waterways. Eligible work includes riparian forest buffers, lawn conversion to forest or meadow, and community tree planting, including Urban and Community Forestry. One application can combine multiple installations and practices.
Funding can support outreach, design, planting, and post-planting maintenance. The program emphasizes biodiversity, water quality improvements, flood control, and climate resiliency. Applications describe measurable planting outcomes, organizational capacity, stakeholder engagement, and long-term stewardship. Proposals may also address multifunctional buffers, technical assistance, canopy planning, education, and establishment activities for plantings supported by previous grants or other funding sources.
