Urban and Community Forestry Program
Urban and Community Forestry Program supports Rhode Island communities and organizations with forest planning, education, training, and strategic planting to improve tree management and preserve tree cover.
Funder: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Due Dates: September 15, 2026 (Applications open) | November 15, 2026, 4:00 PM (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: $2,000–$10,000 per grant; reimbursement only, with a non-federal match
Summary: Supports Rhode Island projects that improve community forest management and public understanding of the benefits of preserving tree cover.
Key Information: Stand-alone tree planting projects are not eligible; planting must support a larger urban forestry effort.
Description
The Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program is a cooperative partnership between the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region. It funds projects that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of urban and community forest management and increase public understanding of the benefits of preserving existing tree cover.
Projects should address at least one Rhode Island Forest Action Plan goal: sustainable management of trees and forests where people live, work, and play; protection from invasive species, catastrophic events, climate impacts, and other threats; or improved management practices that enhance public benefits. Funding supports new initiatives and expansion of existing programs, including management planning, inventories, education, training, and strategic planting within broader forestry efforts. It is not intended to replace existing program funding.
