APPLICANT NOTICE
(updated August 4, 2023)

Please note the Forest Service is seeking an entity(ies) to conduct a national inventory of management and maintenance plans across the country and to assess them to which are best for different size communities and geographical areas.

This is NOT for individual communities to develop their own individual plan.
Please contact your State Forestry agency to have their State Urban Forestry Coordinator assist you with your request.

Thank You for your interest in the Forest Service's National Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-FS-UCF-010-2023
Title: 2023 National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.675 (Urban and Community Forestry Program)
Estimated Total Program Funding: $500,000

Improve Urban and Community Forest Management, Maintenance and Stewardship

This year's UCF Challenge Cost Share Grant Program is providing up to $500,000 for Urban and Community Forestry investments that address goal 5 of the National Ten Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan (2016-2026).

The National Action Plan’s Five-Year Benchmark Accomplishment Report recommends expanding, refining, and customize technology tools for different regions. Prioritize robust technology that provides accessible data for a range of foresters, decision-makers, and community members. This would include pairing the different types of best management practices and technology with the size and capacity that a community can utilize.

With the increase of tree planting and maintenance activities, it is also critical to manage and maintain our existing urban and community forests that are well established and sequestering carbon while addressing the impacts of climate change.

CATEGORY: Goal 5 Improve Urban and Community Forest Management, Maintenance and Stewardship

The Forest Service is seeking an inventory and assessment of existing hard copy and electronic urban and community forest management protocols. Once analyzed, the applicant should assess the information and determine which existing or new protocols would be suitable for small communities to large metropolitan areas in various geographical areas of the country and territories. The end result should be a comprehensive program / software that compiles existing and emerging technology and best management practices into one comprehensive and adaptable application to be successfully tested and utilized by pilot communities, Tribal communities, island territories, and disadvantaged communities.

Successful urban forest management programs should at least include:

• A comprehensive national inventory and assessment of existing hard copy and electronic urban forestry best maintenance/monitoring/management practices, case studies, and informative cost-effective strategies for urban forest management and assessment such as, but not limited to: Geospatial tree inventories, forest canopy cover mapping and benefit analysis, planting space analysis, urban heat Island mapping, optimal species diversity and distribution.

• An urban tree maintenance and stewardship plan (i.e., optimal pruning cycle frequency, tree removal and reforestation operations efficiencies, pest, and disease management decision matrices, etc.).

• Technical assistance resources (manuals, videos, methods/models) that support arboriculture/urban forestry workforce development training, and job creation for disadvantaged community members.

• Tools and technical assistance support for scaling of urban forest management and maintenance methodologies and implementation strategies for different community sizes, capacity, and geographical areas across the country and territories.

• Identify pilot communities that can test and utilize these management protocols.

• Awareness of volunteer-based citizen science, community assisted maintenance models (i.e., tree stewards, neighborhood/block tree tenders, etc.) and continuing education resources that support and extend community forestry stewardship capacity.

For complete details about this funding opportunity, please download the complete Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) below.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

To begin a new grant application or to continue an existing application in-progress, click the Apply Online link in the menu bar above.  The Grant Portal's online application process utilizes workflow based web-form and document upload processes that allow you to apply for and submit your application online.

About the Urban and Community Forestry Program

The USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry Program is a technical, financial, and educational assistance program,  delivering nature-based solutions to ensure a resilient and equitable tree canopy where more than 84 percent of Americans live.  It is the only dedicated urban forest program in the federal government.

The UCF Program assists State Forestry agencies and partner organizations in addressing and applying nature-based solutions to chronic and emergent economic, social, and environmental challenges in communities across the United States by providing direct funding to communities and especially to communities experiencing low urban tree canopy, dead and hazardous tree conditions, extreme heat and severe flooding, and limited awareness of or access to green job workforce to help them:

• Become more resilient to climate change
• Combat extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy
• Experience improved forest health conditions and safer access to tree benefits
• Attain broadened exposure and access to environmental career pathways.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY SUMMARY

The online application process steps you through the application workflow processes allowing you to complete online web-forms and upload required .pdf documents^* so that your entire application package is submitted online.

Apply online now or continue/edit your previously started application.

Online Application Instructions

To begin your online application, you'll need to enter the primary contact's name and email address along with the project title and the grant category for which you are applying. For added security, you will also be required to setup a secret question and answer.

Once you complete this information, you will be send an email with a unique application tracking-id that you will need to access your online application.  You will also be presented with your unique application tracking-id online when creating your application profile, please make a note of it.

Each time you access your online application, you'll need the primary contact's email address, the answer to your secret question and your tracking-id to gain access.  If a colleague (or multiple colleagues) will also be responsible for editing this online application, you'll need to provide them with the application tracking id and the primary contact's email. If you later change the primary contact's email  in your online application, you'll need to use that new email to access your online application.

To enter and upload the required application information, you'll follow the workflow process presented when you access your online application. The final step to the workflow process is the application submission step. You should carefully review your online application before submitting. Once successfully submitted, you will receive an email with a time stamp confirming your submission. This email is your receipt for timely submission.  If you do not receive the email within a few minutes of submission, please check your SPAM and JUNK email folders as it may have been delivered there.