• California community-based organizations that are:
  • A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, OR
  • A community group that has a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, AND
  • The nonprofit 501(c)(3) applicant or fiscal sponsor MUST be current with all annual reporting requirements with the state and federal government

Not sure about your nonprofit’s filing status? Visit the California State Attorney General’s Registry of Charities and Fundraisers Search Tool. If your organization is not in good standing with filing requirements at the state and federal level, you will not be eligible for this grant program. We encourage you to watch the California Association of Nonprofits webinar: That Nonprofit Deadline is More Important than You Thought— which reviews annual nonprofit filing requirements.

Eligible project locations MUST take place within:

• Southern California Edison’s Service Area – (see map or download service area guide to check your project site location)

Eligible Land Types:

California Arbor Week Grant projects must take place within Southern California Edison’s Service area, and the following land types are eligible: private property, federally recognized tribal lands, or publicly owned land with the following requirements:

1. Events must be free and open to the general public

2. For projects on federally recognized tribal lands or publicly owned property (e.g. parks, schools, street tree right of ways, government property, etc.), grant applicants must also upload a “Permission to Plant Form” to their online application.

**Please note many government agencies require permits and up to 6+ months of advance notice to go through the public approval process. If you haven’t already initiated the approval process before applying for this grant, you may not be able to complete your grant project within the timeline of this grant program.**

Prioritized Communities and Locations:

California Arbor Week Small Grant Program prioritizes projects that serve:

• Low tree-canopy communities
• Low-income / disadvantaged communities
• Communities impacted by redlining
• Communities impacted by extreme weather or climate events (drought, wildfire, flood, etc.)

California ReLeaf staff highly recommends using data mapping tools like Tree Equity Score, California Schoolyard Tree Equity Study Map, and/or CalEnviro Screen and sharing how your tree planting project will serve a community need.

All projects should engage multiple local partners, including but not limited to civic organizations, churches, local businesses, health organizations, nonprofits, city officials, schools, students, elected officials, and organizational volunteers.

Here are some examples of tree planting/tree care grant projects:

• Plant and/or care for trees in underserved communities with few existing trees and low tree canopy coverage.
• Tree planting/care events(s) and/or community greening celebration(s) that have an educational component, including the benefits of trees and the importance of tree care (especially ongoing watering in the tree establishment period – the first 3 years after planting).
• Hosting educational programs about trees:
  • community workshops (i.e., workshops about tree selection/tree planting/tree care/urban forest ecology/heritage trees/ethnobotany, etc.)
  • guided tree walks
  • tree-focused educational programs for schools or youth organizations
• Hosting your event during California Arbor Week (March 7-14), National Arbor Day, Earth Month, and /or a Locally celebrated Climate Action/Service Day.
• Tree care post planting – including ongoing maintenance and watering beyond the grant period to ensure tree survival.
• Engaging schools and community youth organizations (i.e., Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCA, after-school programs, high school environmental service clubs, etc. college corps, youth civic groups like Key Club, etc.)

The following activities are not eligible for the California Arbor Week Grant Program:

• Tree giveaways as the main component of the project.
• Planting tree seedlings. Trees are expected to be 5-gallon or 15-gallon container-sized for all tree planting projects.
• Planting trees in temporary planter boxes/pots. All trees must be in the ground to be an eligible project.
• Events/Projects that take place outside Southern California Edison’s service area.
• Landscaping projects that increase the heat island effect
• Projects that prioritize understory plantings as opposed to tree planting

All California Arbor Week Grantees will be required to:

1. Attend a Grantee Orientation Webinar
2. Attend a virtual one-on-one grant project meeting with ReLeaf staff upon the award
3. Attend a virtual grant project check-in meeting midway through the grant period
4. Engage, invite, and publicly thank your sponsor at your event (Southern California Edison)
5. Complete a final grant project report by June 13, 2025 (preview the questions here)

• Applicants awarded funding will receive 50% of their grant award after completing the grant agreement and grantee orientation requirements.
• The remaining 50% of the grant funding will be paid upon receipt and approval of a grantee’s final report.
• Preview the Final Grant Report Questions here.

• Application Window Opens: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
• Applications Due Date: Friday, December 20, 2024 at 3 p.m.

Please note, our online application form does not allow you to save in-progress applications. We recommend that you develop your application answers using a word processing application and transfer them to the online application when you are ready to submit them. Preview the application questions here. 

**Application Attachment Requirement**: If your proposed tree-planting project location will take place on tribal land or publicly owned property (i.e. park, school, government property), you must upload a “Permission to Plant Form“ to the online application form.

If you have questions about our grant program, please email Victoria Vasquez, California ReLeaf’s Grants & Public Policy Manager, or reach out to her by phone at 916-497-0035.