THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED – View our 2024 Growing Green Communities Grant Award Winners Here
California ReLeaf is pleased to announce $45,000 in funding for the Growing Green Communities grant program sponsored by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). This grant program is designed to fund urban forest projects and to engage new community-based organizations in tree-planting activities within PG&E’s five service regions (see map). This grant program encourages community-based organizations to plant trees to grow greener, stronger, and healthier neighborhoods, bringing many benefits, including cleaner air, cooler temperatures, and stronger social bonding.
Tree planting events are wonderful community engagement and education events about the importance of trees in promoting community health and combating climate change. We invite you to apply to host a tree-planting project in your community.
If you are interested in applying for a Growing Green Communities grant, please review the criteria and details below. Applications are due December 8, 2023, at 12 p.m. PT and must be submitted through our online application form.
Interested applicants are encouraged to watch our Growing Green Communities Informational Webinar Recording, which was hosted on November 15.
2024 GRANT UTILITY SPONSOR
PG&E Service Area Map
Informational Webinar Recording
PROGRAM DETAILS:
- Grants will range from $3,000 – $5,000, estimating 8-10 grants awarded
- Project awards must be to organizations with projects within one of the five PG&E service regions. We look forward to granting projects in all five regions. (See map)
- Priority will be given to underserved or low-income communities, neighborhoods with fewer existing trees, as well as communities that have not had recent access to urban forestry funding.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:
- Community-based organizations who do tree planting, tree care education, or are interested in adding this to their projects/programs.
- Must be a 501(c)(3) or have/find a fiscal sponsor and be in good standing with the California Attorney General Office’s Registry of Charitable Organizations
- Events must occur within one of the five service areas of the sponsoring utility: Pacific Gas & Electric. (See map)
- Projects must be able to be completed by Friday, May 31, 2024.
- Project reports must be submitted by Friday, June 14, 2024.
ENCOURAGED ACTIVITIES:
- Plant trees and care for trees in underserved low-shade communities.
- 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).
- Projects that engage multiple local partners, including but not limited to civic organizations, local businesses, health organizations, nonprofits, city officials, schools, students, elected officials, and organizational volunteers.
- Tree care post planting – including ongoing maintenance and watering beyond the grant period to ensure tree survival.
- Inviting PG&E representatives and corporate volunteers to your tree planting/care event(s) to participate and be recognized and thanked publicly.
- Invite local media and elected officials to your event to share broadly how your tree planting project/ event(s) benefits the local community (i.e. climate action, community resilience, cooling neighborhoods, air pollution mitigation, food access, public health, etc.)
INELEGIBLE ACTIVITIES:
- 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 planted in the ground to be an eligible project.
- Tree Planting/Care/Educational Event(s) outside the PG&E service area.
SPONSOR ENGAGEMENT & RECOGNITION:
Recognition and engagement of PG&E as the sponsor of your event(s)/project is required, including:
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- Engaging with PG&E, inviting them to your event(s) to be recognized.
- Offering volunteer opportunities for PG&E personnel at your event(s).
- Posting their logo on your website and or flyers as your grant sponsor.
- Including their logo in your social media graphics, recognizing them as your sponsor.
- Thanking them during your tree event(s).
KEY DATES:
- Grant Information Webinar: Wednesday, November 15th, 1 p.m. Watch the Recording
- Grant Applications Due: December 8th, 12 p.m. and must be submitted through our online application form.
- Estimated Grant Award Notifications: January 10, 2024
- A representative from California ReLeaf will contact applicants via email. The formal public announcement will be on our website and social media in early January.
- Anticipated Grant Orientation for Awardees Webinar: January 17, 2024.
- Project Completion Deadline: May 31, 2024.
- Final Report Due: June 14, 2024. Read Final Report Questions
GRANT PAYMENT:
- Awarded grantees will receive 50% of the grant award after completion of the grant agreement and orientation.
- The remaining 50% of the grant funding will be paid upon receipt and approval of your final report.
QUESTIONS? Contact Victoria Vasquez 916.497.0035; grantadmin[at]californiareleaf.org