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philanthropic organizations, and corporate foundations. More
and more, urban forestry programs impact and/or intersect with
these partners' missions and they can be prime candidates for
getting you budget support.
Sources of Funding
The year 2016 may be the perfect time to ask for more funding.
The economy is better, the climate is changing (literally), and
people/voters are into green solutions. There are a myriad of
sources for funding; some are tried and true, and others are
emerging markets that can offer hefty dividends with a little
investment of your time. As a caveat, some of the sources
described here may not be available or practical for you, and
may not be authorized by your city or state.
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General Fund – This is the most common funding source
for urban forestry programs. Ask for a bigger piece of the
pie, and/or negotiate with other municipal departments to
include line items in their budgets that support elements of
your program.
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Federal and State Government Grants – As a public
agency, urban forestry programs are in a good position to
apply for and receive government grants. While U.S. Forest
Services grants have become more regional and compet-
itive, other federal grant programs have emerged that can
fund tree planting, inventories, urban tree canopy assess-
ments, and even tree maintenance. Take a look at U. S. EPA
grants (Urban Waters Small Grants, Environmental Justice,
and 319 grants), the U.S. Department of Transportation's
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
(TIGER) grant program, or simply go to www.grants.gov to
see what's available for your particular need and situation.
And, it goes without saying that you should stay in touch
with your state urban forestry coordinator to learn about
regional and state grant programs.
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Corporate and Private Foundation Grants – The business
community is becoming more generous (and anxious to
partner with green entities), and the endowments of private
foundations are becoming flush again. As a public agency
with non-profit status, staff, and administrative support
systems, urban forestry programs are in a good position to
apply for and receive private grants. Check out www.foun-
dationcenter.org for private funding sources in your city.
Partnering with a local non-profit can also reveal private
funding sources in your area.
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Taxes, Assessments, and Special Tax Districts – The polit-
ical atmosphere may not be quite right for asking for new
taxes to support your program, but this is a legal and viable
way to fund your program with the right amount of citizen
support. Cincinnati, Ohio's urban forestry program is funded
by a state-authorized special assessment; St. Louis, Illinois
uses a combination of property tax and sales tax transfers;
and Burlingame, California receives a portion of the gas tax.
