Green Grants Neighborhood Planting Program Frequently Asked Questions What is "urban and community forestry?" Urban forestry is defined as the art and science of managing of trees and related natural resources in populated areas, from the inner city to the developing urban fringe and within small communities. Community forestry is an approach to management that engages residents in the planting and care of trees and related nature resources. For more information, see "A Technical Guide to Urban and Community Forestry." What type of projects have the best chance of being funded? The primary focus of the "DC Green Grants" program is on small inner-city tree planting and maintenance efforts. Proposals that engage communities, schools and individual residents in tree planting and care will be prioritized. Can tree plantings be located on private property or public property with limited access? Urban and Community Forestry funds cannot be used to improve private property unless public access is guaranteed. Note, however, that most front yards in the District of Columbia are located on public lands. If trees are planted on these public space areas and visible by the public, they may be eligible for funding. What specifically will the grant pay for? The grant can pay for specialized personnel, transportation, supplies, materials, and contractual services. Design fees and direct administrative costs are acceptable, but for small scale grants these costs are typically minor. Items such as food, T-shirts, large equipment purchases, computer equipment are often not considered to be essential to the success of an urban forestry project and therefore might not be approved. If you are uncertain about a particular cost, contact UFA for advice. Can the project be a community garden, improvements to a neighborhood park, a tree planting project at a local school, or a streetscape project? Urban and Community Forestry funds can support tree and shrub planting, soil improvement if needed and slope stabilization, as long as part of any of the project incorporates community involvement and stewardship. However, the bulk of the plant material proposed must be shade trees. What can be counted as cash or in-kind matching funds and how is the match documented? The most common type of matching contribution is direct personnel costs (documented by payroll sheets) or materials and services purchased by the grant recipient. In-kind contributions for urban forestry projects include: volunteer time or labor (documented with sign in sheets); donated professional services (documented by consultant invoice); donated plant materials (documented by vendor receipt). The value of volunteer time is calculated at market rate for the services provided.