N.C. Forest Service - Urban and Community Forestry Financial Assistance Program

Awardees will enter a project completion agreement/contract with the N.C. Forest Service or partner to complete the work for an agreed duration and will be reimbursed for approved expenses unless otherwise specified in the agreement. All organizations are eligible for a cost share agreement structure. Disadvantaged communities may be eligible for no cost share or match share agreement structures as may be offered in a respective request for application. Contact us between and during RFA offerings for guidance.

Cost Share

• The awardee pays a service provider to complete the services.
• The awardee will be reimbursed the percentage cost share, for example 50%, offered by the specific RFA.
• Only purchased goods and services related to completion are eligible for reimbursement.
• An awardee’s contribution may not come from another federal grant funding program.

Disadvantaged Communities

• Disadvantaged Communities Definitions
  • A tribal government.
  • Governing agency located within a N.C. Department of Commerce Tier 1 Distressed County.
  • Governing agencies that straddle a Tier 1 county.
  • 501c3 not-for-profit organizations.
• Agreement Structures
  • Each financial assistance program and request for application will detail if and how these agreement structures are offered.
• Match Share
  • A match share structure allows for direct in-kind contributions instead of monetary contributions for managing and completing the project.
  • Examples of direct in-kind contributions include dollar value of employee time, volunteer time and donated goods or services.
• No Cost Share
  • Grant funds cover all costs to complete the project.

Funding Programs

The N.C. Forest Service receives funding from various sources, and each has its own set of requirements, restrictions and activities that can be funded. N.C. Forest Service RFAs will detail all the information needed to apply for the funding program being offered. There are also urban and community forestry funding opportunities offered by other organizations. Visit our U&CF Funding Sources and Opportunities webpage for information about our funding programs and other opportunities.

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Design Your Project

To successfully complete a project, and to apply for assistance, you will need a sound project plan. This requires you to complete a planning process. This planning process will result in a project plan that includes the following five foundational project plan elements: project needs statement, project goal, project objectives, project work plan and project budget.

We will periodically offer informational and training events to help you with project planning and the financial assistance program. Project planning tools and required financial assistance program documents can be found on our U&CF Resources and Specifications webpage under the Financial Assistance banner.

Request for Applications

Requests for Applications will be advertised as well as posted at the bottom of this page. Use these links to learn program specific information and to access the electronic application.

There will be regularly scheduled offerings Jan. 1 and July 1 each year, however there may be additional special offerings between these dates.

Prerequisites for all applications

• All applicants must have a federal Identification Number and a federal Unique Entity ID # obtained through the sam.gov (Get a Unique Entity ID Only) website portal.
• Projects must take place within the boundaries of a municipality or tribal lands.
• Project Team – A new or established project team comprised of community citizens, municipal government staff and stakeholder organizations must be engaged in the completion of the project.
  • Communications professional must develop and publish your multimedia products.
• You must contact your N.C. Forest Service county ranger and inform him/her that you are submitting an application.
• Completed urban forestry practices must utilize and adhere to the most current versions of the American National Standards Institute A300, Z60.1 Standards & International Society of Arboriculture Best Management Practices.
• Project contributors providing professional services to complete work must be adequately credentialed for tasks/role on the project.
  • Urban Forestry Practices Minimum Qualifications
    • A degree in urban forestry or a closely related field (e.g., forestry, arboriculture, horticulture);
    • International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist, American Society of Consulting Arborists Registered Arborist, Society of American Foresters Certified Forester, or equivalent State or professional credential; and/or,
    • At least three years of experience practicing arboriculture or urban forestry according to industry standards and urban forestry best management practices.

At the end of each application period, applications will be divided into disadvantaged community and non-disadvantaged community categories. They will be reviewed for completeness and prerequisite requirements. Incomplete project plans or applications failing to meet prerequisites will be disqualified. Within each respective Request for Application, acceptable applications will be scored and ranked based on the following general criteria:

• Technical merit of the project and application.
• Completion of the project achieves the municipality’s next standard of the NCFS U&CF Management Classification.
• Project builds upon a previously accomplished U&CF project.
• The applicant is a current Tree City USA, Tree Campus Higher Education or Tree Campus K-12.
• Project start date – Practice or activity can begin soon after award.
• Project serves a Disadvantaged Community.

Applications will be awarded by rank, highest to lowest, until funding is exhausted. Applications tied in points will be awarded based on equitable geographic distribution of project awards, the population number served or by lottery if necessary. Unused funds within a program group will be made available to fund other applications.