Project Canopy Assistance Grants are available to state, county, and municipal governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations for developing and implementing community forestry projects and programs. Project Canopy, a cooperative partnership between the Department of Conservation’s Maine Forest Service and GrowSmart Maine, anticipates that $200,000 will be available to support community forestry projects in the following categories:
Planning and Education
$10,000 maximum award
Projects support sustainable community forestry management, and efforts to increase awareness of the benefits of trees and forests.
Planting and Maintenance
$8,000 maximum award
Projects increase the health and livability of communities through sound tree planting and maintenance.
To be eligible to apply for 2011 Project Canopy Assistance grants, all applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application (excluding previous workshop attendees). Grant workshops are scheduled for September 27, 2011, 10 AM – Noon, in the following locations:
Augusta, Department of Conservation, Harlow Building
Camden, Town Office
Sanford, Town Office
Standish, Town Office
Old Town, Maine Forest Service Field Office
Houlton, Town Office (tentative)
Grant workshops will cover topics including grant writing, project development, sustainable community forestry management, and grant administration.
Please let us know which workshop you plan to attend.
Grant applications will be due to the Maine forest Service at 5:00 pm on Monday October 17, 2011. All grants require a 50% match from the grant recipient in cash or in-kind services.
Project Canopy is funded by the USDA Forest Service Community Forestry Assistance Program. The USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program was authorized by the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (PL95-313) and revised by the 1990 Farm Bill (PL101-624) to promote natural resource management in populated areas and improve quality of life.
For complete grant application and workshop information, please visit the Project Canopy website at http://projectcanopy.maine.gov