Branching Out: A Look at Tree Canada’s 2024 Community Tree Grants

As we embark on another year of community greening across Canada, it’s with immense pleasure and gratitude that we share insights into the strides made by Tree Canada’s Community Tree Grants (CTG) program.

Last year was a remarkable planting season, with 72 CTG projects successfully completed across the country. Highlights include a riparian restoration project near the shores of Hatfield Point, New Brunswick, and replanting efforts in Slemon Park, Prince Edward Island, one of the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Fiona. Additionally, we supported the planting of edible trees at Natoaganeg School in Eel Ground, New Brunswick, a vital community hub dedicated to preserving the heritage, traditions, and culture of the Mi’kmaq people.

With each passing year, our commitment to nurturing vibrant, sustainable landscapes grows stronger, and our actions become more impactful, thanks to our donors’ and sponsors’ unwavering support and enthusiasm.

Breaking Records

Every year, we open registrations from October to December for the upcoming planting seasons. Last Fall, we witnessed an unprecedented surge of applications to the Community Tree Grants program (CTG), marking yet another record-breaking year! With 593 completed funding applications, we are proud to reach new communities and reaffirm peoples’ profound affinity for trees and the positive impact they bring to our lives.

While we take pride in supporting more community greening projects annually, our approval rate stands at around 15%. Despite the remarkable quality of most applications, the disparity between funding requests and approvals underscores the need for increased support and the opportunity for new partners to fund even more projects across the country.

2024: An Exciting Planting Year

As the Spring 2024 planting season begins, we have approved funding for 89 greening projects, with more in the pipeline awaiting consideration. This year’s approved projects encompass a diverse array of initiatives aimed at fostering community engagement:

• 6 projects spearheaded by other environmental NGOs.
• 13 projects led by community groups.
• 13 projects affiliated with schools.
• 18 projects supporting Indigenous communities.
• 39 projects in partnership with municipalities.

As we’ve done over the last few years, we’ll spotlight some of these amazing projects on our blog and social media. Follow us and subscribe to our newsletter to stay tuned!

New This Year

In our continuous effort to increase our impact in Canadian communities, 2024 heralds several new initiatives aimed at enriching the CTG experience:

1. All funding applications can now request up to $10,000, regardless of affiliation with specific grant streams. This change empowers schools and edible tree projects to amplify their impact and realize ambitious green endeavours.
2. Our Edible Trees webinar series, led by tree expert Stefan Sobkowiak, was opened for the second year to all applicants (even those not chosen for funding), extending valuable insights and expertise to a broader audience. With record-breaking registration numbers, this initiative exemplifies our commitment to knowledge sharing and capacity building across Canada.

If you’re inspired by our work and passionate about making a tangible difference in your community, consider donating to support our mission. If you work for a corporation, consider partnering with us to help grow better places to live. Your contribution, no matter the size, helps us to fund more projects, plant more trees, and create a brighter, greener future for all!