Tree Canada is happy to announce that the application period for our Community Tree Grants (CTGs) is open! Eligible groups are invited to submit applications for funding until Monday, December 12th, 2022, at 11:59 pm EST.
Our CTG program is the only national community greening, innovation, and stewardship program in the country. Through this program, Tree Canada and our partners offer funding and technical support to help start, upgrade, or achieve community greening goals through tree and shrub planting.
Whether you have applied before or this is your first time, we have prepared a list of frequently asked questions and answers to support prospective applicants through the application process.
For any questions that are not answered below, please contact our Community Tree Grant Program Manager and they will be happy to provide support.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for Community Tree Grants?
Each year we help schools, community groups, Indigenous communities, and municipalities across Canada to increase their green infrastructure.
Tree Canada offers three different CTGs:
Greening Canada’s School Grounds
Our Greening Canada’s School Grounds grants help strengthen the relationship between students and nature.
Who is Eligible: Tree Canada supports greening projects wherever learning takes place, including on educational institution properties such as elementary schools, primary schools, high schools, universities, colleges and training centers across Canada.
Grant Amount: $3,500 in funding is available per project.
Edible Trees
Our Edible Trees grants help connect people with local food sources and builds community by planting trees and shrubs that produce fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, and pods.
Who is Eligible: Funding is available to educational institutions, Indigenous communities, community groups or gardens, food banks, community housing projects, municipalities, or other groups interested in planting edible trees on publicly accessible sites.
Grant Amount: $3,500 in funding is available per project.
Treemendous Communities
Our Treemendous Communities grants encourage and support community tree planting projects that create long-lasting benefits. We accept a wide range of project proposals such as heat island mitigation projects, biodiversity corridors, stormwater retention, invasive species control, riparian planting, park and street tree plantings, and more.
Who is Eligible: Tree Canada supports greening projects wherever people live, work or play. Treemendous Communities funding is available to Canadian municipalities, Indigenous communities, business improvement associations, non-profits and community groups.
Grant Amount: From $3 500 to $10 000 per project.
Can I apply to more than one of the grants?
Yes, you are welcome to apply to more than one of our grants. Your applications may be as similar or as different as you would like. Applying to multiple grants does not affect your chance at being selected. However, please note it is unlikely you would be accepted for two separate grants in the same year.
When will I find out if my project has received funding?
Applicants can expect to hear from Tree Canada regarding their application no earlier than March of the next year. Our timeline is as follows:
- October: The application period opens.
- December: The application period closes.
- December – February: Applications are reviewed and scored based on merit, application strength, and creativity.
- Starting in March: Projects are selected to receive funding for planting in spring (April-June) and fall (September-November) of that year.
What does a strong application look like?
We are looking for applications that clearly describe the proposed project.
We understand that not every applicant will have technical expertise, for example, to pre-select tree species or comment on the health of the planting site. Regardless, a strong application will have the following:
- The description and intended impact of the project. What are you trying to do, and why is it important to your group or community? What is the environmental or social need?
- A general idea of where you want to plant, and a preferred planting season (if any)
- How your project will be accomplished. Please specify if additional support (technical, financial) is needed.
- Thoughts on how you will maintain the long-term health of the trees. We want your project to be sustainable and will work with you to ensure your trees are given the best shot at thriving. Tree Canada created this video to provide some basic tips for tree maintenance.
Is there an application I can look at as an example of a successful project?
View an example of a strong application that was selected for funding in 2022.
The application requests a “project landscape plan”. What are you looking for?
We want to visualize what your site will look like after the project is completed. This includes all site features including buildings, hard surface areas such as roads or parking lots, pre-existing trees/green space, and the planting area for your project. Please note this does not have to be highly technical, complicated, or made on any special software!
Here are two examples of clear and descriptive landscape plans. One is simpler and one is more technical, but both are equally suitable.
Who funds the CTGs?
As a non-profit organization, Tree Canada relies on the generous support of corporate sponsors and individual donors to fund our programs.
View a list of our sponsors that make CTGs possible. Successful applicants will be notified of their project’s sponsor once it is approved to receive funding.
Project sponsors are often interested in volunteering to plant trees as part of their contribution to the project. We will favour project applications that can accommodate some level of participation from the sponsor’s volunteers.
When will I receive my funding from Tree Canada?
If your project is selected for funding, Tree Canada will reimburse eligible project costs up to the full grant amount once your planting is completed and all supporting documents are submitted.
For multi-year projects, funding will be provided once the full grant amount has been spent and all supporting documents are submitted.
Supporting documents include: a report form (provided by Tree Canada), receipts/invoices for eligible project costs, and pictures of the planting site and event.
Wherein the grant recipient cannot pre-pay project expenses, Tree Canada will provide payment directly to suppliers (nursery, garden centre, etc.)
Which project expenses will Tree Canada reimburse?
View a list of eligible expenses within our CTGs.
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