Startup Grant Program

The Urban forestry startup grants, offered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, support small projects focused on the initial steps of community tree care and management. This program aims to foster urban forestry initiatives within communities, aligning with the broader mission of environmental stewardship and promoting healthy urban ecosystems. The grant is designed to assist localities in establishing or revitalizing their tree care programs, thereby enhancing green infrastructure and community well-being. The target beneficiaries for this grant include cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The program specifically seeks to assist those entities that are either starting or recently started a community-wide tree care program, resuming activities that had ceased, infrequently performing tree care, experiencing low involvement in community tree care, or lacking trained staff/volunteers to oversee such programs. The impact goals are to improve community tree care practices, increase engagement, and develop local capacity for urban forestry management. The priorities and focuses of the grant are clear, allowing projects to consist of no more than three of eight specific components: tree planting, tree pruning, tree removal, tree inventory, insect and disease treatment, staff training, urban forestry management plan development, and information/education/outreach. This focused approach ensures that the initial grant funding addresses critical foundational elements of urban forestry. The strategic priority is to build a strong base for sustainable urban forestry programs at the local level. Expected outcomes include the establishment of new tree care programs, the revitalization of dormant ones, improved tree health and canopy cover, increased community awareness and involvement in urban forestry, and enhanced local expertise through staff training. Measurable results will be tied to the completion of selected project components, such as the number of trees planted or pruned, completion of an inventory, development of a management plan, or successful training sessions. The grant’s theory of change posits that by providing initial funding and focusing on foundational activities, communities will be empowered to build and sustain effective urban forestry programs, leading to long-term environmental and community benefits.