Founded in 1913, The Garden Club of America (GCA) is a nonprofit composed of 199 member clubs with over 18,000 members nationwide. The organization is dedicated to promoting the interdependence of horticulture, environmental protection, and community involvement. It supports this mission through 29 merit-based scholarships across 12 fields, providing over $500,000 in annual awards. Among these is the GCA Zone VI Fellowship in Urban Forestry, which was established in 2004 by GCA clubs in Maryland and the District of Columbia, with the first award granted in 2006.
The fellowship is administered in partnership with Casey Trees, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on restoring and protecting the city’s tree canopy. Casey Trees plants over 6,500 trees annually, manages ongoing maintenance, leads educational programming, and advocates for greenspace preservation and policy reform in the region. Together, GCA and Casey Trees support students pursuing studies and research in urban forestry, aiming to expand the number of professionals in the field and foster new knowledge.
The fellowship provides $7,500 annually to one or more graduate or advanced undergraduate students who are conducting research that contributes to urban forestry. Applicants may reapply for a second year of funding. Funds may be used for study, research, or other academic activities that align with the program’s objectives. The fellowship emphasizes projects that examine the planning, management, horticulture, or ecology of urban forests and how these affect people and the environment.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents enrolled at a U.S.-based institution in urban forestry or related disciplines. Application materials include a curriculum vitae outlining educational background, experience, publications, and career goals. A letter of endorsement is required from the student’s academic advisor, submitted directly via email. The deadline for submission is January 15, 2026, and applications are incomplete without the letter of endorsement.
Selection is conducted by a panel convened by Casey Trees, consisting of experts in urban forestry research and approved by the GCA Scholarship Committee. Final decisions are made in late March, and recipients are notified officially by GCA. The program does not specify a recurring cadence, but it has been awarded annually in the past, implying a likely continuation in future cycles. Applicants with questions may contact the fellowship administrators at gcaurbanforestry@caseytrees.org or by phone at 202.833.4010.
Applications are not complete without the advisor letter; submit well before deadline.
